BOTM 2 - September 2021 - Wild Wicked Scot

[Sam I]

Discussion thread for the Second BOTM of September 2021. Please remember to use the spoiler tags when necessary! (Please see 'some html is ok' for instructions.)

Happy Reading!

Wild Wicked Scot

Wicked intrigue unfolds as an unlikely marriage leads to a path of risky desire in the lush, green Scottish Highlands.

Born into riches and groomed in English luxury, Margot Armstrong didn't belong in a Scottish chieftain's devil-may-care world. Three years ago she fled their marriage of convenience and hasn't looked back—except to relive the moments spent in wild, rugged Arran McKenzie's passionate embrace. But as their respective countries' fragile unity threatens to unravel, Margot must return to her husband to uncover his role in the treachery before her family can be accused of it.

Red-haired, green-eyed Margot was Arran's beautiful bride. Her loss has haunted him, but her return threatens everything he has gained. As the Highland mists carry whispers of an English plot to seize McKenzie territory, he must outmaneuver her in games of espionage…and seduction. But even as their secrets tangle together, there's nothing to prevent love from capturing them both and leading them straight into danger.

[Mariana]

I gotta get a copy of this book as I would like to read and join in.

[Merry]

I got the ebook from the library. This will be a fun one as I haven't read many Scottish books.

[Merry]

I am up to chapter 9. I am enjoying the writing even though it is written in the style of back and forth time periods, Something fishy is going on with Margot's family.
So far I am on Margot's side as she was only 18 when she went from being a pampered English girl to living in more of a communal Scottish household. She did come across as spoiled but has no one to really talk to. We all need friends at that age as a sounding board.

Arran comes across as a man not use to dealing with woman at all. He seems like a handsome fellow so was a bit surprised he showed little charm.

I can see where this combo was oil and water. It mentions in the blurb that she is there to see which side of politics her husband is on. Now here is where my English history is really weak so some of the plot is lost on me.

[Merry]

Chapter 11 just got a history lesson on Queen Anne and The acts of succession.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "I am up to chapter 9. I am enjoying the writing even though it is written in the style of back and forth time periods, Something fishy is going on with Margot's family.
So far I am on Margot's sid..."

It's been a while since I read, but I remember the historical context was something I found particularly interesting in this story.

[Merry]

I am really enjoying the book including explaining that Anne had a Catholic half brother and only a Protestant could inherit. Plus I think Anne may have been a bit odd.

[Cath]

I've finished Chapt 5, and the story and characters are definitely growing on me.

@Merry I totally agree with your comments about Margot and Arran.

I felt like Julia London (JL) had been showing that Arran was a bumbling brute, when it came to his wife. Totally disconnected emotionally, and seeing her merely as an object. Which in a way, it wouldn't be so off-base for readers to believe he could be this way, in a time when women, after all, were considered the property of their fathers or husbands. Of course, this doesn't mean that in such a culture all men would have responded this way, so it did make Arran look particularly obnoxious IMO. Basically to me, at this point, he felt like a caveman, waving a large greasy chicken thigh around in one hairy fist while dragging his wife by her hair along the ground with the other.

(view spoiler)[ And nothing in the first 3 chapters did anything to dispel this impression. In fact, I was a bit surprised that in the prologue I'd initially thought he might have a sexy chemistry w/ Margot, when for the next 3 chapters, it then seemed like from his viewpoint there was nothing there after all but a utilitarian attitude about his marriage. Where'd the chemistry I thought I'd detected several times in the prologue, when their eyes locked, go? Bummer.

But then I was very happy to see that in Ch 4 JL used humor both to soften this impression and to explain that Arran is behaving as he is, not because by nature he is a boorish oaf, but b/c he's totally a product of the culture at Balhaire. (Which raises a whole other set of questions in my mind but nevermind that right now...)

I mean, even when Arran turns to a woman, Griselda, to help him decode the puzzle that is his wife, she's not much help, b/c she too sees the situation through the filter of life at Balhaire. So I really can't blame him for his bull-in-the-china-shop approach to Margot.

