I really liked the chatter in “Her Scottish Scoundrel” , Blayne was principled, and not really a scoundrel, and Charlotte was smart and independent. They definitely had a happily ever after, despite many setbacks and numerous people working against them. 4 stars.

A lot of things are going on in this book. There’s the fake fiancé storyline, the bodyguard to lovers story, the differences in social standing, unconventional occupations, mysteries to solve, and of course many secrets being kept. Whew, that’s a lot to keep juggling and yet Ms Barnes does a masterful job building the characters and developing each of these storylines to interweave a complex plot that kept me engaged and entertained. Charlotte and Blayne are well-developed characters that play off each other nicely. The romance is nicely paced with enough heat to be real without being overbearing. Added to the intricacies of the many plot lines, we’ve got a really good story. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. This is my freely given, honest review.

.Conducting business in a less than safe area of London, Charlotte Russel needs a body guard. What better place to look for one than The Black Swan. Charlotte hires Blayne McNeil on the spot without realizing that he's the owner of the tavern. He takes the job, but fears to get too close with a secret that could destroy any relationship they may have. Charlotte isn't one to give up. Whether finding a thief who stole her manuscript or losing the man she loves. Always a pleasure to read a book by Sophie Barnes. Complex heroes and strong women to love them. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

This book is part of the Diamonds in the Rough series, but can be read as a stand alone.
Our heroine is Charlotte. A very strong minded, intelligent, goal oriented young lady. She is 25, never married (never wants too), and an author.
On her way to see her publisher, she is attacked. So Charlotte decides to hire someone to protect.
Here is where we meet our hero, Blayne. Blayne is a bad boy from the bad side of town. Charlotte takes 1 look at him and hires him for protection.
The chemistry between is felt immediately. But Charlotte ends up taking it 1 step further and introducing Blayne as her fiancee. Her parents have been on her to marry,
So this should end that. So with her body guard/ fake fiancee the adventures begin.
I f you like a little bit of romance, intrigue and murder, this is the book for you. I'm giving it 4.5 stars, rounded up because I thought it lacked a little in the romance department.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I want to thank Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

I received "Her Scottish Scoundrel" from NetGalley and voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. This is not the first book I have ready by Sophie Barnes and will absolutely not be the last either. I thoroughly enjoy all of her books and this one delivered a very strong and enjoyable story.

Charlotte Russell is in need of a bodyguard because of the place she sometimes likes to visit that is unsafe.
She goes to the Black Swan to hire a bodyguard and Blayne, the owner of Black Swan, decides to volunteer. Blane is hired and through the course of the book, as fake fiance's they come to know and respect each other. I think my only criticism would be that I wish the book had moved at a faster pace. Sometimes it dragged a bit, but it wasn't enough to make me no read. Very enjoyable.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sophie Barnes for giving me a chance to read an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Her Scottish Scoundrel is the seventh book in the Diamonds in the Rough series by Sophie Barnes. This book follows Charlotte, a 27 year old writer, who has found herself in need of a bodyguard after she is robbed at knifepoint. She enlists the help of Blayne MacNeil to help her be her bodyguard. But when her parents spring an unexpected marriage prospect upon her, she enlists Blayne to play fake fiancé for her as well.
First off, I really loved this book and will be picking up the rest of the series. I already got one book that I could physically find but as soon as I can, I do want to read the rest of this series. However, this is not a series you need to necessarily read in order. I personally read this out of publication order and I was perfectly fine keeping up with what was happening in the story. However, I will be reading the whole series so I can meet the other characters introduced in this book as I absolutely adored them.
Second, I loved Charlotte and Blayne. They are both considered "older" in this time period as Charlotte is twenty seven and Blayne is in his thirties. I really loved their dynamic. Charlotte is such a firecracker of a character and someone who fights for the people she loves and the things she believes in. She is a writer in this and I absolutely adored her reasons for writing and learning more about her. Blayne is a Scottish man who is living in England, running a tavern and I loved him. It was really nice to be able to read about him and learn his backstory as well. I loved these characters so much.
I would say that I really liked the writing in this as well. It was very fast paced and something I easily fell into. It really drew me in and made me want to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. I spent several days just thinking about this book and wanting to read it when I wasn't.
The only complain I may have is that any problems were resolved pretty quickly and I figured out who it was in one of the main issues in this book. However, that could just be a me problem as I still really enjoyed this book besides all that and am so glad I was able to read it.
If you are looking for a fast paced and enjoyable, romance novel or series to pick up, I would highly recommend trying Sophie Barnes and picking up Her Scottish Scoundrel.

