Mairi MacAdaidh had her future all mapped out, but now the man she intended to marry is wed to someone else - and she is cast adrift, without a household to run. Connall Aberbeag would have her, if she let him. But Mairi would rather run to London and have a Season to find someone who doesn't ignite such fear and passion inside her. Connall, however, isn't going to let her out of his sight.

Mairi and Connall were fun characters to meet, as were their companions - although, I could have done with less of the side plot and more scenes focusing on the actual couple. They didn't really seem to get much time together! That aside, this was a very pleasant read that won't eat up too much of your time. And who doesn't like to see a firecracker meet her match?

An enjoyable friends to lovers regency romance. I loved Mairi and Connall, they were perfect for each other she just didn't realise it. Lots of fun, banter and action along the way before finding their way to love.

I received a preview copy of this from NetGalley and this is my freely given opinion.

I was rather iffy about Lord Scot, the story of Liam and Clara, especially as it started out with him being all charming, amusing, lovable, and appearing to care for her, but really was ultimately a fortune hunter, and Clara was tricked, and choices were taken from her - albeit, not directly by him.

We first met Mairi, the main Lady Scot in this book, in Lord Scot, and to say she was prickly is to put it mildly. Rather like saying a Ghost pepper is a bit spicy. She was a wall of bristling hostility, bitterness, and resentment towards both Liam and Clara, and I quite frankly disliked her. Also, I wondered if she was part of Liam's lies in that she was perhaps an ex-lover - and now resenting Clara that much more for displacing her, or Liam for setting her aside. Later clarified that she was more a childhood friend, with the expectation of becoming his wife.

So I did go into this disliking Mairi and thinking Connall was a bit of an idiot for holding the torch for her for over a decade, especially in light of her repeated rejection of him and being the wall of bristling hostility, resentment, etc. Of course, it sounds like he was not exactly a smooth operator when it came to wooing her... or the lack there of.

Not great first impressions of either character on the first go around, in Lord Scot. But here, we get to go beneath the layers and find out more about them, and their histories as individuals and as friends. Mairi and Connall, luckily, have many more layers. Like Shrek, and his onion analogy, and underneath we find people who are much more likeable and sensitive, and in Mairi's case, scared to open to love. So I found that after fighting past that prickly outer layer, I was liking Mairi and hoping she can overcome her own fears and doubts and realize that Connall is her destiny.

"God, how he wanted this woman. She was everything to him, and he'd be damned if he let her go. He told her that with his touch and his tongue. He took her mouth, he caressed her bottom, and he pulled her tight against him, so she could feel the length and the heat of his need for her."

I am loving the back story of the other two Scotswomen, Iseabail and Sadie, and see some setting up of their stories as well. There are definite links to the previous series, Lords of the Masquerade (after, Lord Loughton, Liam, first showed up there, and Clara was the sister of Lord Ares, Lady Bryn figures quite a bit in this novel, and there are others as well). There is also added action in terms of a rapist, a murderer, a highwayman robbery, so some satisfactory action as well. Heck, I think I even like Lady Bryn more - sure, a bit selfish and narcissistic, but kind of with a sly, manipulative sense of humour too.

So started out not expecting much, but ended up quite pleased with the overall story in the end, and looking forward to seeing what happens with Sadie (and Lord Heath?) and Iseabail and her mysterious past (?witches) in the future.

4 stars out of 5 - and some of that because I am full of anticipation.

From the moment I finished book one I was ready to read Mairi and Connal's story. I was not disappointed. I honestly would not have put it down had it not been necessary. Characters were well-written and I liked them so much in book one and even more so now. This book can be read alone, but book one is great as well. This series has started off wonderfully, but I do believe Iseabail and Sadie may prove more entertaining. This book has some passion and heat.

Connall has loved Mairi his entire life. I'm a sucker for a hero who is certain in his love and will do anything to win his lady. Connall will go to any lengths, including following his highland lady to London. I'm not crazy about books where the hero has been in love with the heroine since childhood though because, inevitably, he sleeps with other women while the heroine remains pure waiting and waiting for him to get it together (Ugh). The writer handles this trope better than most though, and the book is enjoyable. I just wish it didn't take the hero so long to finally get it together.

The set-up for the following books is clear. Looking forward to those stories though the couples took up too much screentime in this book. I wanted the focus to be on Connall and Mairi.

Lady Scot is book two in Jade Lee’s “Always a Scot” series. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿📚🦄 This story is one full of action, angst, longing, desire, passion, and of course, love. This is a friends-to-lovers romance with some action and adventure mixed into the plot. While this book is part of a series you can enjoy the story as a standalone.

“Mairi MacAdaidh is done with Scotsmen. They don’t know their head from their arse, and they break your heart without realizing what they’ve done. She’s off to London to find a manageable Sassenach to wed.

Connall Aberbeag has loved one woman for the whole of his life, and she’s a feisty, frustrating lass determined to go her own way. It’s not right that a future duke must chase the woman he wants all the way to London, but that’s what he does. He faces down highwaymen and fops, greedy women and his own wayward cousin only to find that Mairi is immune to all his persuasions.

What a rollicking tussle of wills! But when the glitter is stripped away, what remains are two hearts finding their way to one another. Unless one zigs while the other zags. Then neither will find the lady Scot’s most secret desire.”

I enjoyed watching Mairi and Connall’s story unfold and I liked the way Connall was very patient with Mairi while she came to terms with her fears and admitted her love for Connall. Connall is firm in his love for Mairi and he slowly nudges her a long and gets her to face her fears. I loved the supporting characters and hope we get the stories of Sadie & Iseabail in future books. I am also curious about Reuben Bates & Lord Heath and if they will be included in future books. 🔥🐺👀

I had a bit of difficulty initially with this story as it felt like the reader was brought into a plot already in action, there was not a lot of lead in material, this made the beginning few chapters feeling abrupt and stilted. I also had a hard time with Mairi both in her actions and reasoning for treating Connall horribly and her avoidance of love. I expected her to have a huge trauma in her past and when the actual reasons behind her actions are finally brought to light, I found them lacking. She was almost 30 years old and a supposedly very strong and independent woman yet she behaved as a naive and skittish child when it came to matters of the heart.

I was a little disappointed there was no epilogue featuring the MCs - instead their story abruptly ends and the epilogue is a teaser of the next book. 😔

Overall 3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 4 Flames 🔥🔥🔥🔥

📚I received a ARC of this story from Dragonblade Publishing-This review is given freely and is my unbiased personal opinion. 📚