A Thief In A Kilt [Mass Market Paperback]

Sandy Blair (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2006

Scoundrel, seducer, Sir Ian MacKay deserves to be called the Thief of Hearts. Yet, he is a man with a mission: to return Scotland's rightful king to his ancestral throne. But first he must find out the true identity of the mysterious woman whose beauty and wit have dazzled the court...and why she is avoiding him. Can it be possible that Kate Templeton is an English spy? Though Ian insists that no woman has ever refused him, Kate vows to resist his scandalous charm. Leading him on a merry chase all over Scotland is the best way to safeguard her heart. Yet a passionate confrontation brings them together at last...and the only word on her lips is yes.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This lighthearted historical romance, the third in a series (after 2004's A Rogue in a Kilt), takes on loyalty, love and lies in 15th-century Scotland. Kate Templeton, an unmarried London tutor blessed (or is it cursed?) with the gift of foresight, is masquerading as the widow of a Scottish lord to gain information on her imprisoned friend, King James I of Scotland. Incarcerated in the Tower of London for the past five years, James seems to have been abandoned by his people. Kate, his loyal tutor, has decided on her own to travel to Stirling Castle in Scotland and determine why the Scots have ignored the crown's ransom demands, and who among the court James can count on to help him. Kate has been warned to stay away from Scotland's "Thief of Hearts," Ian MacKay, but his heart-stopping good looks make that hard to do. Ian works as the eyes and ears of the regent Albany, an ass of a man and an enemy of James, but what Kate doesn't know is that Ian is secretly working to restore James to the throne. As Ian and Kate begin to uncover their shared agenda, duplicity and dilemma drive them apart. Though the abundance of Scottish dialect can distract, Blair's attention to historical and regional detail supports a fine balance of action and romance, making this political potboiler a winning read. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Kate is on a mission to find out why the Scots refuse to ransom James I, who has been imprisoned by the English in the Tower of London. Pretending to be the widow of Sir Gregory Campbell's youngest son, Kate arrives in Scotland only to find her work threatened by Ian MacKay. As an agent for Robert, the Duke of Albany, Ian is doing his best to keep the Scottish border lords and lairds from taking up arms against the English, but Ian's job becomes much more difficult once he discovers the lovely and stubborn Kate's real reason for being in Scotland. Ian is determined to seduce the truth out of Kate, but much to his surprise, Kate seems to be surprisingly immune to his charms. Blair continues her loosely connected series of Scottish historical romances with another fabulously fun and splendidly sexy tale. John Charles
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Zebra (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821779966
• ISBN-13: 978-0821779965
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,275,963 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lusty Fun in Scotland, May 3, 2007

By 

Suzy (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Thief In A Kilt (Mass Market Paperback)

In her third Scottish historical, Ms. Blair takes the reader on a fast and funny romp through both the Scottish highlands and the intrigue of the courts of Scotland and England. Ian McKay is a hero not used to having to chase women and Kate Templeton gives him the slip at more than one turn. When he finally catches up to her, he finds not only a woman to match wits against, but one whose innocent sexuality fuels his lust. The fact that they also must save the emotional spirit of the young Scottish King held captive in London's tower adds another layer of intensity to this roller-coaster ride Ms. Blair has created. Once again you'll laugh, cry and lust from one page to the next.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The "Thief" stole my heart!, October 13, 2007

By 

Andrea L. Snider "Highland Lassies Reviews" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Thief In A Kilt (Mass Market Paperback)

A Thief In A Kilt


With her third book in the "Kilt" series, Sandy Blair mixes action, humor and adventure with a tender love story. A Thief in a Kilt will make you laugh out loud, and keep you turning pages.

Kate Templeton arrives at Stirling Castle to find out why a ransom demand was not met to secure the freedom of Scotland's King. As tutor to James, and having the gift of sight, Kate arrives armed with no more than a brooch in hand. Instructed to find the Dowager Campbell by posing as her son's widow, Kate sets out to obtain a list of nobleman still in support of King James. Unfortunately when she gets there, the Dowager Campbell is being put to rest. What is she to do now? She's in an unknown land, and the only warning Sir Gregory gave her was to stay clear of an, "extraordinarily tall and handsome man with flaxen hair, whose laugh sounds like thunder." Under no circumstances is Kate to engage this man's interest. But gain his interest she does!

Ian MacKay has no problem attracting women, but when a jet-haired beauty arrives at court, he doesn't understand why she's avoiding him. Thinking, but hoping she's not an English spy, Ian does his best to engage her at every turn. To his dismay feelings are stirring in him, the sort like he's never experienced before. He can't seem to stay away from, Katie as he calls her. And then his worst fears are exposed, Kate may not be a spy, but she is most definitely a thief!

She "borrows" something dear to him, and that leads them on a chase through the Scottish Countryside, and into England. Once Ian finds out who Mistress Campbell really is, they join forces to uncover a powerful deception. Ian cannot believe that not only he, but his countrymen have been duped by someone they trusted. AND the truth may stop an unnecessary clash from happening. But in Scotland that war is raging. Will Ian and Kate be able to get them the truth in time to stop it? And what will Kate do when she thinks she's lost her "Thief," forever?

You'll have to read to find out!

This book was hysterically funny, but also a powerful and tender love story. I laughed out loud one minute and shivered at the intense love between the two characters the next. For anyone who loves a wonderful love story mixed with humor, and a splash of history, then this is the book for you!

And of course who can resist a man, even a "thief," in a kilt!

Congratulations Sandy Blair, on another fabulous read! I look forward to more!

The "Thief" definitely stole my heart!

I give this book **** stars.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kilt Treat!, February 4, 2007

By 

Beverly "Beverly" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Thief In A Kilt (Mass Market Paperback)

In this third Kilt Series we find the handsome "Thief of Hearts" Ian McKay taken in by desire, lust and confusion with the English beauty Kate Templeton who has come to the Scotish court looking for the Dowager Lady Campbell in disguise as a Campbell widow in order to obtain a list of noblemen that are true to the captured King James. Young King James is currently being held in an English prison for ransom and believes his countrymen have forgotten him. He is angry and is planning war between England and Scotland in order to hurt those noblemen who have forsaken him. Kate has been his tutor for years and is blackmailed into impersonating a Campbell to obtain information about the ransom. With Sandy Blair's unique writing style, this book will keep you laughing and wondering as to who the real "thief" actually is. As war looms with England and Scotland, Kate wants so very much to prevent it by bringing back the proof that King James does have his country's support. But the handsome, sexy Ian McKay is in Kate's way at every step and since he is a man of Lord Albany, who was supposed to have received the ransom note, but has not acted on it, she must flee his advances and discovery. She steals his horse and when he discovers she is not only a thief, but English and holding back on some secrets, he struggles with his physical desire for Kate and wanting to believe the secrets she holds are true. They work together to uncover the deception and in the process discover true love. Sandy Blair again has written a sexy and witty Scottish romp, with a little bit of mystery, that is fun to read for those who like a light Scottish Romance.