Evie Dunmore

One of Marie Claire's most anticipated romances of 2021! A BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021! Going toe-to-toe with a brooding Scotsman is rather bold for a respectable suffragist, but when he happens to be one's unexpected husband, what else is an unwilling bride to do? London banking heiress Hattie Greenfield wanted just three things in life: 1. Acclaim as an artist. 2. A noble cause. 3. Marriage to a young lord who puts the gentle in gentleman. Why then does this Oxford scholar find herself at the altar with the darkly attractive financier Lucian Blackstone, whose murky past and ruthless business practices strike fear in the hearts of Britain's peerage? Trust Hattie to take an invigorating little adventure too far. Now she's stuck with a churlish Scot who just might be the end of her ambitions.... When the daughter of his business rival all but falls into his lap, Lucian sees opportunity. As a self-made man, he has vast wealth but holds little power, and Hattie might be the key to finally setting long-harbored political plans in motion. Driven by an old desire for revenge, he has no room for his new wife's apprehensions or romantic notions, bewitching as he finds her. But a sudden journey to Scotland paints everything in a different light. Hattie slowly sees the real Lucian and realizes she could win everything--as long as she is prepared to lose her heart.

Portrait of a Scotsman

Annie Beth

Sophie

Rebecca Hurd

Cute, funny, interesting!! This might be my favorite Evie Dunmore book!! I love this series so much and hope there will be more!! These women are an inspiration!!

Evil Dunmore has done a fantastic job of making each one of the novels in this series read differently from one another. Each main character is her own fully-fleshed out person, as are the MMCs that accompany them. The evolution of Hattie and Lucian’s relationship was beautiful and compelling, and while the ending different from many romance novels, and certainly period ones, I thought it was perfect for this couple and the point Dunmore wants to make. The thing that irked me though was Hattie as a character. I know this was the point, but there were many times were she just read so naive and stupid that is was frustrating, particularly at the beginning. It did make her arc very satisfying thought. Can’t wait to see how the series ends!

Katie Allard

I actually really liked this book. The main girl annoyed me at the end when she overcomplicated things and was kind of irritating, especially since Lucian was so great, but overall it was a good read. 

Sarah Campbell

Honestly I don’t even think Lucien was as bad as other reviews say and Hattie was tolerable enough. I enjoyed tristian and Lucie’s banter more from the second book but this was still a fun read. Only thing that took away from it in my opinion was the very poorly done ending because what even was the point of sending her to France?!

Somya Verma

Vilandra

It took a little bit to get past the vulgar language and apparent Outlander homages, but once I did I enjoyed the story immensely. Admittedly I don’t normally read romance, but it was a nice read.

Kristen Claiborn

I read the first two books in this series because THIS book was one of the add-ons for the Book of the Month Club in September. I love romance novels, so when I started the series I was pretty excited. These books are wildly popular, and Dunmore has amassed quite an impressive fanbase. If you have followed my reviews, you’re well aware of my feelings towards this set of books. If you haven’t, well…I don’t love them. I don’t hate them necessarily, but I didn’t love them like I wanted to love them. 
	Like the first two, this book is just “meh.” There’s nothing extraordinary about this book, despite the what the name of the series might lead a potential reader to believe. Sure, they have the necessary components of a good romance: boy-meets-girl, girl-really-doesn’t-like-boy-but-marries-him-anyway (wait…that’s not right), boy-divulges-secrets-and-girl-falls-in-love. 
	So maybe not the way it usually goes. USUALLY, the girl realizes the boy isn’t a total waste of oxygen BEFORE she marries him…but that’s slightly irrelevant here. There are a few stolen kisses that get witnessed, so her family forces the two to get married; Hattie didn’t really have a choice. Over time she learns that Lucian isn’t as much of a jackass as she initially believed, but the fact that he kept so many secrets at the beginning make him a tiny bit jackass. It's a genuine, formula-driven romance, yet I just found myself unsatisfied. I just didn’t like it that much.

taylor alyse pisanie

Honestly I spent half of this book genuinely hating Lucian because he seemed like an actual asshole, which turns out he was, but still had a heart. Hattie's choice toward the end and her reasoning for it was very profound and I related to it a lot. I love my silly little romance novels.