“Scoundrel” mixes the fake fiance plot line with bodyguard-to-lover to produce this entertaining historical romance. Although it is late in the Diamonds in the Rough series, it can definitely be read as a standalone. Enough background is given on the other characters to sketch in their stories. With a little bit of mystery and a bit of steam, this was a fun read.

Will their differences in status and his past tear them apart ...

Wow, what a rollercoaster ride, it is no mn stop action story, there is no pause in this book, it is one event after another.
Charlotte is a heroine as I love them, she is blunt, honest, takes no prisoner and has learned to adapt to her circumstances. Even if at one time or two, it felt like she was giving up, yet when it mattered the more, she endorse her knight armor and assail the villain.
She has made a life for herself and is close to her goal, until her parents decide to uproot everything she has worked for and wipe out her freedom. Thus it is how she has to jump to a fake betrothal to avoid the marriage her father is so set about.
On thing is sure, she won’t give up on her dreams.
Blayne had to recreate himself some two decades ago, and he successfully established himself as someone to not cross in the worst parts of the city. So when awed by a fearless lady, he unwillingly finds himself hired as a bodyguard and then engaged in a sham betrothal. He could have walked away but he is bewitched by this bold and daring Miss.

Their journey toward their happily ever after is one with many bumps, holes and dents. So while I found the betrothal as it is the major plot well developed and I would have like to be a mouse to observe Cooper and his new bride getting together, the stolen manuscript part was left aside for too long then too hurriedly resolved and after everything Blayne shared with Guthrie, I did not understand why he was not the one to jump into the fray to save him, instead of sending his brother-in-law.
Overall, I loves Blayne and Charlotte together, their relationship moves from an employer-employee status to a friendship as they get to know more about the other into a love beyond society’s strictures.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen sweet lovemaking scenes

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

Charlotte has given up on marriage, instead planning to move away to the countryside and write novels -under a pen name of course. When she is accosted on her way home from her publisher, she hires a body guard.

Blayne is running from his past, trying to make a new life for himself. When Charlotte offers him an obscene amount of money to be her body guard, he knows he'd be stupid to refuse. Only this job turns out to be much more than he expected.

I love love loved this book. Well written, engaging, original. Amazing.

Not really ~spicy~ if that's what you're looking for, more of a slowburn for sure.

*Thank you to the publisher for this eARC.

Release date: May 25, 2021
Hero: Blayne (James)
Heroine: Charlotte

This story is a bodyguard romance overall, with some interesting twists. While I didn’t absolutely love this book and it had a hard time keeping my attention at times there are definitely some things worth mentioning that I did enjoy. And as always, what works for one person may not work for another.

We meet Charlotte who finds she is in need of protection after a couple strange encounters she has, so she visits The Swan Club and there she meets our hero Blayne who works at the club and after some apprehension he agrees to be her “bodyguard”.
I found Charlotte very independent and strong minded. She had her plans and ideas and she did what needed to be done to carry them out. She carries a pistol all the time as well which I thought was a nice touch to reinforce her character. Charlotte’s family has no idea that she has a need for a bodyguard so she ends up telling them Blayne is her fiancé instead. She then has to persuade Blayne to agree to go along with this. Ultimately he does and he also tells them he is an undercover agent to explain away his dress and manner.
Blayne (or James as we soon find out) has a secret past he is ashamed of and has been hiding out since he was a 17 year old boy back home in Scotland. Oh did I mention our hero is Scottish? If you couldn’t already tell from the title our hero is also Scottish, swoon. It is something I usually enjoy but one thing that did take me out of the story in parts is his overly accented way of speaking at times.

