Evie Dunmore does it again! Although Bringing Down the Duke is still my favorite of the series, I thoroughly enjoyed Portrait of a Scotsman. Lucian is the perfect brooding hero, and I loved the journey that Hattie went through and where she ended up. I thought it was maybe 50 pages too long, and some of the mining subplot felt dry at times, but the steamy scenes were STEAMY and I was swooning by the end.

Evie Dunmore has made another classic Regency romance with Portrait of a Scotsman. A good read for lovers of funny historical romance with strong female characters.

Portrait of a Scotsman Review:
Evie Dunmore is one of my favorite historical romance writers of all time – when I found out that the next book, Portrait of a Scotsman, would focus on Hattie, I was thrilled and wanted to pick it up ASAP.

What sets Evie Dunmore apart from other historical romance authors whose works I’ve read is how she weaves feminism into her stories. In this book, the main feminist topic is Hattie’s reconciliation with her relationship with the suffragette cause. I loved that she really had to go through the emotional wringer to finally understand the importance of the cause – she was no longer able to take a passive role and had to reckon with her previous privilege and apathy. I also love how immersive Evie’s books are – I feel like I’m right beside the main characters while I read her works.

Hattie was a fascinating character to read about – she had grown up a very sheltered woman – she really had no concept of struggle or hardship. As the book progressed and she fell into her marriage, she became exposed to the world beyond her high-class upbringing – and was forced to reckon with her life experience thus far. Naturally, she had to do a lot of growing and evolving – and she came out an even stronger and more well-rounded character by the end. I love how witty and strong willed she was. I also loved her ability to quickly love and support other characters – as demonstrated by her dedication to the women and children in the mining community she visited.

Hattie’s relationships with Lucian was … complicated. It got off to a rough start: with a forced marriage to maintain propriety (lowkey instrumented by Lucian for his own political gain) – their relationship was definitely built on shaky ground. As they got to know each other, it was clear they had chemistry, even though Hattie was clearly very uncomfortable with their new arrangement. Their courting within their marriage was a slow process – they both took a while to come to terms with their burgeoning emotional connection. While their ending was non-conventional (and I don’t want to spoil it) I was mostly happy with it. It felt true to their individual character arcs – though their third act reconciliation felt a little rushed.

Overall, I loved Portrait of a Scotsman – from Hattie’s reckoning with feminism, her unconventional marriage, and the overall discussion of suffragettes across classes, this was a well-rounded book. I wish the ending wasn’t as rushed as it was, but that’s a pretty minor complaint. If you haven’t yet already, you should definitely go read the first book in this series, Bringing Down the Duke. I can’t wait for the fourth book in this series to drop! 4/5

Portrait of a Scotsman was steamy, juicy, and feminist with realistic historical elements that made the book just *that* much better. I loved the magnetic romance between the two leads, and was rooting for them the entire time. This book may be my new favorite out of the trilogy, and I highly recommend everybody who likes historical fiction novels check this enemies to lovers, feminist novel out!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book. All opinions are my own.
Recommended for fans of Julia Quinn, Eloisa James.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series! Historical fiction with a feminist slant, while keeping the steamy elements of a romance novel. Well written, humorous dialogue, and captivating characters.

Another volume of Evie Dunmore's League of Extraordinary Women! What's not to love! While Bringing Down the Duke will probably always be my favorite of the series, I found a lot to enjoy about Portrait of a Scotsman. I loved the way Evie incorporated the history of photography and the mines, with a compelling love story.

In the third installment of Evie Dunmore's series, Portrait of a Scotsman, we get a closer look at London banking heiress Hattie Greenfield. After finding herself at odds with her father's rival, she soon finds herself engaged to the surly Scot nicknamed Beelzebub. Dunmore once again showcases her attention to detail and thorough in this sweeping, historical romance. The unexpected ending is sure to leave readers wanting more from the League of Extraordinary Women.

MAYBE MY FAVORITE IN THE SERIES?? I can’t believe that with each book, I fall harder for both the new love interest and our heroine! Hattie was never my favorite of the group, but I always enjoyed her contributions. With this book, she absolutely is a stand-out in her own right and I cannot wait to see her and Lucian’s lingering effects in the next installment.

Evie Dunmore has truly created a historical romance series that shines like a beacon from this immense genre. I trust everything she writes, because not only is it well researched, but it is sensitive and really challenges not only the norms for the time period she is writing, but also for our modern parallels. I cannot wait for the next book!

A feminist romance - Evie Dunmore's third book in A League of Extraordinary Women series easily stands alone but continues to shine a modern light on a time in British history that is oft glossed over. More Poldark than Bridgerton - yet a lovely blend of the two.

