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An English Bride in Scotland
An English Bride in Scotland
An English Bride in Scotland
Audiobook9 hours

An English Bride in Scotland

Written by Lynsay Sands

Narrated by Mary Jane Wells

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

()

About this audiobook

From New York Times bestselling author of The Husband Hunt, The Heiress, and other beloved historical romances, comes Lynsay Sands’s An English Bride in Scotland, the first book in a new series set in the wilds of the Highlands.
 
Annabel had planned to become a nun. But when her mother arrives at the Abbey to bring her home to marry a Scottish laird—her runaway sister’s intended husband—her life takes a decidedly different turn.
 
And though Annabel isn’t the wife he’d planned for, strong, sexy Ross McKay is taken with his shy, sweet bride.
 
Annabel knows nothing about being a wife, running a castle—or the marriage bed. But her handsome new husband makes her want to learn. When Annabel’s life is threatened, Ross vows to move the highlands itself to save her and preserve the passion that’s only beginning to bloom.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperAudio
Release dateJun 25, 2013
ISBN9780062271198
An English Bride in Scotland
Author

Lynsay Sands

Lynsay Sands is the nationally bestselling author of the Argeneau/Rogue Hunter vampire series, as well as numerous historicals and anthologies. She’s been writing since grade school and considers herself incredibly lucky to be able to make a career out of it. Her hope is that readers can get away from their everyday stress through her stories, and if there are occasional uncontrollable fits of laughter, that’s just a big bonus.

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Reviews for An English Bride in Scotland

Rating: 4.4438775510204085 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

196 ratings20 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was given a copy of this book, through Avon and Edelweiss...and since its been a little while since I have read one of Lynsay Sands Historical's, I was intrigued, especially after reading the synopsis. I haven't had a whole lot of luck with her Historical's, I tend to like her Paranormal ones way more. I was shocked when I enjoyed this one so much. It surprised me when I least expected it. It is set in Scotland, so that portion of the story really appealed to this reader. There was quite a bit I loved about this one, but I would have to say this story would top my list of favorites.Annabel from the age of seven, has lived in the nunnery, and has been in training to take her vows, Only she is eighteen now, and has yet to take them. The Abbess is cruel at times, but Annabel keeps getting punished for small things, and she wonders if she could ever make a good life here. Then her mother comes to the Abby to take her home. Annabel learns that she is to take her sisters place to marry Ross MacKay. Her sister has run away with the stable boy, and now Annabel will have to marry a man she knows nothing about, and is the least prepared to handle running his household. When Ross learns that it will be Annabel to be his wife, he has no idea what to expect. When he sees her beautiful eyes, he is charmed and desires a good marriage with her. Annabel and Ross start to discover a powerful desire that turns into a tender love. However someone is after Annabel, and it will take Annabel and Ross trusting in their love to defeat that which is threatening to destroy them both.Annabel is a favorite character of mine. She is smarter than she seems, creative at times, and even though she has no idea to run a household, she has many other positive qualities that make her into a stellar heroine. She is feisty, and challenges Ross at every turn (which was very funny to watch). I just love a smart heroine who can turn the tide against the hero. Ross is very stubborn and a bit narrow minded at times, and too over protective (but he has good reason. He is very patient and understanding with Annabel, I loved how sweet and caring he was toward her, and other times domineering at times. But in a very delightful way. There was such a playfulness to this couple's relationship, even though Annabel can be too serious, Ross is anything but.An English Bride In Scotland is one of my favorite books of hers, and tops her historical's in my opinion. I really enjoyed how this author put these two characters together. There was a bit of a mystery involved, and some suspense as well that added a certain dramatic flair to the story that only increased my enjoyment of it even more. I expected to be bored or just an average enjoyment to come from reading this, but it turns out that I FELL in love with this author once again. I really had a fun time seeing how this story turned out, and boy was I shocked to learn who the true villain of the story was. I don't want to reveal too much, and ruin it for those that haven't read it yet. But let me tell you, you are in for a surprise to say the least. I also liked Annabel and there was a scene, where she became fierce and protective and I just wanted to shout "You go GIRL!!!". LOL. A well written story with a full enthralling plot and sexy characters that is much better than any desert. Full of spice and romance and action....a story that MUST NOT BE MISSED!!!!

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I absolutely loved this historical romance.It has a little bit of romance,love, danger, suspense. All right, a lot of those things and it captured my attention right away, pulling me into the story and routeing for the English Bride. Raised, for the most part, in a long ago convent, away from worldly things, then thrown right into the middle of it. So if you want a fast ride into Scotland, this is for you. I'm so enjoying this author's work. I was given this book from the author in return for an honest review.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Sweet and cute. Perfect for a gloomy day.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I don't know if it's just me, but all the romances I've been reading lately have featured a weak female and a gentle, likeable male protagonist. At least almost-nun Annabelle was much more likeable than that trainwreck Valentine in Gentle Savage. Annabelle was living in a convent, content in being a nun after her parents had dropped her off fourteen years ago. Until she is retrieved by her mother because her sister had run off with the stable boy when she was supposed to marry Ross MacKay. The eldest daughter in Annabelle's family was promised to marry Ross MacKay due to an agreement made by their fathers when they had saved each others' lives. I thought Annabelle was very sweet, but she made poor decisions that endangered others, including herself (I'm surprised she didn't die with all those head injuries, and a bit of a doormat. Despite her horrendous family, she was able to stay a rose among weeds. I thought she was a good match to Ross, who was gentle and kind yet still maintained authority among his clan. The few things I didn't like were they kept getting interrupted, her sister was a spoiled brat (I guess that was the point) and it dragged on sometimes. I appreciated the twist ending, and wasn't expecting the culprit. Not bad, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel I just bought.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Vampire books are way better

