I received this novel, Lady Briar Weds the Scot by Fenna Edgewood, as an ARC by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I liked this novel, but I didn’t love it as much as I’d hoped I would, based on other’s reviews. For me, the novel started out with a bang, and I was cruising along, enjoying it immensely and on board with this being a 5-star review for perhaps the first half of the novel. For that part of the novel, there were many things to recommend it: it was well-written and interesting. I liked the main characters mostly and thought they were well-developed. I liked that even some of the questionable characters had a growth arc, and I thought the author did a great job with the Scots dialect. I could hear the characters’ way of speaking in my head, and it felt true but wasn’t so over the top that it became difficult to understand or interrupted the flow of reading.

What I didn’t like after the first half of the story centered on things that I don’t like in my historical romances, that the characters, both main and secondary became morally gray, and that there was too much violence in this story for me. The villain is a smiling sociopath, but even his long-suffering wife made me mistrust her motives right up until the very end, making her less sympathetic to me overall. Several characters end up killing other people - and while one case may have been justified, the other time or two by the hero did not necessarily, in my mind, have to take place. I think I would have appreciated Wren showing more restraint as a man and new laird than killing men who could have been taken captive rather than killed. I also had a really hard time accepting a certain character death - and I‘m not sure that part even needed to happen, especially after substantial character growth. I was almost done reading at that point - with about 20% left of the novel to go. I’m not sure redeemed secondary characters need to meet a terrible end - that’s like killing your darlings. I personally don’t like that in my romance novel, but other readers perhaps don’t mind. I would say - just be forewarned because it did my heart in.

Which leads into my next problem with this novel. It starts out in the early 19th century, but then it feels like it then goes back in time to medieval times in Scotland, where people may have been more likely to commit violence and banish people for their misdeeds than put them in gaol. And this is when the story started to drag for me a bit - when I lost my connection to the hero, Wren and wasn’t as invested as I had been in the first part of the novel. I also didn’t appreciate him calling his wife “a silly lass” the first time he tells her he loves her - a little harsh for such a big moment between the two of them. A little demeaning for her, and I was taken back to not thinking of them as being on the same level emotionally as man and wife - but as a 30+ year old man sort of belittling his 19 year-old wife. I have to admit, it was a little bit of a disconnect for me.

That being said, the story was original and had some really good parts. I liked the author’s writing style, but I personally don’t like my hero being overprotective to the point of fatally harming others, no matter if it comes from a place of devotion and love. There are other ways of dealing with “bad men” than merely eliminating their existence in this world.
3-3.5 stars

This is a story of Lady Briar, who is a sister to the Duke of Daresford. She has decided to wait another year before going to London to participate in a season. Briar asked Wren, her brother's gardner to accompany her on a visit to the home of a family who lived on her bother's estate. As they were traveling to the visit, they were stopped by armed men and kidnapped. They soon found that Percy, her neighbor was responsible for their kidnapping as he also was taking along with them. Wren was able to recognize one of the kidnappers and soon learned that someone had sent them to kill him. The kidnappers took them across the border into the Highlands of Scotland. After they had been gone without being found by Briar's brother, Wren told her that in order to protect her reputation she needed to marry him or Percy. Briar opts to marry Wren and after they are married they are faced with other armed assailants coming into their camp attempting to kill them. After they finally arrive in Scotland at Wren's family castle, they face more deception, mayhem and murder among their clansmen.

I received this story as an ARC from Netgalley but I am voluntarily leaving a review

I’m surprised how much I enjoyed reading this! I was a bit cautious at first because it seemed fairly straightforward: forbidden love and an obnoxiously annoying villain. What ultimately made this story was a fantastic redemption arc, the bonkers plot with humor and danger to boot, and the development of the romance. It was also steamier than I anticipated! I do wish the FMC was aged up slightly, too much happened off page that could have been shown, and finally, I don’t believe part of the ending was necessary to drive the plot forward.

Steam: 🔥🔥

Thank you to NetGalley and WOLF Publishing for the advance reader copy. All thoughts are my own.

