Susana and the Scot

Andrew, the brother of Alexander, has been sent (he believes banished) to Reay to help with the threats in Cathness County, all seemingly aimed at his new sister-in-law’s family and lands. Caught kissing the youngest Dounreay sister, this ‘assignment’ from his brother was announced shortly thereafter. Several years younger than Alexander (Laird Dunnet), Andrew was spared the worst of his guardian’s wrath, and has led a fairly unchallenged life. His best friend and man-at-arms, Hamish, along with a small cadre of men, have been dispatched to deal with threats to the land. Susana is the middle child, determined to live her life on her own terms. Widowed with a young daughter, Isobel, Susana is a practiced archer, and has decided she can be responsible for the security of the castle and lands. Quick to ire and slow to apologize, Susana is openly defiant of convention, and unwilling to accept the many suitors for her hand. Particularly galling are the ‘clearances’ during the time, when peasants and farmers are being shunted off lands they have worked for years, in an attempt to increase profitability of holdings for the English Noblemen to whom they are beholden. These two are just funny: instantly Susana knows Andrew from their time in Perth, and she is determined to make his stay unpleasant in the hopes he will leave. Many women have crossed Andrew’s path since his encounter with Mairi in Perth. Such a dunderhead, he isn’t able to add two and two and see four, in the form of Susana, standing in front of him. He’s attracted, frustrated, bewildered and captivated by the flame-haired termagant, and constantly frustrated by her lack of hospitality and openness regarding the defenses. And then there is Isobel, this young girl is a true hellion, apple not falling far from the tree. She’s scampering about the castle, on the roof, or practicing her archery by shooting the books she doesn’t like, in the library. Completely spoilt, she’s an adventure seeker, wanting nothing more than her own sword and a few cakes. Probably more than a few cakes… “At his predatory surveillance, she picked up a cake, and licked it. Then, in succession, licked them all.” That is Isobel in a nutshell, always in the middle, always with an observation that comes as a shock to the adults, much to her mother’s consternation. I loved these three, and it truly is a romance and courting of a family coming together. Andrew is the last (actual last) person to realize that Susana is the Mairi from Perth, and Isobel bears him a striking resemblance. Everyone allows them the time to dance about their feelings and the white-hot attraction, and it isn’t until Isobel is captured with Hamish that the bond between them becomes visible to them all. And who’s clever idea was it to hide munitions, papers and flame starters in a solar, and leave little Isobel there on her own? Again, people of the day (as was the norm) dismiss females as witless mice, unable or too cowed by fear to act decisively. Laugh out loud moments, sweetly heartwarming moments between Andrew and Isobel, the white hot attraction of Andrew and Susana and a chilling plot that threatens the lives of Isobel, Hamish and Andrew, this story is a read in one sitting then read again as we await Lana’s story. No second book in the series slump here, York brings her talent in creating characters to the story, keeping the plot moving forward and using humor and one exuberant little girl as a pivot point, bringing the story, and our couple, together in their own happy ending. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.