Judith’s review of In The Heart of the Highlander (Ladies Unlaced, #2) by Maggie Robinson

She has exactly what he needs—and desires…

Ever since Mary Evensong’s elderly Aunt Mim got sick, Mary’s masqueraded as the owner of the Evensong Agency, finding housemaids and husbands and solving pesky problems for the peerage. Someday she’d like to shake off her silvery wig and spectacles and be the young woman she truly is, but desperate clients are waiting for “Mrs. Evensong” at the office.

Like a scandalous Scottish baron. Honor forbids Lord Alec Raeburn from explaining the suspicious circumstances surrounding his wife’s death, but he knows who’s responsible. He just needs to hire an actress to lure the scoundrel into a trap.

After listening to Raeburn’s story—and seeing him in his kilt—Mary knows the perfect person. Letting her red hair down, she heads off to the Scottish Highlands to pose as a seductress, but soon finds herself with more than her virtue at stake in a tug-of-war between two powerful men. She could wind up in danger—or in the heart of the highlander.

Once again the context of this very interesting novel is wrapped up in the dismissive attitude of 19th century English society toward “young” women regardless of their talents or evidence that they are more than capable of productivity and independence and/or business acumen.  Such is the case with young Mary Evensong, niece of a woman who is much older and who has established herself as adept in finding appropriate staff  or even possibly husbands for desperate women.   Now Mary must masquerade as her aunt in order to continue the agency because of her aunt’s illness.  At the heart of the novel is the challenge Mary accepts to be herself within a situation where her very life might be in danger.

Those of us who now live in a society where women are given greater affirmation for their gifts and talents will feel deeply Mary’s frustration at being dismissed as a young woman.  We will have no difficulty understanding and perhaps relating to her need to be herself, believing that the aristocrat who hires her doesn’t realize that she plays the part of both herself and her aunt as needed.  In many respects this is a fun story with lots of humor and the fun that comes from intentional and unintentional miscommunication.  Certainly there is a definite sexual tension when Mary and Lord Alec are thrown together often in order to flush out the person who has killed Alec’s wife.  And who can resist a man in a kilt?  M ary certainly couldn’t and it is that indefinable “something” that started to percolate inside her innards that moved her to accept Lord Alec’s commission in the first place.

I think those who really like a story with an edge, who like  a historical mystery, who love historical romance will enjoy this story immensely.  It’s well written and the story flows seamlessly from scene to scene.  The characters are a mixture of fun and deep seriousness, deep feeling with the capacity to be as superfluous as necessary.  It is a highly entertaining read and contains all the ingredients which mark the kind of historical novel that stands out as one of the remarkable ones.

I give a rating of 4 out of 5

The Series:

You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place.

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