I really adore this author & her stories! I absolutely love the dynamic between Charlotte and Blayne! They are perfect for one another! The story had great chemistry while being a slow burn. Which is a perfect combination in my book! But don’t let that fool you because this book has a lot going on in general! Charlotte is loyal, honest, & bold. She’s a writer and believes a husband wouldn’t let her continue that. Blayne had a past and secrets but he has dreams of working with plants. He’s also supportive. Well when Charlotte gets robbed taking her manuscript to her publisher, she decided to get a bodyguard. In comes Blayne. It was wonderful watching all this play out and the journey it takes for these two to get to their HEA! As always the side characters were wonderful as well. I can’t wait to read what’s next from Sophie!

I've been on a huge historical romance kick lately, and, though I thoroughly enjoy the stories, I've noticed something about quite a few of the ones I've been reading: they all start out incredibly strong, but somewhere in the middle, things get a little rough. I found Her Scottish Scoundrel to be like that. Nothing wrong with it, but it started to drag at some point for me.

Her Scottish Scoundrel by Sophie Barnes is book 7 in the Diamonds in the Rough Series.
I am a big fan of Romance books so I found this one to be a very enjoyable read. I will be looking for more books from this author.

****I was provided an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

This story starts out with the heroine (Charlotte) needing to hire someone for protection when she goes to a shady area of St. Giles to pick up her royalties from her books she secretly has published. She goes into a tavern after her reticule is stolen and, of course, the tavern just happens to be run by a big, handsome Scotsman with secrets of his own.

From the moment Charlotte and Blayne meet, they are drawn to each other. It seems the entire universe conspires to keep them apart, but they just can’t stay away from each other.

In spite of meddlesome parents who have plans for their daughter, an unwanted suitor, secrets they are keeping from each other, and family members bent on revenge, they still manage to find their way through, as long as they have each other.

While I wouldn’t say the book is perfect, it was a solid historical romance and I look forward to reading more in this series.

This book took me by surprise. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the hero and heroine, and he won me over quickly. The fake fiancé trope works well here, though at times I got annoyed that the heroine did not talk to him about what she was going to say about him. It would have made things so much easier! The heroine writes novels, and it makes for an interesting subplot that I enjoyed. This is part of a larger series that I have only read one of, but I was still able to enjoy it.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in return for a fair review.

Her Scottish Scoundrel is book seven of author Sophie Barnes’ Diamonds in the Rough series. While this book is a part of a series and does have some character overlap it can totally be read as a standalone, which is how I read it. From the beginning of the book I was hooked and ended up reading this book in a few hours. It was the perfect way to wrap up my weekend and now I want to go back and read other books in the series.

The MCs in the book are Scottish Blayne MacNeil and Miss Charlotte Russell a twenty-seven year old viscount’s daughter. Most of the story takes place in the setting of 1821 London during the Regency period, when with Charlottes age and unwed status most would classify her as unmarriageable. Charlotte is fine with this as she doesn’t have any desire to be tied to a man and have her freedoms stripped away. She has other plans with her life and none of them include marriage. Blayne MacNeil is a man with a past so horrendous he never plans to marrying, he doesn’t want to subject a bride to his past choices. He is happy as he is running a tavern and saving his money until he can purchase a parcel of land and live peacefully in the country. No wife needed as long as he can stay alive.

When these two meet there is instant attraction and what starts as Charlotte hiring Blayne as a bodyguard quickly turns into a fake-fiancé role when Charlotte learns her father is attempting to marry her off to an American businessman. She is not going to marry anyone without a fight.

The plot follows along the fake relationship turns real relationship trope and adds in quite a few twists and turns. The chemistry between Blayne and Charlotte just grows hotter and hotter, although there is no actual bedroom activity until late in the story.

Overall I was very happy with how the author weaved this story together. It flowed very well and I honestly wished it was a bit longer. 😉 I definitely think if you enjoy Regency Romance, strong female MC, and a male MC that would do anything for his lass. Then you will love this story!