So what I liked about Ch 4 was that JL makes these various characters - who earlier seem so unkind and uncaring to Margot - more likeable. Because it's not that they're cruel people, they're just clueless.

This particular line in Ch 4, where Arran turns to Jock & Uncle Ivor for advice on women, had me laughing:

The three men fell silent, thinking about women.

You can just feel the bumbling confusion in the room. You can feel their good intentions and the sense of how lost they are. LOL




... (hide spoiler)]

[Merry]

@Cath your spoiler is SO spot on!
At the start of the book I had trouble with Margot's father who was a loving father just agree to a marriage agreement without even consulting his daughter. But I think it goes back to your statement that woman were property.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "@Cath your spoiler is SO spot on!
At the start of the book I had trouble with Margot's father who was a loving father just agree to a marriage agreement without even consulting his daughter. But I ..."

Yes! That’s great. Ok, Merry and Cath, you’ve convinced me to reread this!

[Merry]

@Joanna so happy!
Chapter 9 (view spoiler)[ doesn't it almost seem as if her escorts are minders. So you know something is off. Plus I am enjoying the whatever you throw at me I can do it attitude of Margot, The first chinks in the armor that Aaron really did care about M show when she visits a local shop. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Merry]

Chapter 11 (view spoiler)[ So now Arron and Margot think the other is perhaps a traitor. I enjoyed the party where Margot danced with everyone. Glad to learn that each had been faithful to the other...but 3 years was a long time. (hide spoiler)]

[Debby *BabyDee*]

Didn't t think I would like this story so much but it is really a nice change of pace for me right now. 😊 One pet peeve is the interchanging of time periods... don't like the going back and forth when I am liking it quite this much.

[Merry]

@Debby The time lines bugged me a bit at the beginning but I got use to it pretty quickly.

[Nikki]

Loved it! Like others have commented, the back and forth timelines in the beginning took some getting used to but overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one that follows.

[Cath]

Finished Ch 11.

Joanna wrote: "...you’ve convinced me to reread this!
Yay! Look forward to hearing your thoughts :)

@Darbella, that scene with the plaid got me tickled, too!

Merry wrote: “At the start of the book I had trouble with Margot's father who was a loving father just agree to a marriage agreement without even consulting his daughter…”

Me, too. And then later, as we see more interaction w/ dear old Dad - ugh! (view spoiler)[He's even worse than I thought. He's so cold and calculating - Margot's just a commodity to him, and he holds her personhood in such low esteem that he can't be bothered to use the original reason he gave for why the marriage needed to take place. Because either she's too stupid to realize the discrepancy or even if she does notice it, who cares? So when she raises the point with him, I like the way JL uses this moment in the story to show how much her father and brother, Bryce (ugh) underestimate her.

As for her half-brother, Knox, I know he seems caring but I’m suspicious – there’s something oily about him IMO.

Also, I'm interested that her father has so much influence w/ Queen Anne. Is this b/c their family in general is influential, or is it b/c Dad is a political creature who’s managed to get himself into a position of influence, I wonder... (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 11: (view spoiler)[I’m enjoying the part where both are suspicious of the other’s motives, as you point out @Merry. It’s kind of like a dance. There’s a lot of ambiguity in terms of what each feels for the other, and so it feels very much like neither one wants to be convinced that the other is treacherous. Margot looks for reasons as to why it doesn’t make sense for him to be a traitor. And for his part, Arran tries to keep his guard up, but then Margot keeps doing things that surprise him or remind him of his attraction to her, and so he kind of gets distracted from his efforts to treat her as if she’s his enemy. He wants to keep her at a distance (emotionally & physically) but then he can’t. (hide spoiler)]

Another thing I’m enjoying is Arran’s struggle to come to terms with what a marriage is. He thought a wife was just…a wife. Not something he needed to give much thought to, b/c everybody knows what a wife is, right? A wife!

Except his own wife didn’t seem to understand that, confound her! So instead, here he is, poor beleaguered Arran, trying to deal with this complicated creature who doesn’t behave as he thought she would, or should. He can’t figure her out and it’s making his life miserable! He’s actually having to have thoughts and feelings about her. LOL.