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    An enjoyable historical romance with an interesting plot and action that moved right along. It had dangerous moments and sometimes just made me smile. I especially liked the heroine and her adaptability. Annabelle's mother takes her from an abbey to replace her sister in marrying Scotsman Ross.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A very fun book. Lynsay Sands always has a great deal of humor in her books. The interactions among the characters have some really funny moments. Annabel had been dumped at a convent when she was seven years old with the expectation she would become a nun. Fourteen years later her mother shows up and pulls her out before she can take her vows. It seems her older sister has run off with the stable boy and Annabel is needed to take her place in an arranged marriage. She's used to obeying orders, so she does what she's told. Ross has finally showed up to claim his bride after taking a few years to cement his position as laird. He's not thrilled about having an English bride and is ready to walk away until he sees her. It's her looks that capture him first, but it's her sweet but sassy personality that keeps him hooked. When she's attacked he'll do whatever he must to keep her safe.I loved Annabel. She's been at the convent for fourteen years but hasn't taken vows yet. It seems that no matter what she does she's always in trouble. She has trouble following their rules and just doesn't have the personality to be a nun. When her mother shows up and takes her from the convent, Annabel doesn't know why and her mother isn't talking about it yet. Once they get home, Annabel is stunned to find out she's going to be married off to her sister's fiance. She's worried about it because she has no training suitable for that job. She's also been put down because she's not the rail thin type of woman, but one with definite curves. The wedding ceremony is rushed and then she's alone with Ross. The wedding night is pretty funny. Once they're on the road back to MacKay lands, Annabel's joy at being away from the convent comes out as she chatters and asks questions. Even being attacked doesn't slow her down. I really liked her resilience and the way she is able to make the best out of anything. Her introduction to the people was when she took over when a merchant was hurt. She had no problem giving orders and doing what needed to be done. But even with that, she is very insecure about her abilities. Her sweetness goes a long way toward winning over the people. Another thing I loved was her growing relationship with Ross. Although she started out very nervous around him, the attraction she felt went a long way toward making her happier around him. The love scenes were fantastic as she learned that sex was not the horrible thing that she heard about in the convent but a fun and satisfying activity. She also learned that Ross is a man who takes care of his own. She did make some stupid moves, circumventing the protection Ross tried to give her, resulting in more injuries to her and Ross. Those could have been worse though if not for her own ingenuity and strength. There are problems when her sister Kate shows up and she is shown as the spoiled brat she is. Annabel gets down on herself at first, but soon grows the backbone to realize that she's got what her husband wants and is loved by her people. Loved the solution they came up with for Kate at the end.Ross turned out to be a really nice guy. He's a bit wary about this wedding, not knowing what to expect. When he finds out he's getting a substitute bride he's ready to walk out on the whole thing until he sees Annabel. It's her looks that hook him first, but her sweetness is what lands him. He sees that she's not treated well by her parents and rushes her away after an aborted wedding night. On the journey to his home he is enchanted by Annabel's joy in everything she sees. He is also really attracted to her but holds off so they can be intimate in better surroundings. His protectiveness kicks in when she's attacked on the road. When it happens again at home he believes that the attacks are related and takes steps to find out who is behind it. I enjoyed his surprise at the way she took charge when the merchant was injured. Some of the best parts of the book are when he is trying to figure out how to get her into bed with him. There's a lot made of the church's ban on "bedding" on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. So Ross has a great time circumventing the restrictions by simply avoiding beds and doing the deed outdoors instead. He gets really frustrated with her when she keeps avoiding his protections, but neglects to tell her why he's doing things. I really liked the way that he made sure Annabel knew that he had no interest in Kate and that she was the only woman for him. I did love the ending.I really enjoyed some of the other characters also. The maid Soenag was a great helper to Annabel and often gave Annabel the information she needed to get things accomplished. Ross's sister Giorsal was just what Annabel needed to see. She was another woman with a strong will and the abilities to get things done in a manner that is not always appreciated.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Annabel was only 7 when her mother dropped her off at an abbey, telling her she’ll eventually be a nun. She has yet to take the veil when at the age of 21 her mother arrives and drags her home. Her elder sister had been contracted to marry the son of a Scottish Laird and has run off with the stable boy. Now Annabel must marry the man. She’d always been the heavier sister and now has plenty of curves. Between not being the pretty one and never being taught how to run home and servants, much less what to do with a husband, she’s worried about what he’ll do when finding out she’s not what he’s expecting. They’re married the very day she gets home and leaves with just the clothes on her back the next day as Ross, her new husband, can’t stand how her parents are treating her.I’ve read a great deal of urban fantasy and romantic suspense and haven’t read a regular romance in quite a while. So lately most of the women I read about are kick-butt, competent or capable. Annabel’s innocence with life in general is both sweet and refreshing. She’ll do what she needs to and is pretty ingenious when a solution is required. She’s also very good with people. And make no mistake, she’s not a doormat.The story is a light read with humor, good sex and some interesting characters, and a mystery that surprised me. I think Ross is now my new favorite male character. Read as an ARC for Amazon Vine Voice

