This is the first romance book I ever read. I read it around 1997-1998. I bought the paperback from the grocery store. I believe the hero's name is Michael, but I'm not completely sure. His best friend and right-hand man is Ian. I don't remember the heroine's name. The story begins with the hero and his friend trying to get into a high society party thrown by a well known socialite and heiress. She is a distant cousin of our hero, and he is seeking her out because he needs a loan to repair the castle he just inherited. He is ex-military and the title of Laird and the castle came as a surprise. The castle is in bad condition. There's an odd ensemble of people living at the castle. I remember a mother and her daughter. The mother has ambitions to marry her daughter to the new Laird, and is very displeased when she sees the romance developing between the hero and the American Heiress. There are also attempts to kill the heiress. One of such attempts is trying to shove her out a window or a tower or something like that. I also remember something about the heroine having a secret place of refuge that she would retreat to when the demands on her became too heavy, or when she feels frightened or threatened. Please note that even though the story feels like a historical romance, it is a contemporary.
I believe the hero's name is Michael, but I'm not completely sure. His best friend and right-hand man is Ian.
I don't remember the heroine's name.
The story begins with the hero and his friend trying to get into a high society party thrown by a well known socialite and heiress. She is a distant cousin of our hero, and he is seeking her out because he needs a loan to repair the castle he just inherited.
He is ex-military and the title of Laird and the castle came as a surprise. The castle is in bad condition.
There's an odd ensemble of people living at the castle. I remember a mother and her daughter. The mother has ambitions to marry her daughter to the new Laird, and is very displeased when she sees the romance developing between the hero and the American Heiress. There are also attempts to kill the heiress. One of such attempts is trying to shove her out a window or a tower or something like that. I also remember something about the heroine having a secret place of refuge that she would retreat to when the demands on her became too heavy, or when she feels frightened or threatened.
Please note that even though the story feels like a historical romance, it is a contemporary.