Susan F. (scoutmomskf) - , reviewed on 4/10/2020 + 2617 more book reviews

Fun book. With four of the seven Buchanan brothers married off, their sister and sister-in-law feel that it's time Geordie, Rory, and Alick, also settle down. To aid in this endeavor, they invite a selection of unmarried women to visit, hoping to tempt the men into matrimony.

Geordie was away for several months, helping various members of his family settle into their new homes. He returned late one night to discover his home stuffed with people, so he slept in the orchard. He awoke the next morning to the sounds of several women making horse noises and the sight of another woman climbing a tree.

Dwyn is one of the women invited to Buchanan Keep, but she holds out no hope to attract one of the men. She is neither thin nor beautiful, a fact that several of the other women do not hesitate to remind her. Tired of their constant tormenting, Dwyn escapes to the orchard and climbs a tree, knowing her pursuers wouldn't think to look up.

I loved the first meeting between Geordie and Dwyn. Geordie's protective instincts are aroused when he sees Dwyn climb the tree and thinks she won't be able to get down. Dwyn is startled to have a strange man suddenly appear in her tree and isn't quite sure how to deal with him at first. Her embarrassment is compounded by the fact that the dress her sisters altered cause her bosom to escape its confines. I loved how quickly Geordie and Dwyn became comfortable with each other. Geordie got an earful of why the keep was so crowded, giving him advance warning of what to expect when he finally goes inside. He is intrigued by Dwyn's straightforward attitude and very attracted to her lush figure. He also has no intention of marrying any time soon, feeling that he still has wild oats to sow. Dwyn is upfront in her opinion of her attributes and chances and her frustration with the position she is in. She is stunned when Geordie suddenly kisses her and can't help responding. She's equally stunned when he suddenly stops, drops from the tree, and disappears.

Thus begins an unusual courtship. Though Geordie insists to his brothers that he is not ready to marry, he also inadvertently gives away that he has already met Dwyn and is attracted to her. It was fun to watch his uncle pay attention to Dwyn solely to stir up Geordie's jealousy and make him realize that he wants Dwyn for himself. When Dwyn is injured after being the subject of his attention, Geordie makes it his mission to care for her. I loved seeing them get to know each other. It's clear that Geordie is falling hard for Dwyn, though he resists admitting his feelings to himself. Dwyn is oblivious to Geordie's feelings, believing that he's just being nice. When Geordie finally realizes that he wants Dwyn as his wife, he wastes no time in going to her father. I had to laugh at the meeting with her father and his brother and his impatience to get the marriage accomplished.

It quickly becomes apparent that someone doesn't want the marriage to take place. Geordie is determined to do whatever he must to keep Dwyn safe. But there is another enemy who is bent on revenge against Dwyn. He wants her family's land and didn't take kindly to her refusal of his advances. The story gets intense very quickly when Geordie is injured foiling one kidnapping attempt. When a second attempt is successful, Dwyn must rely on her own wits to stay alive until Geordie can come to her rescue. I was glued to the pages as Dwyn faced off against her enemy, and Geordie rallied his family. I loved the final confrontation and seeing the bad guy get what was coming to him. It was intense, but with a few lighter moments popping up.

We are now down to two brothers left unmarried. Will it be Rory or Alick who falls next? I can't wait to find out.

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