Series: Duke Trilogy (Book 3)
As the ward to the late Duke of Lothian, Elsbeth Carew resides at the ancestral estate of Bealadair. Fiercely attached to the manor, she loves it more than anyone else. When Connor McCraight -- the new Duke of Lothian -- arrives, Elsbeth does not quite know what to make of the American who has inherited the title but has never even set foot on Scottish soil. The tall, ruggedly handsome Texan sweeps through Bealadair with an air of authority Elsbeth has never encountered.
Connor has no intention of making Scotland his home and hopes to sell the estate as soon as possible. But his plan is jeopardized when he meets Elsbeth. A sweet, gray-eyed beauty, she tempts him in ways no other woman has. As word spreads of Connor’s intention to sell Bealadair, his life is threatened -- and the only woman who can save him may be the one he has hopelessly lost his heart to.
Good book. It opened with a very unhappy Connor, a born and bred Texan, in Scotland, in the middle of winter. It seems he is the new Duke of Lothian, something he didn't expect and certainly doesn't want. He plans to see the property and then sell it as soon as he can and go back to Texas.
Elsbeth became the ward of the late Duke at the age of eight when her parents died. She shared his love of the history and people of Bealadair and had devoted herself to its care and keeping. She worries about what will happen to them when the new Duke sells.
I liked both Connor and Elsbeth. Connor is a good man. He treats everyone the same, from servant on up. He's definitely out of his element but does the best he can while hanging on to his personal values. It was fun to watch his reactions to some of the differences. I enjoyed his reaction to the Highland cows. Though a bit close-minded at the beginning, some of his attitude changed as Elsbeth showed him around the property. Elsbeth is kind of stuck between two worlds. She has never felt truly part of the family outside of her relationship with the late duke. She gets a great deal of satisfaction out of the work she does for the estate.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Connor and Elsbeth. Connor was fascinated and smitten from the moment he met her. I loved watching him find any opportunity to spend time with her. Elsbeth was a little warier. She was equally fascinated by him, but knowing that he has no intention of staying in Scotland makes her determined not to give in to those feelings. I liked seeing her efforts to show him the beauty of Bealadair and its people. As they spent time together, the feelings and attraction grew. I loved their protectiveness toward each other during and after the shooting, and Connor's respect Elsbeth grew even more. I ached a bit for Elsbeth, who believed that there was no future for her with Connor, even as she gave in to her desire for him. Connor knew what he wanted, but he was a bit of a bonehead and didn't say anything to her about his feelings, wanting to get all his plans in place. This nearly backfired on him as she went about her plans. The ending was good, though not quite the romantic scene that Connor had planned. I would have liked an epilogue showing her reaction to Texas. I will say I wasn't surprised by Connor's solution to the problem of selling the estate, though there was an interesting twist included.
There was also a bit of suspense to the story. Connor's plans to sell don't sit well with everybody. After a couple of so-called "accidents," he and Elsbeth have to admit that someone is trying to kill him, though they don't know why. He's made it clear that the place will be sold no matter what happens to him. There are several possibilities as to who is behind it. It was interesting to see that it was Elsbeth who figured out the who and the motivation.
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