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    4.5 Stars - Where Can I Get My Own Kilted Hunk?, This review is from: An English Bride in Scotland (Mass Market Paperback)Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)Oh my. This book is classic Lynsay Sands. It is everything I love in my romances. It has the pre-requisite hot hunk in a kilt who is, of course a sex god, he is also thoughtful and kind and did I mention he was hot? Then we get to the heroine. At first glance, she seems as if she is going to be a useless, fumbling ditz, but that glace would be incorrect. Annabel may have been raised in a convent ready to become a nun, but when she needs saving, she generally saves herself and maybe even saves Ross!The story briefly without spoilers - Annabel is the second daughter and has been confined to a nunnery since she was seven. Her sister Kate had been contracted to marry Ross, but for reasons you will see when you read the book, the deal falls through. Ross and Annabel marry, leave her parents house and all of a sudden someone is trying to either kill Annabel or to kidnap her.The end of this book really surprised me because the person after Annabel was sure not one that I would have ever thought of. Clever move Ms. Sands!Annabel is worried that by not being raised to be a Châtelaine that Ross will end up throwing her over when he finds out and while Annabel cannot lie about her upbringing, she sure can put off telling the truth with the best of them!This book has all the elements that the typical Lynsay Sands book has, wonderfully written main characters generally strong but with some sort of flaw, funny and loveable secondary characters, an interesting mystery and most importantly a bit of a message to us women.I think Ms Sands does a wonderful job in each of her standalone's of promoting the message that we women are perfect the way we are and that usually we allow others petty jealousies to shape our idea of ourselves. I don't particularly like the idea that most authors push the idea that it only takes a good man to force us to see ourselves as the perfect women we always have been, but this is a romance and certain ideas need to be followed. Ms Sands promotes these ideas in the best way possible and I love her writing because of it.One of my favorite lines in this book-"Annabel began to soap herself. It seemed she would marry, be a wife to this unknown Scot, the mother of his children, and lady of his people...Lord save them all."*eARC Supplied by Publisher paper copy by Vine*

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I actually really enjoyed this story. It was nice to see characters who were honest with each other instead of the usual thinly veiled lies and omitted truths that seem to rule the genre. (It really gets old reading a 100 page struggle that could have been solved with one simple conversation) Great quick read!

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was, by far, the funniest romance I have read to date! And by funny, I mean that I was continuously finding myself laughing or smiling while listening to the audio, it was full of quick wit and sarcastic comments. Great heroine also, as she was "plump" and I like to read something different than always super thin girls sooo beautiful. This is now one of my favorites! Oh, and great passionate scenes too!

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What a story full of surprises. It started out slow and a little boring and then it got interesting.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I've been skipping around this series in the audiobooks since I have to wait for when it is available at my library. I finally got to read about Annabelle and Ross! This was a sweet and funny read with plenty of sexy time. What I love about this series besides all the sexy times is how lovable Lynsay Sands makes her characters. There is a big cast of characters all goofy and light hearted and a bit dim witted especially the men. It's not a bad thing but makes for many comedic moments. The antagonist in this one was just plain crazy and a bit ridiculous but the suspense of it was plotted out nicely. This book just made me smile while listening to it.

    The narrator for this one was a female. I miss the Scottish accent I was use to with other ones I listened to. I wasn't too fond of her narrations but I was able to follow along without much complaints.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Boring. Maybe a better narrator would have given it some life even if the male and female protagonist had no chemistry at all.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Now i know why i stopped reading the this writer books this one prove it no characters development but lots of sex scences
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved Ross and Annabell's story, this is the first book in the series, sadly was unable to listen to it first but even though not followed the correct order its easy to recognise characters as each book has reminders of previous books in some form. The narrator is great, though prefares L Sands Highlanders romances to be narrated by Scots this narrator though not a scot is very good, have listen to her previously and liked her so enjoyed her again. This series is well worth listening/reading.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The audio was fantastic. I absolutely love listening to this voice.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved it, a light wonderful read. Looking forwared to read the next one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A short story about fate with many exciting twists and turns in the higlands.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Fun book. I really enjoyed the way the Uncles put Kate in her place. And I especially loved the ending. I will most likely read the book again in future. I found it that interesting ?