This was a solid little story. The heroine is given a pretty meaningful backstory, and personal hurdle to overcome, so I felt happy and proud of her when things improved. In comparison, I was a bit underwhelmed with the hero's backstory, especially when he allowed it to determine his present. But he is loyal and caring, and I think well suited for the heroine. (It's much more common for the hero to have some grand battle-hardened or traumatic backstory, and the heroine to just have some piddly little issue, lol, so this helps balance the scales perhaps). I'm not sure how possible it is to solve the puzzle just based on the clues we're given, so the mystery twist ending isn't extraordinary, but it gets a point for not being painfully obvious I suppose. Overall, I like both the leads and was entertained. ( )

The Sinful Scot (Saints & Scoundrels Book 3) by Maddison
Michaels is an exciting, and mysterious Regency Romance. Can be read as a stand alone. Set in Scotland.
Follow, Constance Campbell, the Duchess of Kilmaine and Dr. Alec McGuiness, on their journey to find peace, trust, understanding and maybe, a HEA.

Well written with an
awe-inspiring cast of characters. The storyline is unpredictable, intriguing, and heartbreaking at times, especially as the reader learns more of Constance's
husband, he's a monster, to be sure.

Filled with many emotions, as the reader keeps turning pages. Filled with murder, suspense, a strong hero, a fragile heroine, mystery, villains and panic attacks, anxiety, violence,
and shocking and climactic conclusion.

Readers beware... talk of rape, domestic violence, death, physical and mental abuse, may bother some readers, these are written with respect and caring.
A must read, and a keeper! Highly recommend!!
#NetGalley, #TheSinfulScot

"I voluntarily received a complimentary copy, however, these are my honest opinions. I was in no way required nor compensated to write a review."

Rating: 5
Heat rating: Mild
Reviewer: AprilR ( )

The Sinful Scot by Maddison Michaels is the third book in her Saints and Scoundrels Series. The books are designed to be read as standalone by the publishers. Nonetheless, there is some mention of characters in previous and future books. When Constance Campbell hit the marriage mart, her goal was to snag a title in hopes that she would please her very demanding mother in her never-ending quest to be accepted and loved. This put her in conflict with her childhood friend Dr. Alec McGuiness, and they have not been close in a while. Connie achieved her mother's goals and married the Duke of Kilmaine, but the marriage is a horror story of beatings and abuse along with the mysterious death of his first wife and six missing mistresses. Alec has travelled to Scotland at the request of their mutual friend Sophie as Sophie is concerned that something is wrong with Connie, so he is at hand when Connie wakes up one morning to find herself covered in blood and the brutally stabbed body of the Duke next to her. Alec rescues her, and they escape to Inverness to try and find out who really murdered the duke and prove Connie’s innocence. While on the run, the bodies continue to pile up with almost every person they speak to solve the mystery ending up dead in a gruesome manner. I loved the first book and enjoyed the second book, but this one was not for me. I thought it could have used some more editing as parts were repetitious, the body count was ridiculously high, the mystery required a significant suspension of disbelief, and the romance seemed to be an afterthought. Content warning for spousal abuse and violent death. Medium Steam. Publishing Date January 27, 2020. #NetGalley #EntangledPublishing #EntangledAmara #HistoricalRomance #TheSinfulScot #bookstagram ( )

Highlander regency romance thriller!

My sympathies certainly were with the abused duchess Constance Campbell, the Duchess of Kilmaine. Married to a vile Duke who used her as a punching bag, his arousel dependent upon inflicting pain.
When Constance awakes to find herself covered blood next to her husband who's been stabbed to death, she wonders if she's been the perpetrator.
So begins the journey for Connie to prove her innocence dogged by the law, her brother-in-law, and other mysterious forces. Her flight is engineered by her childhood friend Dr. Alec McGuiness.
Alec, betrayed in love (and that's a whole 'nother story) is a doctor. His sister has asked him to see how her friend is faring as they've lost touch. He attends the Duke's Ball and is not happy by what he intuits, and what he glimpses.
The path to proving Connie's innocence uncovers further dark dealings and evidence of depraved appetites having turned to murder. As death mysteriously follows Alec and Connie's escape, the novel becomes more of thriller than a romance.
I must admit that given Connie's brutalizations by the Duke her relations with Alec seemed a bit sudden to my mind, but Michaels seems to have tried to mitigate that through Connie's determination and Alec's empathy.
I was totally surprised by the ending. Galvanized by my enjoyment of The Sinful Scot, I find myself itching to read the rest of this series (that if this book is anything to judge the test of the series by). Michaels presents a rather different take in the Highlander / Regency romance genre