Pretty early on it is clear there is an attraction between them but both believe it would not work. They are from two different worlds and Blayne believes he is not good enough for Charlotte, and also worries about her finding out about his past.
At one point Charlotte and Blayne start discussing books and he admits to his favorite book being The Earls Secret Escapades by an author called Charles Cunningham and he is surprised she knows of the book and has also read what could be considered improper for a lady at that time. This comes into play a bit later in the book as well. As the story moves forward more secrets are revealed from both of them and we have a bit of an adventure/investigative element to the story. This is book seven of the Diamonds In The Rough series so I do believe if you have read the previous books in this series you may pick up on some things I did not about the people they interact with throughout.
Eventually, Charlotte and Blayne are caught in what could be a compromising position and decide to actually marry to save any scandal while both knowing but not quite admitting it is what they want anyway. They both have dreams of living a quiet life in the country and pursue their interests out of the eyes of society. There are some bumps in the road and secrets surface of course but it all wraps up nicely and could certainly be read as a standalone.
We are also introduced to some characters I believe are in the next book The Dishonered Viscount due to release in September of this year.

Overall I would say if you enjoy a story that combines romance, and a little intrigue and adventure to add to the plot so there is aside from the romance to focus on at times and low on the steam, this would a be a great book for you. Thank you to NetGally for providing me this ARC for review.

The seventh book in the Diamonds in the Rough series finds us back at the Black Swan, now run by Carlton Guthrie’s partner, the rough and tumble Scot, Blayne MacNeil. Who, coincidentally is whom our heroine, Miss Charlotte Russell talks into begging her personal bodyguard.

Who doesn’t love a good bodyguard trope?!?! Well, if that wasn’t good enough, this story quickly adds on a fake engagement for good measure!

I loved both Charlotte and Blayne and their development of their relationship. These two are perfect for each other. My heart squeezed when Blayne needs to up the anti to rescue Charlotte from an unwanted marriage arranged by er father, and then again when Charlotte rescues Blayne from trouble from his past! They literally saved each other!

This book had good pacing and kept me reading late into the night! Readers of this series will be very happy with the character cameos from past books, like Guthrie (My favourite hero from the series), and new to the series readers will love this fun romance on its own!

Her Scottish Scoundrel by Sophie Barnes is scheduled to release May 25th, 2021.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Sophie Barnes through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#HerScottishScoundrel #SophieBarnes #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

After being robbed on the street, Charlotte hires Blayne to act as her bodyguard when she ventures out of Mayfair. But when her father tries to arrange an unwanted marriage for her, she adds a new role to Blayne's duties: fake fiancé. When their pretend relationship turns all too real, will ghosts from Blayne's past come between them?

This fast-paced romance is one adventure after another. Charlotte is a strong, determined heroine, and Blayne is her perfect match. This one kept me guessing until the end.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

We already know I love for Regency Romances and even more for the men who are a little rough and also devoted protectors for the women the love. And then you throw in the fact that he’s Scottish and I fell in love. Charlotte was a total badass with an open mind whose opinion wasn’t swayed by polite society or by judgement before reason. There were times when I felt like too much was unraveling at once but as soon as my Scottish Protector was tending to his plants I forget all about trying to keep up. I felt the romance between the two was well orchestrated and unfolded naturally.

A cute historical romance with just the right amounts of adventure and swooning. I loved the fake fiance plotline and the other side stories were just interesting enough without interrupting the main love story.

My one complaint is the main heroine sucked. She was supposed to be an incredible writer who came up with all these fantastical stories, but whenever anything happened in her life she spent days doing nothing only to be "saved" by someone else - her maid, her love interest (over and over again). She was just meh and so much of the plot was based on how great she was. If she had at any point demonstrated strength or independence or a hint of cleverness, I would have believed this story so much more.