Molly Morgan

This book... was so so so boring to me. I skimmed so much of it to try to get to the parts that grabbed me and I just couldn't get into it. Not my bag, sorry.

One of Marie Claire’s most anticipated romances of 2021! One of Cosmopolitan's most anticipated fall books of 2021! A BuzzFeed Best Summer Read of 2021! Going toe-to-toe with a brooding Scotsman is rather bold for a respectable suffragist, but when he happens to be one's unexpected husband, what else is an unwilling bride to do? London banking heiress Hattie Greenfield wanted just three things in life: 1. Acclaim as an artist. 2. A noble cause. 3. Marriage to a young lord who puts the gentle in gentleman. Why then does this Oxford scholar find herself at the altar with the darkly attractive financier Lucian Blackstone, whose murky past and ruthless business practices strike fear in the hearts of Britain's peerage? Trust Hattie to take an invigorating little adventure too far. Now she's stuck with a churlish Scot who just might be the end of her ambitions.... When the daughter of his business rival all but falls into his lap, Lucian sees opportunity. As a self-made man, he has vast wealth but holds little power, and Hattie might be the key to finally setting long-harbored political plans in motion. Driven by an old desire for revenge, he has no room for his new wife's apprehensions or romantic notions, bewitching as he finds her. But a sudden journey to Scotland paints everything in a different light. Hattie slowly sees the real Lucian and realizes she could win everything--as long as she is prepared to lose her heart.

Annabella

I ate this book. I was worried I wouldn't, but I did

brooke lynn

I throroughly enjoyed this book, but a couple months later cant really remember it!

right. so this one... i guess what was really working against it was not only the eyebrow raising politics but also the way the main couple were brought together. i understand that it is a historical novel, therefore politics and morals would not always be compatible with modern social mores but i cannot help but wonder, the way things are set up in this novel - who is this for.

Boy, do I want to give this book more stars. I really really do. I didn't realize that this was number three out of a series, but it definitely convinced me to not try the other two. 

Initially, it's an okay book. A bit of a slow start, a couple of laughs, waiting for the tension to build. We see our Heroine and our Broody Scot travel on their honeymoon, each hating each other's guts, and it transforms into something so lovely. 

Then the ending ruined it. It was such a terrible terrible ending. 

Sterling Newman

Boy, do I want to give this book more stars. I really really do. I didn't realize that this was number three out of a series, but it definitely convinced me to not try the other two. 

Initially, it's an okay book. A bit of a slow start, a couple of laughs, waiting for the tension to build. We see our Heroine and our Broody Scot travel on their honeymoon, each hating each other's guts, and it transforms into something so lovely. 

Then the ending ruined it. It was such a terrible terrible ending. 

Elizabeth Hagenlocher

Sigh. I just spent half an hour typing a very in depth review on my phone, only to accidentally swipe down and delete everything. 

Maybe I’ll find the will to fully rewrite my thoughts, but here’s a truncated summary. 

Tropes I loved: enemies to lovers, one bed, bad boy with a heart of gold, heiress meets the real world.

I think the Hattie haters aren’t seeing the big picture (AKA, that we have more knowledge of Lucien and his intentions than she does). Hattie’s feelings are valid, even if her actions are not always justified. For starters, she’s been raised to have a very particular view of the world—and when push comes to shove, she grows into a better person. And when she advocates for people, she doesn’t simply do what she thinks will help, she takes time to think about potential consequences and asks people directly. She has a tremendous character arc that I can appreciate. She’s not perfect, but she comes a long way. 

Those who say Lucien “hands his balls” to Hattie make me feel sorry for them. She helps him become more vulnerable, and I love the way that he loves her. I do agree that it would have been nice for Hattie to empathize more for her husband than she does. That’s really my biggest qualm, and as the reader we have WAY more context for his life than Hattie does (which I wish would have been remedied, or addressed). But while Hattie isn’t always in the right, her wanting him to let go of his vengeance is not a bad thing. Though when all is said and done, it’s Lucien that really made this book shine. I love his character SO much. 

Overall, I love that they help each other to be better people. And I truly adored basically everything that happened while they were in Scotland. 

