Governess Victoria Knight must flee to Scotland to escape a scandal from a previous position. Her family cautions her to keep secret the events of her last position. That she is, in fact, the illegitimate daughter of the Prince Regent is also hidden . Desperate she is willing to accept any position, even one as unusual as the Kendrick brothers.
Nicholas Kendrick, Earl of Arnprior, is at his wit’s end. Since his return from war, he has been trying to control his unruly brothers. He is hoping a governess will give them the polish they need to attract suitable wives. Hindering his attempts are his quarrelsome grandfather anxious to keep to the Highlander ways,
The Highlander’s Princess Bride is the third instalment of Vanessa Kelly’s series, The Improper Princesses. I have not read any works by Ms Kelly before despite the fact she is regularly recommended to me. This was a big mistake on my part. I loved this book.
There are some minor tweaks I would recommend to the beginning of the book. the book begins with Victoria and her family discussing the fallout from the scandal. I felt like I had missed the first chapter and was confused by what I was reading. The chapter where Victoria is travelling to Scotland would have been a better place to start, in my opinion.
Once you get past the confusing start, you are drawn into the lives of the characters. I particularly loved Angus. He refused to conform to “English” laws and standards. He has determined that his grandsons continue Scottish ways even if it leads them into trouble. He seems to particularly enjoy when there is trouble.
There is a particular scene that reminds me of the film “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”, which is my favourite old movie. I could picture the scene so vividly and it added a moment of hilarity to a time when the H/h are struggling with potential catastrophe.
The angst and drama are well balanced with moments of laughter and love. As a reader, I want to be invested in the lives of characters and feel their emotions. I want to be able to imagine myself in the various settings and at the end be sad to let them go. It is a rare talent to achieve this but Ms Kelly’s writing surpasses those in her field.
I hope the Kendrick brothers get a series of their own. The brief snippets we get of each brother leaves me anxious for more.
I received a copy from the publishers in via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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