Series:
School for Spinsters (Book 2)
To the London ton, Cameron MacNeill is an awkward,
wallflower of a man with no hope of finding a wife. But the Highland chief
holds deadly secrets, and he uses his beggar-like appearance to remain
unnoticed. He enlists the help of the School for Spinsters to help him find a
wife who will agree to be married in name only—because he needs a mother for
his son while he is away working on behalf of the Crown.
Lady Ashleigh Pryor will do anything to escape the
abusive household of her father—even marry a man she barely knows. But
Cameron’s lightning reflexes, the powerful muscles he hides behind ill-fitting
clothing, and his mysterious manner suggest that he is not a beggar at all, but
a man hiding a past he wants no one to know about.
As she starts to uncover the pieces of Cameron’s secret
life, Ashleigh no longer wants a marriage in name only—she wants a true husband
in her bed.
But Cameron can’t let himself fall in love—for if his
wife learns the truth about who he is, his secrets might put her very life at
stake.
Good book about a damsel in distress and her unlikely
white knight. Lady Ashleigh and her mother are caught in a nightmare situation.
Her father is a controlling and abusive man who regularly takes out his anger
on her mother and her. Ashleigh has been saving her pin money in a desperate
attempt to gain the funds necessary for her and her mother to escape. But when
her father announces his plans to marry her to his friend, she knows she must
move up her timeline. Ashleigh goes to Mrs. Harding at the School for Spinsters
for help. Mrs. Harding suggests she use marriage to another man to escape and
offers to find such a man for her.
Cameron has come to London from Scotland to find a wife.
He is a widower with a young son and a spy for the Crown. A handsome and
wealthy man, he disguised himself with a long beard and frumpy clothes to
discourage those who wouldn't fit his needs. Because of a tragedy in his past,
he only wants a marriage in name only.
When Ashleigh and Cameron meet, they quickly decide they
would not suit. Ashleigh doesn't look past Cameron's appearance, and Cameron
bases his decision on an incident he witnessed but doesn't know the background
of. However, over the next few days, neither can forget the other. Cameron's
instincts tell him Ashleigh is in trouble, but he tries to convince himself
it's not his business. When circumstances force Ashleigh to attempt her escape
earlier than planned (and she stupidly trusts the wrong person), Cormac witnesses
first-hand the abuse she faces. I loved his quick-thinking extrication of
Ashleigh from her father's clutches.
Ashleigh is understandably wary of Cameron, given her
experience with her father, but his kindness and gentleness weaken her
defenses. He offers to either marry her or take her somewhere safe. I liked
their compromise: they would get to know each other on the trip to Scotland,
where she would decide. They had a frank discussion of their expectations - no
intimacy on his side and her mother's rescue on hers. During the trip, the
sparks of attraction between them grow.
I loved Ashleigh's sensitivity to what she believes is
Cameron's poor state of finances, and she is taken aback by the things he has
purchased for her for their wedding. The wedding scene was terrific, and
Cameron's fight against his attraction was evident. I loved her shock when they
arrived at his home, and she discovered the truth about his wealth. But the
bigger surprise comes when he tells her about his son and his expectation that
she will be a mother to him. I understood his reasons for not telling her
before, but it was still wrong.
I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. The sparks
between them are evident from the start, but Cameron is determined to ignore
them. That becomes increasingly difficult as Ashleigh is determined to make
theirs a real marriage. I enjoyed seeing Ashleigh discover that there is more
to Cameron than meets the eye, and she rapidly loses her heart to him. Her
frustration is evident when he leaves soon after their arrival and gives no
indication when he will return. He has been assigned a new mission and refuses
to tell her about his clandestine activities.
I ached for them during their time apart. I liked seeing
Ashleigh settle in, fall for little Logan, and help her mother recover. But she
desperately misses Cameron. Meanwhile, Cameron is in desperate straits on his
mission, and his life is in danger. I was glued to the pages through this part
as he faced death. I cheered on Ashleigh after his arrival back home in
deplorable condition and loved her determination to be part of his healing. Her
ingenuity in finding her way past his protectors was inspired.
This was a turning point in their marriage, and I loved
watching them grow closer. Cameron must get past his traumatic memories before
he can open up completely to his feelings for her. There are also some
instances of Ashleigh needing to realize that Cameron is very different than
her father and that she can trust him. I loved how Ashleigh went after what she
wanted.
There is trouble with Ashleigh's father, who has not
taken the disappearance of his daughter and wife well. He makes a tactical
error in his attempt to get them back to London. I loved the plan Ashleigh and
Cameron devised and enjoyed seeing Ashleigh take on her father. The real
surprise was Ashleigh's mother, and I loved seeing the changes in her.
The ending was great, and I'm looking forward to reading
more of this series.
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