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

At the age of twenty seven, Miss Charlotte Russel was happy to say that she would like to remain unmarried, since that was the only way she could achieve her dream of becoming a full-time writer and an independent woman. A thing her parents would consider a scandal. She knew that they would never approve of her choice or of the type of novels she wrote.
When a thief threatens her, she finds that she has to hire someone as her bodyguard to protect her, and she chooses no other than Blayne MacNeil, a tavern keeper in the dangerous area of st. Giles.
When Charlotte's parents announce the possibility of an arranged marriage with Mr. copper who was an American businessman, she has but one choice and that is to extend the job description of Blayne to include pretending to be her fiance in front of her parents.
However, what started as a fake engagement to a man she barely knew, would soon grow to be a strong bonding and a love that can overcome social barriers. But before that Charlotte and Balyne would learn a lot about each other including Blayne's dark past.

Characters:
Charlotte had a very strong character. She wrote adventure novels, a thing she kept a secret from her parents. Throughout the novel, Charlotte proves that she is a determined person who is willing to achieve her dreams. A lady who cares nothing for society standards.
Blayne's character was too dark, and lots of it had to do with his past.

What I liked:
The fact that both characters made sacrifices to protect each other and to earn each others love.
Despite being part of a series, the novel could be read as a standalone.

What I didn't like:
This novel had a vary good start. I was surprised in a very good way, but around the 50% mark, the novel started to drag on.
The characters fell in a lot of troubles. There were just too many troubles to the point where the story became melodramatic.
The two main characters rejected each other multiple times throughout the book. This was due to Charlotte's desire to cling to her dream of independence, or to Blayne's desire of protecting her from his dark past, but it was rejection nonetheless, and it felt so bad.
The characters developed very strong emotions in a very short time. The whole story takes place over the course of about two months, yet they reached the point where they were convinced that they can't live without each other.

Overall, this was a good novel about two people who fall in love despite all the difficulties they face.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Independently Published for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The seventh book in the Diamonds in the Rough series another well written story in this series. Blayne MacNeil agrees to be Miss Charlotte Russell's bodyguard, but he has been in hiding for twenty years. This story has suspense, drama, danger, lies, theft, villains, twists, turns, and love. I want to read the next book. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Bodyguard and fake fiancé tropes? yes! Really enjoyed Her Scottish Scoundrel by Sophie Jordan. I loved the hero Blayne. HIs and Charlottes relationship was warm, romantic, and sexy all wrapped up into one. This is the 7th book in her Diamonds in the Rough Series. I dont think you have to read the others in the series to enjoy this one but its always great to revisit past couples. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC.

I like the romance trope of a fake-engagement because it leads to lovely, tense scenes between the hero and heroine -- as happened in this story. Blayne has secrets he needs to keep and only agrees to serve as bodyguard to Charlotte who is intense and direct and dangerously appealing to him. Charlotte is trying to avoid a forced marriage - to avoid marriage -- and her bodyguard-turned-fake-fiance is much too dangerous to all the reasons she's avoiding such an entanglement..

I really enjoyed this historical romance!

For the first half of Her Scottish Scoundrel, Sophie Barnes had me hooked. I love the set-up: a woman secretly penning scandalous novels seeks out a Scottish rogue as a bodyguard as she treads some of the seedier parts of town. Charlotte cares more about her independence and her writing than societal expectations, and she plans to remain a spinster and start a writer's retreat for women - this plan gets thrown off course when her parents insist on marrying her off. Reluctant bodyguard Blayne - who has secrets of his own - finds himself cast as her fake fiancé, and despite his misgivings, he can't help but fall for this fiery woman who shares his taste in books and looks beyond his gruff appearance to truly take an interest in who he really is.

The chemistry between Charlotte and Blayne is a delight. They're fascinated with and frustrated by each other at turns, and both have good reasons for not falling in love - but fight it as they might, they just can't help themselves. Both are kind without being pushovers and will fight fiercely for what they believe in and who they care about. I love how much Blayne appreciates Charlotte's independence and supports her goals and interests, and they grow into well-matched and supporting partners. Of course, it can't be that easy, and so Burke throws a number of conflicts their way, and while I was on board with some of them, the plot devices began to beggar belief for me about halfway through novel through to the end.

I won't spoil the plot points, but let's just say that there was one obstacle is followed by another and another of increasingly sensational character such that Charlotte, as a writer, reflects: "It was too fantastical a tale by half. If she penned it, people would call it ridiculous." I felt like this was perhaps Barnes recognizing this in her own writing in a tongue-and-cheek way, which I chuckled at, but the plot devices just kept coming even after that. I would hardly call the novel ridiculous, but I did grow less engaged with it. I felt that rather than moving the relationship forward in a real way, the novel just seemed to keep moving from one plot point to the other, and it traded in character chemistry and depth for sensationalism and sentimentality. The trials and tribulations that transpire would seem to make Charlotte and Blayne even more devoted to each other, yet I found their bond less compelling.

