Adrian Corona Corona থেকে Star, KS, USA
Set in 1866, A Borrowed Scot is a romance that allows two people forced together by circumstances the time they need to fall in love. It is full of lust and yearning for a future that seems out of reach. It is a romance between a woman who had no future and a man who yearned for the past. The romance grows on you and leaves you feeling satisfied with a conclusion that both characters worked to create. Veronica is a woman not content to hide in the shadows. She has the gift of sight and wants to investigate it, but as a poor relation she is to keep her mouth closed and remain in the background. She had no hope of being married or having her own home. I wanted her to have a life. I wanted her to be happy and to get away from the relatives who treated her like crap. Montgomery was different though. I didn’t really understand him for a good portion of the book. I never truly knew what he wanted ‘till the book was almost over. I didn’t know who he was or why he acted the way he did. He closed himself off from the possibility of love and the only way for my heroine to have her HEA was for him to come to terms with the past and choose a future. Montgomery treated Veronica poorly at times, but she wasn’t content to let the slights go by unaddressed. I liked that about her. She was never rude or in his face. She preferred to be the polite, smiley character who returned the treatment. When her hero ignored her, she returned the favor and ignored him. Her ability to not make a big deal out bad situations allowed her to avoid looking hysterical. It caught her hero’s attention without forcing her to sacrifice the actions of a true lady. A Borrowed Scot is not full of action. It has some, but if you are looking for an action packed book don’t pick it up. The book is like all relationships. There are steps forward and misunderstandings that take it back a step. The book is for lovers of the romance genre who want a story that guarantees a believable HEA. Would I recommend this book? Yeah, to friends who love historical romances. This story is full of the hangups from the past. The roles of servants, ladies, lords, men and women were clearly defined. Stepping out of those roles created issues and while I had a hard time controlling my temper when the consequences became clear, it was par for the time. Women couldn’t just jump up and run out. There needed to be chaperons and if there weren’t there were consequences. If you are okay with that, then you might have fun reading Ranney’s latest book, A Borrowed Scot. Scooper Speaks
This is a lengthy book, and at times the subject matter (a woman's traumatic childhood and subsequent problems throughout life) is very dark and depressing, but the writing is amazing and you will be rewarded if you keep going. At times, I had to remind myself that the author was a man, his grasp of the female psyche was that good. I cried my eyes out while reading it, but for me, that is a recommendation. Your mileage may vary.