Reviewer: Rowena
The Lady Most Willing... (Lady Most #2) by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, Connie Brockway
Series: Lady Most #2
Publisher: Harper Collins, Avon
Publication Date: December 26th 2012
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 384
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Series Rating:

Step into the glittering world of Regency and prepare to have your hearts warmed by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockway . . .

During their annual Christmas pilgrimage to Scotland to visit their aged uncle in his decrepit castle, the Comte de Rocheforte and his cousin, Earl of Oakley, are presented with unique gifts: their uncle has raided an English lord's Christmas party and kidnapped four lovely would-be brides for his heirs to choose from . . . as well as one very angry duke, Lord Bretton.

As snow isolates the castle, and as hours grow into days, the most honourable intentions give away to temptations as surprising as they are irresistible.

This was a quick read for me.  I was looking forward to reading it because Julia Quinn is one of my favorite historical authors.  She writes the kind of historical romances that keep me smiling like a crazy person and laughing like a loon.

And it wasn’t any different with this book.

I really liked the way that this book was set up. How it was three different stories wrapped up in one bigger story.  Each author took a couple and wrote their story and overall, I thought the book was cute.  It’s set around a crazy Scottish Laird trying to snatch up (literally) some brides for his nephews.  He snatches them from a ball and they’re stuck at his castle because of a terrible snowstorm that has them all snowed in.  It’ll be a few days before they can all return safely home so they each have to make the best of the situation.

Julia Quinn’s part of the story features the Duke of Bretton and a Scottish lass by the name of Catriona Burns.  Catriona isn’t rich but the more the Duke of Bretton gets to know her, the more that he wants her.  She’s a breath of fresh air and he’s completely smitten with her.  Their story was too cute for words and oh so funny.  I laughed out loud more than once while reading their short story and it was most definitely my favorite story of the bunch.

Next up is Eloisa James part of the story and her story featured the Earl of Oakley, who’s uncle is the crazy man that kidnapped all of the ladies AND the Duke.  Luckily for Taran, the Duke of Bretton is a friend of Byron’s and is probably not going to kill him for stealing his coach with him in it.  This story was probably my least favorite of the three stories but it wasn’t a bad one.  the Earl of Oakley knows he has to marry but wasn’t planning on finding his bride so soon but the normally stiff Earl is trying to loosen up and finds himself getting to know the bookish, on the shelf because of a scandal young woman named Fiona.  Fiona’s sister Marilla is the pretty one, the one that gets all of the looks but after one encounter with Fiona, Byron is curious about her and finds himself drawn to her.  A love blossoms between them and I thought it was cute.

The last story is by Connie Brockway and features the poor Lord Rocheforte, who is a French Comte.  He’s the nephew that is going to inherit Taran’s castle and titles and lands and it was for Robin that Taran went to such lengths to procure some brides for their choosing.  There’s only one person that Robin wants but because of his reputation (being poor and a womanizer) he doesn’t think he should ruin her chances of finding a suitable husband so he stays away from her…out of love.  Love at first sight, that’s what it was for both Robin and Lady Cecily and as corny as it sounds, I thought their story was such a delight.  So cute!

I really liked getting to know each character and  I would have liked a little more from each story but overall, the reading experience left me with a smile so I liked it and would definitely recommend them.

Grade: 3.75 out of 5

book is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review.