In the midst of all of this, I also felt as though Charlotte's devotion to her writing and the central role it plays in her life was lost. Her dreams change, and for some readers, that may be okay - and it's not as though she swears off writing or changes career paths - but my impression at the end of the novel was of a woman who was more swept up in her lover than I would have preferred, just based upon the independent, anti-marriage characterization that the novel starts with. I still enjoyed the book, and I would give the first half 5 stars, but the last half went a bit off the rails for me.

I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an advance reader copy of this story.


Her Scottish Scoundrel, by Sophie Barns, is book 7 of the Diamonds in the Rough series. In this story we're given duty & obligation, family disfunction, love, murder, friendship, & an HEA. Blayne & Charlotte are an unusual historical romance couple. In real life they would never have met but in book land they do. He's running his tavern & Charlotte is a writer of scandalous books (any book with a kiss in it was scandalous). How they get together is unbelievable and yet it works so well. It's interesting how they play off each other and become a strong unit. Demure and passive is not Charlotte at all & she's got Blayne in a twist at first glance. She's holding a pistol on a bum but hey, that's exciting.

#SophieBarnes #DiamondsInTheRough #HerScottishScoundrel #Netgalley #historicalromance #romance

I find that the story has an interesting plot to it. The entertainment was interesting. As I was reading, I notice that the writer stuck to simple verbal words for the readers. That was great. I was happy to see the many different characters to the story. I definitely liked that the leading lady character was no simpleton. The romance of the story was unique and very sweet. I

Her Scottish Scoundrel by Sophie Barnes is the seventh book in her series called Diamonds in the Rough. This series always takes one person who has not been raised as one of the elite ton and pairs them with someone who is from the ton. Each novel can be read as a stand-alone although quite frankly they're all just quite lovely so you might want to read them all.

Miss Charlotte Russell is determined to remain a spinster. She writes best sellers under male pseudonym and believes that she can live the life she wants with her writing proceeds. Surprisingly enough, her parents have another role in mind for her. They would like to see Charlotte married to someone they're choosing, specifically one of her father's business partners.

Blayne MacNeilStart out as being Charlotte's bodyguard. However nothing stays that simple and before he knows it he is her fiance. The problem with that is that he has a past. A pass he's managed to keep hidden. By coming out with Charlotte, he has exposed himself to people who wish to see him hang for a murder that happened when he was 17.

Blayne and Charlotte fall in love, both knowing they will do anything for the other. That's when things get slightly messed up. Charlotte's new book is published by someone else. She finds out exactly what her father has done to betray her. There's nothing like a high-speed chase to Scotland to round out a book.

Her Scottish Scoundrel by Sophie Barnes is a lovely read. Be prepared for double-crossing, money hungry people, and deceptions around every turn.

This is the seventh book in Sophie Barne's Diamond in the Rough series. While I have read the other books in the series, this book would do fine as a standalone.

Charlotte is the 27 year old spinster daughter of a Viscount who secretly is also a published author under a male pseudonym. She hires Blayne as her protection and the plot takes off from there.

While this is what I would call a low steam book, with only one closed door scene, it certainly has all the feels with the angst, wanting and many plot twists and turns. The story was very well written and the plot kept my attention the entire time. I love nothing more than a protective hero who rescues the heroine, only to have her turn around and rescue him right back.

This book is also a trope heaven: Spinster, Bodyguard, Class Difference and Fake Fiance. I definitely recommend the series and was thrilled with seeing Carlton Guthrie and Regina again also.

Un unconventional lady and not your typical hero!
When Lady Charlotte, a viscount's daughter who dreams to win her independence and live freely as a lady writer comes with the idea of hiring a man to protect her when travelling to dangerous neighbourhoods nothing seems amis. Yet, little did she know that this is the first decision of many which eventually are going to change her life forever in unexpected ways. Meeting Bayne will be that faithful event that will lead her to love and blissfull marriage. They have their fair share of misshappenings due to keeping secrets from each other but eventually they get their HEA.
Ithe is a lovely story I read with little patience to turn the page and find out what happens next. I'm certainly looking forward to reading the next book in series.