In keeping with that, in Ch 8(view spoiler)[I laughed at the scene where he’s out doing manly things, training his soldiers, when suddenly his wife (!) shows up on a horse, disrupting his well-ordered day. You can feel how powerless he feels when faced with this woman who just won’t behave as she’s supposed to.

Why she’s practically running circles around him as she confronts him about his plan to send her away. In front of his men, no less, and with him the clan chieftain (gasp!): oh the horror!

He’s trying not to squirm in his saddle; he’s trying not to have an undignified squabble in front of his men; he sighs, she interrupts him; she smiles prettily while staring daggers at him, challenging him. He’s so frustrated. He's taken aback by her. Why, it's even a bit scary, the way she won't be controlled!

These men have no idea just how difficult his life is!

Arran groaned. He glanced over his shoulder. He had the rapt attention of a dozen men. “All right, carry on then,” he snapped. “Do none of you have wives?”


LOL (hide spoiler)]

[Merry]

I enjoyed chapter 12-14 where each explained how they viewed what happened when they first married. Then it expands on how they are working out things now.
Chapter 15 (view spoiler)[ Oh! the letters. They were wonderful. OK here I am being dense what does the figurine have to do with treason. I enjoyed the transition from looking to prove Arran is doing something wrong to proving him innocent. (hide spoiler)]

[Merry]

Chapter 16 (view spoiler)[ Well now the both sides are against Arrans. I have my doubts about Margot's family. They seem so good together.

Enjoyed Griselda teaching Margot to ride. (hide spoiler)]

[Missy]

I just started listening to the audiobook. Derek Perkins (the same narrator for Kerrigan Byrne's Victorian Rebels series) is the narrator and he's really drawing me into the story. Love him!

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Missy wrote: "I just started listening to the audiobook. Derek Perkins (the same narrator for Kerrigan Byrne's Victorian Rebels series) is the narrator and he's really drawing me into the story. Love him!"

I am going to start today with Derek Perkins as well :)

[Sandra]

Starting today!!

[Cath]

Just finished Chapt 15. Loved it! Filled with two of my favorite things: romantic angst and political machinations.

@Merry: (view spoiler)[First, haven't read your Ch 16 spoiler yet so apologies if you've already addressed this in that part of your post, but regarding your comment about the figurine in Ch 15 - I took it that while technically it didn't prove treason, they knew it belonged to Margot and they were just assuming that she could not have been in his study for any reason other than a nefarious one, so they were leaping to conclusions. Motivated reasoning on their part. (hide spoiler)]

[Merry]

@cath thank you. I had not even thought of that.

[Cath]

@Merry, glad my comment was helpful :)

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

I am through the first three chapters and am enjoying the setup. You get the sense that Margot was not mature enough to be married yet. She needed to have some youthful fun and was sorely disappointed that she would not get to dance with her crush.

Then, while Arran seems a brute to start, you also get the sense of clan pride and how she wounded it.

[Cath]

Joanna Loves Reading wrote: "Then, while Arran seems a brute to start, you also get the sense of clan pride and how she wounded it"

Good point. I think I was so focused on how much he didn't understand Margot (cultural differences) and how hard that was for her, that I really didn't even think about his feelings here.

Actually, at that point in the book, I didn't think her feelings and opinions mattered enough to him that she could have a wounding effect on him. I thought that of course he wanted her to not be miserable, but other than that, I thought he was pretty much emotionally impervious to her.

[Mamacita aka MawMaw]

Starting tonight.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Cath wrote: "Joanna Loves Reading wrote: "Then, while Arran seems a brute to start, you also get the sense of clan pride and how she wounded it"

Good point. I think I was so focused on how much he didn't under..."

This is a reread for me, so I might be “seeing” hints that I wouldn’t pick up on the first time — or that are not really there, lol.

I am here for the cultural differences — it is what has stuck with me after reading this before.

