Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore (Book Beginnings & Friday 56)

 Title: Portrait of a Scotsman

Author: Evie Dunmore

Publication: 7 September 2021

Format: eARC provided by Berkley via NetGalley

Amazon Description: 

Going toe-to-toe with a brooding Scotsman is rather bold for a respectable suffragist, but when he happens to be one's unexpected husband, what else is an unwilling bride to do?

London banking heiress Hattie Greenfield wanted just three things in life:

1. Acclaim as an artist.
2. A noble cause.
3. Marriage to a young lord who puts the gentle in gentleman.

Why then does this Oxford scholar find herself at the altar with the darkly attractive financier Lucian Blackstone, whose murky past and ruthless business practices strike fear in the hearts of Britain's peerage? Trust Hattie to take an invigorating little adventure too far. Now she's stuck with a churlish Scot who just might be the end of her ambitions....

When the daughter of his business rival all but falls into his lap, Lucian sees opportunity. As a self-made man, he has vast wealth but holds little power, and Hattie might be the key to finally setting long-harbored political plans in motion. Driven by an old desire for revenge, he has no room for his new wife's apprehensions or romantic notions, bewitching as he finds her.

But a sudden journey to Scotland paints everything in a different light. Hattie slowly sees the real Lucian and realizes she could win everything--as long as she is prepared to lose her heart.

Ramble-y Teaserish Stuff

I was expecting a fluffy historical rom-com. 

I was expecting some laughs and maybe some feels.

What I got was far more worthwhile than what I was expecting.

Portrait of a Scotsman is the third in Evie Dunmore's League of Extraordinary Women series and, normally, I would insist on reading them in order. I've actually had the first two on my TBR since the series began two years ago ... but then I was accepted for an advance copy via NetGalley for this one and I just couldn't resist ... or wait. 

I was in the mood for fluffy historical rom-com, after all. 

I got some comedy and I got more than a bit of romance ... and I got so much more.

I will be reading the others. 

I have no choice at this point. 

Dunmore pulled me in to the world inhabited by Hattie and her friends and I need more. I believe the series is only supposed to be these three but I'm hoping for Aofie to get a book all of her own ... well, her and Susan ... or whomever.

As always, Friday 56 (share a blurb from the 56th page or 56% mark) is hosted at Freda's Voice & Book Beginnings (share the first few sentences) is at Rose City Reader.