I received an ARC through Netgalley, but I was already a fan of Sophie Barnes. This story is about Charlotte Russell, daughter of a viscount who writes under the name Charles Cunningham, and Blayne McMacneil, a bar owner in St Giles convinced to play Ms. Russell’s fiance under the name Mr. Wright to discourage a Mr. Carlisle, to whom Charlotte’s father has promised her hand in marriage. In case that’s not confusing enough, neither MacNeil nor Wright are his actual name, which is not revealed until late in the story.

Although not perfectly edited, it was an ARC so I can let that slide. However, at one point, Charlotte’s name was Louise, indicating an oversight that I seriously hope was caught prior to publication. The writing is not poetic or flowery, but the story is well told and enjoyable, and it’s an unusual plot. Overall, I really liked it and I would have to recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a digital advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
Steam: 🌶🌶/ 5 stars -some steamy scenes, mainly kissing. Fade to black scenes.

Fake relationship to lovers! One of my favourite romance tropes!

No spoiler review

This is the seventh book in the diamonds in the rough series, however this reads as a great standalone. I wasn’t confused about anything, this being my first book read by this author.

This book was excellently written and kept me entertained throughout! The plot and settings were so interesting to read! A lot of twists and turns! I love Blayne he really understand our heroine and wants her to have her independence/freedom in the world.

Their banter and relationship is so cute. I smiled and laughed at many moments in this book. The knife throwing scene I loved especially. Just these two characters had such fun together and I loved it.

I’ll for sure want to read more from this author as well as from this series!

The dialogue in this book was a bit stilted from time to time, but overall this was a pretty good book. I liked the characters and the plot was engaging.

I skimmed through some of the book. I was able to anticipate what was going to happen long before the book got to the point a few times. I liked the idea of Charlotte being an Author.

Sophie Barnes has done such a great job of creating stories that all connect in some way while still being their own unique tales. I started this series with the Forgotten Duke, so I met Blayne for the first time in that novel. It was nice to see him get his happily ever after and to find out what his story was. His and Charlotte's romance was well crafted and went beyond the typical "pretend engagement to real lovers" trope. The fact that he was a fan of her novels only further showed they were meant for one another. The twist involving how he gets out of trouble with the law was amusing and a nice way around having to have him actually be acquitted (since we all know that it was not going to be a fair trial). The mystery surrounding who stole her manuscript was a little predictable, but that part of the story is so minor I am more than willing to overlook it. Overall, this was another great entry into this series!

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

I enjoyed this book. However, some issues held it back from its full potential. The writing kept the plot interesting and fresh. This was a slow burn; I felt that the first half of the book dragged. The characters were in their heads a lot, and the character development was slow. By fifty percent, the book was good, and at seventy-five, it was excellent.

I was not too fond of Charlotte until halfway through. I felt she overpowered Blayne. She didn’t give Blayne any choices. On the other hand, I liked Blayne from the very beginning. He was bighearted and held a quiet strength. The couple both have secrets; Blayne’s secret is revealed too slowly.

Halfway through, Charlotte and Blayne became three-dimensional. The attraction they shared was noticeable from the very start. Their connection was solid and grew throughout the entirety of the book. There were many themes and plot lines weaved throughout the book that kept it interesting and was handled where it didn’t get confusing. The secondary characters were colorful and stood out. As the story progressed, I enjoyed the relationship between Charlotte and Blayne more and more.

The last quarter of the chapters kept my rapt attention. This part moved fast and was captivating. The ending was satisfying. I felt the conclusion thoughtful and poignant. The first half wasn’t as strong as the second. If the book had started at the pace that it ended, this would be a five-star review.

In conclusion, the characters, writing, and end were strong. I just wanted more from the start. I enjoy this series and will read more; I felt this one needed a little more sparkle.

I received this ARC through Netgalley and the publisher. This is my honest, voluntary opinion.