Character development is amazing and has you questioning what will happen with the other characters. Amazing story of Scotland meets England with some laugh out loud & shocking moments. I have not read the other books but I look forward to them! The ending leads me to believe a great Scottish based book is coming in the near future!

This is my first Fenna Edgewood book and as a reader of several Regency romances I am amazed
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The pace was fast, perfect and the chemistry between the characters was so good that I thought it would be a good slow burn but the plot forced them to be together almost all the time so they burn all the slow
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Lady Briar is the youngest of her siblings and finds herself in an awkward situation when a childhood friend tries to force her to marry him because he needs funds. But her brother and Wren the gardener of Blakeley Manor, show up to save her
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From the moment she sees wren it is as if she is seeing him for the first time and with ties between their families she tries to get to know him better but he is the perfect scottish grump and don't want to talk o be near her but she keeps insisting until he accept to help her
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But their plans are sabotaged when their carriage is intercepted and they are both kidnapped by a group of angry Scots who seem to have other plans for her and Wren
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In this forced proximity, Lady Briar is forced to marry Wren to save her reputation, but their relationship begins to change in this unexpected Journey
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Since Maya Banks that I don't read such good Scottish regency characters, that it left me wanting to read it again
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Thanks to Fenna Edgewood and Wolf Publishing for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion

This story was very disappointing. Contains spoilers.
The heroine was 18 and the hero was in his 30's, so make that 34 or 35, possibly 37. And they were forced to marry and have sexual relations. This is just plain gross that an 18 year old woman, just barely a woman, is forced to marry a man old enough to be her father. He is twice her age. And again this style of book always portrays the 18 year old with the maturity, acuity and manners of a woman of 25 or older. 18 year old women are still girls, for all intent and purposes, no matter how much training they have received to run a house and party. They basically give an order to the servants and it is carried out. I personally do not like books where older men, who supposedly are never attracted to women, suddenly fall for the "charms" of a younger woman. We all know what charms they appreciate and it is not how to seat 30 people at a dinner or how to dress for a ball. The heroine had no redeeming qualities. And she forced herself onto the hero because he was some how her "family". His younger brother married her older sister who was a widowed countess. And then in order that she, a sister of a duke, doesn't marry a commoner, of course the hero inherits a laird ship. How convenient.
This book should have been titled "Lust in the Garden", because that is the only motivation I see in this story. The boundaries of the story line fade everytime I read how the hero's heart swells at the sight of the heroine. Or how he has feelings for her.
I was not hapoy with the contents of this story and give it 1 star and a hard pass. Read if this kind of tripe appeals to you.

I enjoyed the intrigue. the kidnapping plot and the pacing of the book. It was well written but so wrong for the era. No way would a Duke let his sister marry a groom or gardener and count them as family, however if era accuracy isn't important to you then this is a sweet and sexy forced marriage book. I however cannot suspend belief and it was just a little too modern for me although I did enjoy it otherwise, I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review all views are my own

THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD THAT I WILL BE BUYING IT ONCE IT'S PUBLISHED.
THE CHARACTERS: THE ONES YOU SUPPOSE TO LIKE, ARE LIKABLE AND THE ONES YOU SUPPOSE TO HATE ARE SO DIS-LIKABLE
THE STORY: IS SO GOOD THAT ONCE YOU START YOU CANNOT STOP
THE LOVE: PERFECT
THE STEAMY: ON POINT.
EVERYTHING IS GOOD AND I LOVED IT.

Will this unconventional journey lead to more than they could have expected…

I confess I feel remorse to have been unable to read the last book the author published, but life went on and while it sat on my shelves, I tend to move forwards than backwards, even more when more books pile up awaiting their turn.
So as soon I learned of this book release date, I marked it on my calendar and crossed my fingers I would find room to read it.
So even if it is close, I made it in time for its release date, tomorrow.