[Merry]

Chapter 19-21 (view spoiler)[ Ok I always thought her father up to no good if nothing else Margot was just as a useful tool. It was not a well kept secret throughout the book that the family was up to intrigue or greed. Plus truth be told I didn't feel that Margot held much attachment to her husband until she had grown up a bit. (hide spoiler)]

[Merry]

I finished the book and really enjoyed it and would be happy to read more by the author.

[Sandra]

I'm also enjoying. I'm at chapter 24. I liked the way Margot changes along the story.

[Mamacita aka MawMaw]

I'm just in chapter one. For some reason I was dreading this book. The blurb did not catch me at all. However the prologue has me hooked.

[Mamacita aka MawMaw]

I'm just starting Ch 6. This is sad. Y'all does this get any better quick? Because this has me getting depressed. The writing & the story are great but damn it's sad.

One thought I do have is that (view spoiler)[Margo's dad is actually a traitor. It's obvious Arron is not but they are trying to make him out to be. (hide spoiler)]

[Mamacita aka MawMaw]

Cath wrote: "I've finished Chapt 5, and the story and characters are definitely growing on me.

@Merry I totally agree with your comments about Margot and Arran.

I felt like Julia London (JL) had been showing..."

I agree. They were both so clueless. It's just a product of (view spoiler)[upbringing. She was raised a to be haughty & was pampered & spoiled. He was raised where everybody pitched in & to put more stock in clan & family than outward appearances. But in the end it was the hurt feelings & harsh words along with pride comes before the fall. (hide spoiler)]

[Cath]

Great summation of the differences between the two (in your spoiler) @Mamacita.

I hope the reading gets less sad for you. I can definitely see that aspect of it. What I've found myself enjoying in the story is sections concerning Arran's behavior that I find humorous - has made him very likeable for me.

And also as the story progresses I've really enjoyed seeing how Margot deals with things, as others have mentioned in their posts. Love her attitude but won't get into specifics as I don't want to spoil anything!

[Mamacita aka MawMaw]

Cath wrote: "Great summation of the differences between the two (in your spoiler) @Mamacita.

I hope the reading gets less sad for you. I can definitely see that aspect of it. What I've found myself enjoying i..."

Ch 11 agree with you about Margot, I'm so proud of her. I liked Arran before but now much less now after the way he acted at the celebration. He's being an asshole, & I usually love the assholes! It still feels sad, but he's just pissing me off now.

[Mamacita aka MawMaw]

Cath wrote: "Finished Ch 11.

Joanna wrote: "...you’ve convinced me to reread this!
Yay! Look forward to hearing your thoughts :)

@Darbella, that scene with the plaid got me tickled, too!

Merry wrote: “At the..."

I loved that scene & quote also!

“All right, carry on then,” he snapped. “Do none of you have wives?”

I really dislike her Dad & Bryce! Love Knox! But, Jock I'm on the fence about him.

[Cath]

Mamacita aka MawMaw wrote: "I liked Arran before but now much less now after the way he acted at the celebration. He's being an asshole, & I usually love the assholes! It still feels sad, but he's just pissing me off now."

I had a hard time getting into Arran's head, until later in the book where I think JL gives more access to his thoughts. I wouldn't have been able to like him in the early going without the sections where I think he comes across as being kind of overwhelmed by Margot & women in general, in a humorous way (as I read it of course; I'm sure others may have a different perspective) I agree he's definitely got his asshole moments!


Mamacita aka MawMaw wrote: ""But, Jock I'm on the fence about him.."

I have developed a weird fondness for Jock. Have no idea why. I find myself imagining that maybe he and Nell can get together; she seems so aggravated with him, and I've always liked that antagonists-attracted-to-each-other vibe, that I wonder if there could be a little something there, lol.

[Susan in Perthshire]

I’ve finished it and overall, I think it was a good read. I liked Arran and eventually liked Margot. I thought the author really conveyed the reality of life for women in the early 18th century and the attitude of men towards them. We might not approve, but it was the reality.

I thought the historical authenticity was much better than in so many historical romances - and as a Scot, I am always absurdly sensitive to writers who make mistakes about Scottish/English/British history and culture.

