Review: The Devil Wears Plaid by Teresa MedeirosThe Devil Wears Plaid by Teresa Medeiros
Published by berkley, Pocket Books on August 24, 2010
Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Scottish Romance
Pages: 407
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
four-stars

Passion sparks in USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Teresa Medeiros' irresistibly tempting new romance after a sexy

Highlander kidnaps his rival's spirited English bride Emmaline Marlowe is about to wed the extremely powerful laird of the Hepburn clan to save her father from debtor' prison when ruffian Jamie Sinclair bursts into the abbey on a magnificent black horse and abducts her in one strong swoop. Though he is Hepburn's sworn enemy, Emma's mysterious captor is everything her bridegroom is not; handsome, virile, dangerous . . . and a perilous temptation for her yearning heart.

Jamie expects Emma to be some milksop English miss, not a fiery, defiant beauty whose irresistible charms will tempt him at every turn. But he cannot allow either one of them to forget he is her enemy and she his pawn in the deadly Highland feud between the clans. So why does he still want her so badly for himself? Stealing his enemy's bride was simple, but can he claim her innocence without losing his heart?

This book had a lot of the old cliched plot devices, a gruff Highlander on horseback barging in on a wedding, kidnapping the bride, holding her for ransom…you get the picture. But you know, for being cliches, I’ve actually only ever read one story where the hero barged in on a wedding (Karen Marie Moning’s To Tame a Highland Warrior). So for me, this was all new.

The beginning cracked me up because our heroine Emmaline is being married off to some old goat (pardon) ahem, a randy old goat, to save her father from debtor’s prison. What was so funny is that she’s 22 and the audience is talking about how lucky she is to be marrying the old earl, and how old she is,and how she’s very lucky the old earl has enough experience in bed ::snicker:: to satisfy her.

But alas, as they are saying their vows, several men burst in with guns, and the man on horseback, Jamie Sinclair, tells the old earl he’s here for his bride. he abducts Emma and takes her high into the mountains where the earl’s men will never find them.

The majority of this story takes place while on the run, and Emma has known nothing but a kindly old man who wants an heir, whilst Jamie knows the true evil in the old goat’s soul.

I actually think it got a bit slow towards the middle, but once the two realized they were in love, and he was still going to ransom her off, it really picked up!

Since the earl had been suspected of killing Jamie’s parents when he was a babe, Jamie wanted proof. It came from a very unlikely source, and it was so not what we were expecting!!! In a “wow,” way, not in an “out of left field” kind of way.

But the oh so predictable ending I’d predicted was…Wrong!

I was totally surprised at what had happened and I was soo endeared to Ian, the old earl’s great-nephew and Jamie’s best friend when they were younger. (there’s a long story there, that I was incredibly happy with the outcome)

And watching Emma blossom under the kidnapping ordeal was great. She changed just enough to stay true to her character.

The ending was a bit of a muddle, thought IMHO. I think the ending with Jamie, Emma and Ian was brilliant, however, the old earl’s comeuppance was a bit much. And too easy. Hence, the muddle.

But I’d re-read this one, and definitely suggest to other fans in need of a good Highland romance.

75893_661734843865158_420521210_n

HighlandHussySig

four-stars