This book is a delightful story of a sort of love at first sight, Briar and Wren are instantly drawn to the other, and while rank, then danger made them at a time hold back their feeling, chemistry is their fall.
Briar is young, and while she should already have entered the marriage mart, she is not ready to settle. She wants more for herself, to be her real self than what society’s rules would oblige her to be to fit in.
Yet Wren has a little something that caught her eyes, and what if he is her brother’s gardener, she senses there is more to him than he lets appear.
Wren thought he did the right thing when returning from war he did not reach his clan. But now, kidnapped, on his way to his childhood place, he realizes he should have sought answers.
Even more as it has now embroiled the sweet lady he has tried to avoid for a while as she unsettles him.
Their romance is sweet and rather smooth when their journey is eventful and revealing of everyone’s strength and feelings.
4.5 stars

Some characters are introduced and let suggest more is to be told about them like Angus and Wren.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

This story got me with its premise that a lady married her gardener and while that wasn’t exactly all there was to it, I still loved every page of it! It’s a fun, fast paced adventure to Scotland, and the couple marries on the way there. I have a little bit of an issue with road-trip stories usually because we spend so much time moving from place to place, authors tend to lose sight of the character development or the couple’s relationship but this story was really refreshing in that the actual trip didn’t take over the story. I mean, if you need a better testament to how well the author created and grew the characters, I will tell you that the character I despised on page 1 had me sobbing at the end.

Lady Briar Weds the Scot by Fenna Edgewood
The Blakely Manor Series #1

Having read the prequel to this series in the Naughty or Nice Christmas anthology, I had to find out happened next in the series so quickly snapped up this book. It is marvelous to read a new-to-me author that is so well worth reading again!

What I liked:
* Briar Blakely: youngest of four siblings, not ready to settle down, hasn’t had a first season in London, carefree, kind, intrigued by the gardener, ends up kidnapped and making the best of it
* Robert “Wren” Renfield Spencer: Blakely gardener, ex-captain in the military, potential Scottish laired, oldest of four siblings, kidnapped and summarily wed to Briar
* The plot, setting, pacing, and writing
* Percy Quintrell: wastrel, Blakely neighbor, scoundrel, dislikable but grew a great deal in the story
* Angus Macleod: childhood friend of Wren’s – would like to find out what happens to him in the future
* The way the truth about Wren and his backstory came out
* That some characters surprised me…not all was black or white
* The conclusion of the story
* Knowing that there will be more books to read in this series and wondering which sibling will have their story told next

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Having to wait to read the next book

Did I enjoy this book?
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to Booksprout, NetGalley and Wolf Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

The Scottish Bear and the English Rose

Robert Renfrew Spencer - Wren to everyone at Blakeley Manor - is making his way as a gardener after the Napoleonic Wars. His younger brother, the groom for the same estate, has just married the elder sister of the duke in residence, so the duke's younger sister, Briar Blakeley, considers them all family. Not wanting to offend his employer, Wren agrees to be Briar's escort/bodyguard when she's out visiting the estate's tenants. It's on one of these trips that the story morphs from a quiet class-divide romance into a swashbuckling, harrowing battle for victory after Wren's history is revealed.

The romance is exquisite, with the circumstances forcing a hasty marriage between Wren and Briar. Wren's transformation from reserved English gardener to avenging Scottish laird was gradual and believable, and it's easy to see why Briar couldn't help but fall in love with him. Once they're in Scotland, all the secrets, suspense, and intrigue come spilling out of Renfrew Castle.

One of the most astonishing parts of this book was the introduction of a secondary character as an absolutely horrible person who manages the sort of redemption arc that is usually reserved for a main character. That we can understand how this person becomes a true hero by the end of the story is a fine testament to the writing skills of this author.

I loved the final showdown where the true villain receives his just desserts. I was impressed with how intricately the story was woven so that the two main victims could each receive closure with the same event. The only thing I missed was an epilogue that showed the rest of the Blakeley and Spencer families catching up on everything that had happened.

