Review
The phrase is ‘money can’t buy happiness’, but Jack Hadley is attempting to buy his daughter’s happiness via marriage to British aristocrats. Miss Cleopatra Hadley wants an aristocrat that can give her money and no children. Raised by her mother and stepfather she’s had to bury more siblings then she cares to remember. The pain of her childhood memories is enough to ensure that she selects a suitor unable to do more than admire her.
Lord Logan McKinney needs an heiress, a lot of broke lords typically need one of these. His plan is to find one that doesn’t require attention, but at least respects him. When he meets Cleo sparks fly, literally. He thinks she’s a money grubbing climber and she thinks he’s a barbarian. Unfortunately, the opposite attracts thing is a killer and when these two get closer passions emerge. Logan doesn’t plan on denying his attraction longing to make Cleo his wife in truth. Will he accomplish his goal or will Cleo be scandalous enough to kiss and make a run for it?
Miss Cleopatra Hadley is a conundrum. On the one hand she’s scared of marriage due to a horrible step-father who did nothing but treat her mother poorly. On the other hand she’s incredibly stubborn and not very open minded. As soon as a thought’s in her head she’s riding that thought all the way to the ends of the earth. So, I couldn’t decide if I liked her or not. Logan McKinney on the other hand is pretty much a partial alpha male. He’s very determined to get what he wants, and not afraid to take charge. He’s a Scottish Laird, so taking charge is second nature. Yet, he’s sympathetic and heartfelt when the ladies need him to be. I liked Logan’s character, but there were plenty of moments when I believed a better woman then Cleo was waiting for him.
My biggest problem with this story was the romance plot formula. Between this book and the first in the series the passionate attraction, the heated embraces by two people who didn’t like each other to start with seemed to close for comfort. When I read romance I want characters in a series to walk different paths to their HEA’s and this felt too similar to Wicked In Your Arms, a budding romance suddenly turns into love confessions due to desperate circumstances. Other similarities were the internal reactions of the heroine’s in both stories. Cleo thinks herself a harlot and not herself when in the throes of passion similar to the heroine from the first book in this series.
I will say the plot doesn’t drag, and there isn’t a dull moment between hero and heroine. There’s plenty of conflict and tension to keep the pages turning if you’re a die-hard fan. Readers are introduced to more of Jack Hadley’s progeny which will lead to another story, since Jack still hasn’t got his tie to English Nobility; Scottish and European yet. But with a few more daughters he might have a bit of luck. Honestly, I want more from Sophie Jordan in the future and I hope that additional books in this series will provide some different situation and character reactions. I want a heroine with completely different outlooks then the past two, and different reactions to getting close to man. I think it’s time to break out of the comfort zone, and move beyond the formula.
Reviewed by Landra