Scandal's Bride (Cynster Series) Book

"That's ridiculous! You can't simply declare we'll wed'I have to agree. And I won't!"

"If I decide to have you…"'he kept his words deliberate, pausing to let the qualification sink in'"I'll have to change your mind."





Another great installment from the Bar Cynster series!


The story

Richard Cynster comes to Scotland summond by a lawyer, he's to be present at the reading of the last will and testament of his biological mother's husband Yes I know, quite complex, but that is why his nickname is Scandal :) His real mother was from the Lowlands, and married. His father Sebastian Cynster had an affair with her and thus came Richard, a bastard son sent to the Cynsters and raised by Helena, the Duchess of St. Ives.
Moving on! Catriona, "The lady of the Vale", had a vision of the man who will father her childern, sent to her by The Lady herself, and that man turns out to be Richard Knowing that as the lady of the Vale, she can't have someone as strong of character as a husband, because of her obligations and powers, she must be the one in charge, so she sets on completing the Lady's desires, without having to marry Richard. What does she think of? Why, it's totally obvious! Drug the man and have sex with him without him knowing it, get pregnant and never see him again. Quite simple, really
BUT, she somehow got her potions in a wrong mix, because the sleeping potion and the afrodisiac worked a bit too well, a rake in normal terms, Richard became quite enthusiastic (might I just say, very very hot scene), and in the morning he thought it was all a dream, but still remembered some parts vividly. The next night he didn't drink the potion, and was surprised by Catriona coming in his room. That of course didn't stop him from doing the deed again The third night Ah the third night was a real pantie-changer He planned to sex her up so much that she'd admit why she was coming to him. And boy, that was a page-burner!



Richard

He is entranced by Catriona from the first moment he set eyes on her, and doesn't really understand why she's so against him and the prospect of being his wife. He, of course, does everything he can to convince her to change her mind , and after the whole sleeping/afrodisiac debacle, there's really no other way out than for them to marry. He made a vow not to mess with her 'Lady of the vale' business, and leave everything in her hands. But after some time it becomes difficult. He wants to help, have a purpose in life, but being sworn not to meddle, he can't offer help until she asks it of him . I really liked him, but sometimes was just frustrated with the whole "I won't talk to you and tell you what's on my mind until you talk to me and tell me what's on YOUR mind". Actually, they were BOTH this way



Catriona

I liked that she was a bit different from the normal type of heroines, she's actually the dominant one, because of her calling, and the fact that the Vale is hers to manage Kinda got on my nerves with the things I mentioned about Richard, not enough communication between them, she kept thinking he'd want to go back to London and leave her, that he isn't interested in her and their possible life in the Vale. And the drugging, hmmm even though it was HOT, I still don't approve. I didn't like that part much on the first read, now I still don't. If it was a man who did that to a woman, drugged her with sleeping pills and afrodiciacs, oh there'd be lots of talk about that. Still, loved the fact that she's a "witch", or some kind of druid lady or like it XD It was all mystic and I loved that part :) Especially knowing she'll appear in the later novels and her crystals are going to have a role in them



The bad guy

This was done pretty well, it was obvious to me, but then, it was obvious to the H/h, and I'm glad they figured out who it was right from the moment it happened. BUT Don't like the way it ended with the bad guy Don't like it AT ALL.



So, my Bar Cynster re-reads continue, now to my next and favorite book, about Demon