Review:
I was disappointed, but enjoyed most of this.

I actually pretty much loved the first some 50% of this, and then I just wanted to be over with this. numerous things contributed to this, but the first and foremost was the insta-love. You're not surprised. I'm not surprised. No one is surprised.

Why is it that almost every single historical romance I read ends up disappointing me on the romance front?! This one did an amazing job of easing into the romance, it actually wasn't as bad of an insta-love as some others, but this is what it went like: attraction→intrigue→i like you→i enjoy your company→i'm in love and i cannot possibly survive without you. Are you seeing the problem? I summarised it quite a bit, but I hope I got the point across.

In any case, the first 50% of this book was amazing; it was wonderfully slow burn, the kind you pick fake relationship tropes for, and the whole author and hidden past thing was just adding to the enjoyment. I loved the whole author thing the most, it seems I have a thing for female authors in the 1800s, maybe why I loved the first instalment of the Dread Penny Society do much, and the others not as much.

Then around 50% there's a love declaration, and things just went downhill from there. I am just not a fan of premature love declarations, and this one definitely did not make me more receptive to them. I am glad that the other love interest had the grace to tell her that her feelings might not be as set in stone as she thought, and that perhaps she was confusing lust for love, which was amazing because I was of the exact same mind. If I ignore that love declaration, this is honestly a much better book.

Then, or maybe it was before, I don't know, and I honestly don't care at this point, our supposedly badass female character who was behaving very levelheaded and badass up till now, went in the middle of the night to a tavern, without any protection, and proceeded to get almost raped multiple times, and would have definitely been had it not been for the love interest, which was something I did not like. Our heroine was supposedly this clever and calm headed woman, but then she just loses her mind?!?

I refuse to believe that the heroine I was given in the beginning of the story would act this way. That incident really put me off, and from then I would just keep resenting her.

All the other debacles were mostly entertaining, and the whole getting out of an arranged marriage or more or less something to that effect was some of my favourite parts of the book, where our heroine was actually as badass as I had been sold.

The hero, Blayne, was alright, but then he was such a hypocrite. Why did he pressure Charlotte to reveal her secret when she definitely didn't want to, only to then not tell her his own secret when his was much more harmful!? And then, knowing full well that someone might try to come for him, he still didn't tell her, waiting till the most inopportune moment when someone does come for him, to tell her and then leave her mostly without an explanation, which she then has to get from other people.

By the end of this, I was way more invested in the stolen manuscript subplot than I was in the actual romance. And the resolution of that subplot was just so underwhelming.

This book could have been shorter, by at least 50 pages, and we would still have done well with the story, but this dragged on for quite a bit while both of them were moping around in their collective 'I'm destroying your life' or something like that.

So, all in all, not a bad book, but still a disappointment because this was gearing towards something better, but didn't deliver, sadly. I would still recommend it to anyone looking for a lighthearted historical romance, with an intriguing mystery subplot and a forbidden romance, and with a mostly badass heroine who is also an author.

3 1/2 Stars

Sophie Barnes writes about a headstrong and independent woman and a burly fake fiancé that had me turning the pages really fast, because I couldn’t get enough of them....BUT then even though the chemistry was crackling like crazy, the story around the characters fell a bit flat for me. Too much was going on and too many secrets.

I’ve read some of Barnes other books, but have to say this is sadly my least favorite ☹️

Thank you to NetGalley and Sophie Barnes for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the book. The plot was very well written and I cannot wait for another book. This was from a new to me and great author. I really enjoyed the book. Will definitely recommend this book.

This latest book in the Diamonds in the Rough series by Sophie Barnes is a real treat and I loved every minute of it. I wasn't sure how she was going to turn rough and gruff Blaine MacNeil into a hero, but she did so perfectly. He didn't transform into a smooth-talking prince to do it either; he was just everything a real hero should be. He found a woman he respected and wanted to save.


In that regard, Charlotte was his perfect match. She wasn't too proud or stubborn to be saved. Nor was she such a delicate princess that she couldn't appreciate who he was. She was his perfect fit.

This is a real classic romance formula that is a refreshing change of pace given the tone of so many romance novels being published today. Sophie Barnes has created a strong heroine without writing a feminist manifesto and she has paired her with a traditional Alpha male hero who loves and respects her and, yet, is fully capable of making a decision without her. It was a real pleasure to read.