This is a terrific book, with surprising depth and plenty of action - both battlefield and bedroom - and I heartily recommend it. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Briar takes Wren with her for protection when she is going to see the young woman that her neighbor knocked up and can't be bothered to care anything about when they are kidnapped along with said annoying neighbor Percy. They find out that the reason for the kidnapping is that Wren is the new Laird of Renfrew castle and he's being brought home because his cousin is a terrible person and did originally send the kidnappers to kill Wren. The main problem now is that Briar has been alone for several days with a large group of men, who took her as well because they thought she was Wren's wife, so she must decide between the 2 men which to marry to save her reputation even though she has no desire to marry yet.
This was an entertaining story without the dreaded third act break up which is a refreshing change from the norm. Wren, Briar and Percy could all have used a bit more depth but overall they were well done and I liked Percy's redemption arc.

TW: rape and abuse not on page

Meh. This book was just meh to me. It had a little bit too much of Scottish broughe to follow along easily and the depth of the characters were more like a shallow pond.

I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
There were a few plot points that didn't sit right with me but over all I really liked this book.
Briar and Wren are kidnapped by Wren scottish family, with the help of Percy ( Briar's neighbor, childhood friends, and the man she just refused to marry). Wren may just be Brair's family's gardner but he his also a scottish laird.
I liked how the relationship between Briar and Wren unfolded. I liked the character development in Percy and I liked the side characters.
Spoiler
I didn't like Percy's ending after all the growth he had experienced in the story. The story would have concluded the same way with a different end for him. I also didn't that Wren didn't tell brair the truth about his cousin, again the ending could have been the same.
4 stars and I want Angus and esme's story now.

I usually really enjoy Fenna Edgewood books but this one felt a little uneven. I must caveat this by saying that the whole Scottish regency genre leaves me totally cold - I find it a weird almost solely American fascination that I just find littered w terrible attempts to write the Scottish accent phonetically ('verra' 'mon') - this is excruciating. Essentially I should never have started this book as I am yet to like any book set in this bizarre quasi-Highland fantasy world and this was not the book that changed my mind.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this free arc. This story was wonderful and sweet. I really enjoyed it.

The first page has the written on it and I agree.
Diving into a world of dreams.. …Romance, heartfelt emotions, lovable and witty characters, some humor, and some mystery! Because we want it all! Historical Romance at its best!
If you like romantic mysteries with snappy comebacks thrown around, characters with grow and develop before your eyes then this author gives you that along with a story to back it up and the imagery to fold you into the lives you are seeing.

Briar Blakeley, youngest child of the four is sweet, kind, loving, and a big heart. She can get you to do anything just by phrasing it to seem like you are suggesting what needs to be done.

Mr. Percy Quintrell, he is complicated, obnoxious, and surprises you in the end.

Robert Renfrew Spencer, Wren, scots man, highlander, honorable, brother, and gardener. Love of plants from his mother, highland honor from his grandfather, and a big teddy bear of a man. Calm, quiet thinking rules with a steady hand.

Angus Macleod, brawny highlander, sent to get Wren, believes what he is doing is the best for the clan.

Esme Ross Grant, healer, misplaced by the clearances, trying to survive the best she can. Married to Loghain Grant, cousin to Wren, is a self-indulgent, selfish, arrogant man.

From bad marriage proposals, shenanigans, to mysterious happenings is what you will have on this journey from the English country to the highland of Scotland. As you camp along the trail and find out what your are made of. How will out damsel handle it? Will Wren find out the truths or shy away from them? Will Percy parish or flourish? Will Loghain ease things or make them more complicated? How will Esme face Wren, with grace or malice? Can Briar be grind Esme?

I love this Regency romance. So much action and adoration between the characters. I like that the author writes historicals that make me root for the characters. The descriptions of Scotland are spot on and I love the accent for Wren. I fell into this book and was immediately caught up in the world. Highly recommend Fenna Edgewood as this is my third book by this author and I am never disappointed!

This action-packed Regency romance and just what I needed in my life! I love Fenna Edgewood's spicy romances and this historical hits it out of the park. And one word: Scotland! The descriptions are glorious. Wren's accent! Perfect throughout! This book has so many delicious tropes, like grumpy/sunshine and forced proximity, that I was hooked from the first page. I am setting this aside as a re-read because I know I will need more more more before the next installment.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.