How to Seduce a Scot by Christy English

source: free review copy via Sourcebooks
title: How to Seduce a Scot
author: Christy English
published: Sourcebooks Casablanca (December 1, 2015)
pages: 373
genre: historical fiction/romance
first line: Catherine Middlebrook surveyed the ballroom at Almack’s, looking for a quiet, biddable man to marry.
rated: 3 1/2 out of 5

He’s the terror of the ton…

Blurb:
The plan is simple:
1. Descend from the Highlands to face the aggravation of a London Season;
2. Foist his wild sister off on some gullible English lord;
3. Retreat before the ladies of the scandalized ton can get any ideas.

Determined to see his hellion of a sister wed, Highlander Alexander Waters is willing to face anything-even the English. He just didn’t expect his own rough manners to cause such a riot…or for a blooming English rose to catch his eye.

Gently bred Catherine Middlebrook must find a respectable man to marry or her family will be ruined. She won’t allow herself to be distracted by Highland barbarians…no matter how her body may thrill whenever Alex is near.

Catherine wasn’t part of the plan, but as their battle of wills escalates, Alex comes to realize this “proper” English girl is as wild as the Highlands themselves…and nothing will stop him from having her.

Broadswords and Ballrooms:
How to Seduce a Scot
How to Wed a Warrior
How to Train Your Highlander

My thoughts:
How to Seduce a Scot was a fun and sweet historical romance and kicks off the Broadswords and Ballrooms series by Christy English.

Catherine Middlebrook is trying to find a husband because her family is in debt. Her dad passed away leaving her single mother owing a mortgage on the house that she cannot pay. Catherine is in London and her need to marry to save her family is dire. She meets Lord Farleigh, an aristocrat with money who would make a sensible match and is interested in her, but she also meets a Highlander named Alexander Waters. Alexander is the opposite of Lord Farleigh. The Highlander is tall, dark, and handsome and straightforward with her, where Farleigh is always reserved.
What ensues is a bit of a love triangle as the men vie for her affections.

Alexander is in town to see that his sister finds a suitable English husband. He is anti-English even though his mother is English and he never thought he’d fall for an English woman himself, so this adds another dynamic to the story.

Catherine struggles with which man to choose, she is drawn to Alexander although she thinks he might just use her. Her head tells her to choose Lord Farleigh, who will marry her and pay off her family’s debt. Farleigh is the sensible choice, but opposites attract and as much as she fights it, the Highlander is the one she cannot stop thinking of.

Both men watched her as cats might watch a promising mouse hole. Being the focus of such masculine attention made her want to laugh out loud. Instead, she simply at another bite of quail.
p.160, How to Seduce a Scot by Christy English

I found the story to be fun and it pulled me right along through Regency England. There was alot of pressure in society back then and every move you make is watched and scrutinized. Catherine sews her own clothing and knows how to cook, both of which are looked down upon as well bred ladies are not supposed to lift a finger.

Of course I knew she was going to choose the hunky Highlander, the book title says it all, but it was still fun seeing it happen. Alexander is of course worldly in the ways of seduction and Catherine is inexperienced, so he keeps trying to keep himself in check. As you read his inner monologue you know he’s actually a nice guy and his character made me laugh a few times. He doesn’t want to ruin Catherine’s reputation but he is drawn to her as well. He figures he will stay in town until his sister is married off, then he can head back to the Highlands, but Catherine has really caught his heart. He nicknames her Angel and refers to her this was many times throughout the story. Some of the scenes between these two were funny, especially the first kiss after Catherine takes an alcoholic beverage from Alexander’s sister and forgets her reserves for a bit.

Catherine has a lot at stake here, this is her one chance to save her family and find herself a suitable match. The attraction between herself and the Highlander was believable and her struggle was real.

She went upstairs to change her gown, and to put up her hair once more. Her bonnet was a bit crushed, but still serviceable. Much like her heart.
p. 105

All in all, this was a sweet and sometimes steamy romance between a good English girl and a hunky Highlander. Cute book cover too!

Disclaimer: This review is my honest opinion. I did not receive any kind of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. I am under no obligation to write a positive review. I received my free copy of How to Seduce a Scot by Christy English via Sourcebooks. The photo in this post are my own and are not to be removed from here.