An Entangled Publishing ARC via NetGalley
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own) ( )

Series: Saints & Scoundrels #3
Publication Date: 1/27/20
Number of Pages: 400

While there is no trigger warning in the book blurb, there is one at the beginning of the book. Of course, you wouldn’t see that until you’d already bought the book, so, I thought I’d go ahead and mention it here. If you are particularly sensitive/susceptible to reading about those kinds of things, you should be aware that domestic abuse – severe beatings and rape – are talked about in this book. I thought the author handled that subject matter well and got her point across without getting overly graphic. I thought it was all really well done.

One would think that Constance and Alec were opposites and could never be a good match. Alec is a self-made man who works for a living even though he is the second son of an earl and his working is frowned upon. Alec works tirelessly to help, as a doctor, those who have no champions. Constance’s sole goal in life was to marry a title – specifically, a duke. Well – she sure managed to reach that goal. What is missing from that scenario is that, as children, they knew and liked each other very much. Then, Constance (Connie) was sweet and loving and greatly admired Alec. What happened? Well – there are parents – particularly mothers – who seem to be spawns of Satan.

The opening chapter shows what Constance Campbell’s life has been like for the last three years – since she married Duncan Campbell, the Duke of Kilmaine and moved to Scotland to live in Castle Kilmaine. It also shows that she’s stronger than you’d think given the weak-willed way she bent to her mother’s desires rather than her own. She’d certainly have to have some strength to her to endure all she has for the last three years and not be a huddled, whimpering, mass of fears. So, while I didn’t admire the way she acquiesced to her mother’s desires, I did admire that she had managed to endure her brute of a husband and had managed to survive without going stark-raving mad. I liked her very much.

Alec McGuiness is only attending the Duke of Kilmaine’s ball in order to speak with the Duchess of Kilmaine – and he’s only doing that because their mutual friend Sophie asked him to do so. When she finally appears on the stairs, he loses his breath because she is still so very beautiful. Then, when he speaks to her, his sharp physician's eye notices the telltale signs of the abuse to which she is subjected. How can he help her?

When Constance (Connie) awakens the morning following the ball, she feels groggy and disoriented – at least until she sees the lifeless body of her husband sprawled across her bed. He’s been viciously stabbed and there is blood all over the place, including all over Connie. Did she finally snap and murder him? She’s not sure, but she knows her first order of business has to be to get her step-daughter, Amelie, away from the castle to protect her from her uncle Fergus.

Everyone immediately assumes Connie snapped and killed the duke – including Fergus, the duke’s brother. Alec doesn’t believe a word of it and quickly helps Connie escape the castle where she’s been confined. Once they are away from there, everything breaks loose – everybody is chasing Connie and Alec and Connie and Alec are trying to find out who the real murderer is. The answer will surprise you – and perplex you.

One thing that perplexed me was a ‘monthly dowry’. That is one I’ve never heard of, but maybe it was possible. I can’t imagine any circumstances under which a potential groom would agree to that – but – it just doesn’t seem feasible to me and every time I saw it mentioned it just jarred me right out of the story. ** Note -- I asked the author about this and she said it was possible. However, I also asked several other knowledgable British authors about it and they said this would not have been possible.

I also have to add that I thought Connie’s falling for Alec and being able to relax around him and even allow him to touch her came a little too quickly. We all heal at different rates, but Connie's recovery seemed remarkable - to me. ** Note ** I asked the author about this and she said that in her experience, healing of this type could occur quickly.

I enjoyed the read and I hope you will as well. The stories in this series are stand-alone, so you don’t have to have read the other books in the series in order to enjoy this one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )