This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel, with an interesting heroine and hero, and marvelous secondary characters (the outspoken aunts are fabulous!). Throw in a little mystery, and you have a completely satisfying read. The tension between the protagonists is skillfully maintained, and the author does a good job of creating atmosphere. Strongly recommended!

I didn't think Douglad was all that bad. This was the 19th century for crying out loud. I agree that you are putting 21st century values on a 19th century character. I guess I read these novels for a light easy escape and that is just what Christina Dodd gives me. I enjoyed this book very much and I in fact bought the rest of the rules series based on this book.

This may be one of the worse books I have ever attempted to read. And then I realized there are too many books out there that I will enjoy so I stopped about one third of the way through. I just could not take any more. The characters are so contrived, they do things that no normal human being in any time period would do. How is it possible that this woman was so straight-laced she was known for being stiff and she loses her mind for one good looking barbarian? Please! Why? He's rude, he's a chauvinist. The only possible reason would be his title, his money and possibly his children. This was absolutely a dreadful read and Christina Dodd has done so much better.

I thought that Hannah should have punched Dougald in the gut and promptly left him...on her way out, she should have punched the butler for good measure!I got so frustrated with the way Dougald was behaving that I couldn't finish the book. I cursed him nine ways from Sunday, dog-eared the page and put it on a shelf.DO NOT let this bad rating stand in your way of reading other Christina Dodd books. I have read every single one and enjoyed them immensely!

I have not read any of the other books in this series. However, I have suffered through several inferior books in recent weeks. What I liked about this book was the tension between the characters throughout, the above-normal debt of character development for a romance novel and the sensuality. The book didn't culminate in one big love scene. I intend to read more of Dodd's books.

I do not understand why ANY woman would want to be with a man like Dougald. I like books where the characters evolve, but I didn't get the sense that Dougald evolved at all.He was so unbearably cruel and mean to Hannah in this book. He even talks to himself about how "easy" it would be to kill her! And he's the "hero"? Not in my world. He never acknowledges his part in his failed marriage and is so pathetic that he's planned revenge on the innocent young woman who ran from him nine years ago. Get a life, Dougald!He's mean to Hannah, and takes pleasure in her pain. That isn't love.I kept hoping for some glimpse into Dougald that would salvage this tortured and torturing character but I found none. I would have run away from this ogre too.Please, writers, get back to ROMANCE.Readers, save your money and read all of Julia Quinn's books or Suzanne Enoch's. THOSE are heroes to remember.....Kat