I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as I had hoped. But, I still bought copies for the library since I have a load of patrons who will absolutely love it. Thank you!

It kept me thinking for a week. The book is a treat for history lovers (who don't want to read tomes of it but love history nonetheless especially).

Portrait of a scotsman by @evietheauthor paired with an equally intelligent and pathbreaking Vidya Balan in this pairing of #rombkcover as a #Bollywood celebrity @balanvidya

On the romance side you can't stop falling for a hero who is scarred, manipulates ruthlessly and when asked in a tender moment about his dreams, he says things like "I don't dream. I plan" Ah my heart went out to him. When the heroine does come around to understand him better their attraction takes off a new level of hot. I found the book really steamy !!! I'm hoping someday that pirate fantasy scene would be available to us too!!

The coal mining backdrop and suffragette movement unpacks a lot more than just romance in the book. A lot about systematic changes and how and why and whag are the only recourse keft for someone outside of the aristocratic system. Thought provoking, well reasearched and well connected to the story.

I have mixed feelings about the end though but that's my fully cheese Bollywood heart. I'm sure everyone will have some take on it. I'll not mention the spoiler here but suffice to say ready yourself for a very unconventional and yet satisfying HEA end here.

A great read!!

I liked the first....85% of this book. It was a very fun enemies to lovers that was well paced, steamy, and all around very interesting. I liked Lucien, the grumpy man who begrudgingly falls for his wife is a trope that I enjoy. I liked that dynamic. I liked what we saw in the mining town and the characters we were introduced to. Hattie annoyed me at times, but I enjoyed the way she softened towards and then fought for the mining community. Then you get to near the end and it all just abruptly changes. I don't want to post any spoilers, but the last few chapters feel like an entirely different book. While it was a necessary plot twist, possibly, the timing seemed off to me. I had a hard time not only wrapping my head around it, but I also had to go back and re-read at times because I felt like I had missed something major. To me, it was that abrupt. There are also important plot points and characters that are introduced that literally disappear and we don't see again and these were some of the more interesting characters in this book.

Thank you to Berkley & Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: discussions of marital rape by a side character, death of family, grief, drowning, violence

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f historical romance
-insta attraction
-marriage of convenience
-frenemies to lovers
-only one bed
-elements of sex education
-opposites attract

This book was tropey and delicious. I have a new favorite form of romance: wooing the MC but reading all of their favorite books. I was just swooning over Lucian. Gruff, Scottish, and out for a bit of revenge. And very very soft for his wife. Two people who came from very different lives but understood each other on an elemental level.

But my favorite thing about this book was the consent. Hattie was in complete control in the bedroom even when she felt unsure of herself. Lucien never pushed her, always listened to her and just wanted to make her happy. The kink exploration, the safe space that was created. How that later translated to him giving her the choice she never had before in her life. Very well done and so steamy.

Steam: 3.5

Another excellent installment in this series! As these books go on, Evie Dunmore gets better and better. I loved learning about Hattie and Lucian, plus the growing nuance given to the suffragette movement.

I loved Hattie and Lucian! Portrait of a Scotsman might be my new favorite in this series. In my eyes, Evie Dunmore can do no wrong!

This particular romance is set in 1920s England and is the third in Ms. Dunmore’s women’s suffragette series. Hattie Greenfield, artist extraordinaire, is forced into marriage with Lucian Blackstone, a self-made man (V frowned upon by nobles at the time.)

While the romance itself is swoon-worthy, it’s the depth of non-romantic topics that make it a joy to read. I learned so much about the coal industry and the perils to coal communities in the process.

Thanks to Berkley Romance for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

Evie Dunmore does it again! This series is one of my favorites and I’m so glad that the author chose to tell Hattie’s story this time around. Her relationship with Mr. Blackstone was probably one of the most intriguing and I couldn’t put the book down. Hoping she is planning for more in this series!

I do like a marriage of convenience book, but this was just so-so for me.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Thank you to @publisher for a copy of the book. I adore Hattie and Lucien and their journey of finding their love. I love that they both had things they had to care for themselves before they could love each other. I love that this story address so much about women’s rights, the idea of unions and socialism without it being in your face.

*le sigh*

I think I just don't like Evie Dunmore's writing and that's fine? I wanted to like this for multiple reasons - marriage of convenience, Beauty and the Beast allusions, A SCOTTISH MAN - but I really can't handle the way she characterizes her main characters. True, there's some interesting conversations at play here (did I read a romance book with Marx in it?) but reading a feminist book about a woman who really isn't that into feminism was just ... a weird choice?

The last 10 percent of this book is also just bonkers. That's all I'm going to say.