I thought the author’s attempts to convey the reality of a clan’s existence and culture were well done. Of course in reality, few people would speak English in the Highlands at that time so Margot would have needed to learn!

I didn’t like the way the author wrote Scots in the dialogue. Lots of words which would be common in central Scotland but not in the Gaelic speaking Highlands. Highlanders today (even Gaelic speaking ones) pronounce English words with amazing precision - not the sort of slurred, accented language used in the book. Still, this is a great discovery for me - I have a new author to follow.

[Mamacita aka MawMaw]

Cath wrote: "Mamacita aka MawMaw wrote: "I liked Arran before but now much less now after the way he acted at the celebration. He's being an asshole, & I usually love the assholes! It still feels sad, but he's ..."

Jock & Nell! That would be fun to watch.

[Mamacita aka MawMaw]

Finished Ch 12

It's still so sad for me. Maybe so much of what could've been is just depressing me because I haven't felt good this week. That chess game was the perfect example. (view spoiler)[The brutal honesty where feelings were exchanged & he admitted she was his first love. Then, dammit Margot had to steer away from it with the French Ships. But, I feel that was honesty still of her wanting them both to run away. I think still it was not just a diversion to try to ferret out what she needed to know but a real desire for just the two of them to run away. It's still shows her naivety though there's no way he could run away that's not who he is. He is a Hands-On leader of his clan. But I do feel like if every body would leave them alone, they could work out their problems. (hide spoiler)]

[Mamacita aka MawMaw]

Susan in Perthshire wrote: "I’ve finished it and overall, I think it was a good read. I liked Arran and eventually liked Margot. I thought the author really conveyed the reality of life for women in the early 18th century and..."

You are definitely correct about the spot on historical relevance. This reminds me of Outlander with the suspicion of everybody during the leading up to the Jacobite rebellion.

[Mamacita aka MawMaw]

I'm gonna put this down & come back to it tomorrow or the next day.

[Cath]

@Mamacita, I'm sorry to hear you're having a rough week :( Hope things get better for you soon.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "@Joanna so happy!
Chapter 9 [spoilers removed]"

Yes, something is strange. They certainly don’t trust her!

I am through nine and I like the way Margot is beginning to understand the ways she offended, but it’s also nice to see that her intent was at least sometimes in the right place. (view spoiler)[ I really liked the scene in the shop were she thinks they are still mad at her for trying to collect alms for the poor when they take care of their own, but it is really that she broke the laird’s heart. (hide spoiler)]

[Merry]

Joanna It does start to give you a view of the impact that she had and how the ripples even show in the stores.

[Cath]

Finished Ch 16.

I’d like to give Arran a good thump on the head.

(view spoiler)[He thinks: But Margot had not conceived this deceit. She was simply a fool.

How. Dare. He.

*Thump*

If anyone here is a fool, it’s Arran! Margot is clearly bright and resourceful and making the best of a very difficult situation, seeing as how she’s been used as a pawn by a bunch of power-hungry men!

And here I thought earlier, during the meeting with Lindsay and McInernay, he’d come to realize this, to be a little more understanding of how she’s not exactly a free agent in this male-dominated world:

She stood up from her perch on the chair, and he realized how small she looked in this room full of men. He had a fleeting image of her in the vast library at Norwood Park, a small figure in another room of men as they sent her to do their loathsome deeds.

Arran. Arran. Arran. I’m so disappointed in you! (hide spoiler)]

[Cath]

@Joanna, I really liked that shop scene as well.

[Mamacita aka MawMaw]

Darbella wrote: "Mamacita, I hope you are feeling better soon."

Cath wrote: "@Mamacita, I'm sorry to hear you're having a rough week :( Hope things get better for you soon."

Thanks Cath and Darbella. I have PsA & Fibromyalgia. And have been and a huge flare all week. The pain and not being able to do much makes depression come up more often So it's hard to read a book that is not provoking happy thoughts right now. Having a compromised immune system has made being homebound because of covid has not helped.

[Mamacita aka MawMaw]

I do think the writing in this book is good along with the plot and storyline so I will get back to it in a couple of days.