Now, let’s talk ending, which I know is taboo. Do I KINDA wish that last little bit just didn’t happen? Yes…I was especially mad that Lucie was still so hostile to Lucien (like did Hattie not tell her friend she loved him?). However, I can come to accept the ending. 

Only because in some ways I think it speaks to Hattie’s maturity. I don’t LOVE that she left, but it has the same bittersweet feel of a Bronte or Austen novel (which are frequently referenced and used as parallels in the book). She’s spent her whole life sheltered and used, and she knows her resentment for how her marriage began would continue to fester. She needed to know she could rely on herself, and that’s okay. She needed to be confident that she could trust herself to love him without lashing out. And I think their reunion was so sweet. 

ETA: I guess really my problem with the ending is that it was too little too late. I mean the book simply could have concluded where it was with three chapters to go, but the author threw in a big ol wrench. Even if it felt like something Hattie would do, I resent that it was done so quickly and carelessly and I would have preferred a slightly more HEA. The epilogue was fine though :)

This book worked for me in ways the second book sometimes did not (and it was a LOT steamier). Overall, I just really enjoy this series and this writer SO much.

jenn kause

** spoiler alert **
           The ending just felt off to me. She still left knowing all that??? 
Like girl, you kissed him and caused most of the whole downfall and then you know he loves you so you go to Paris??????

You do you boo, but I would never.

Viktoria A

3,5 stars. This book would have been a 4 stars read for me, if it hadn't been for the ending. Up until then I was really enjoying it, but then those last chapters made it go down to 3,5 instead.

Preye

Evie Dunmore is going on my auto-read list and that's it. She's spectacular and after reading Bringing down the duke I didn't think it was possible to fall even more in love with other characters in a series, but she did it with this book. Honestly, I believe reading it is the only way of doing justice to this book so I won't be dropping spoilers but just know that you're in for a ride.

Viviana 

“Admitting that he was madly, brutally, in love with her would open Pandora’s Box”

Portrait of a Scotsman has been a fun and cute historical fiction. I did love the feminist viewpoint of Hattie and her willingness to learn and help women. We see enemies to lovers, forced proximity and marriage of convenience. We are able to see some of Lucian’s pov and ultimately we root for him. Lucian and Hattie had very cute scenes where they bonded, and also very steamy moments. I wish I would have enjoyed the ending a bit more. I do look forward to reading the first two books as This is the third book of A League of Extraordinary Women, which I did not know of until recently.

'Anyone who binge-watched Bridgerton needs this feminist regency romance on their radar' Cosmopolitan 'Pulls on every heartstring: perfection' Emily Henry, New York Times bestselling author 'Excellent' Jodi Picoult, No.1 New York Times bestselling author Going toe-to-toe with a brooding Scotsman is rather bold for a respectable suffragist, but when he happens to be one's unexpected husband, what else is an unwilling bride to do? London banking heiress Hattie Greenfield wanted just three things in life: 1. Acclaim as an artist 2. A noble cause 3. Marriage to a young lord who puts the gentle in gentleman Why then does this Oxford scholar find herself at the altar with the darkly attractive financier Lucian Blackstone? Trust Hattie to take an invigorating little adventure too far. Now she's stuck with a churlish Scot who just might be the end of her ambitions . . . When the daughter of his business rival all but falls into his lap, Lucian sees opportunity. As a self-made man, he has vast wealth but holds little power, and Hattie might be the key to finally setting his political plans in motion. Driven by an old desire for revenge, he has no room for his new wife's apprehensions or romantic notions, bewitching as he finds her. But a sudden journey to Scotland paints everything in a different light. Hattie slowly sees the real Lucian and realizes she could win everything - as long as she is prepared to lose her heart. Why readers love Evie Dunmore . . . 'Electric chemistry, witty dialogue and compelling characters light up the page in this delightful novel' Chanel Cleeton 'A unique intersection of history, romance, and women's rights . . . a spot where I could happily stay forever' Jodi Picoult 'Evie Dunmore is a phenomenon!' Anna Campbell 'Swoonworthy romance' Eva Leigh 'Dazzles and reminds us all why we fell in love with historical romance' Julia London 'Simply superb! Evie Dunmore will wow you' Gaelen Foley 'Dunmore creates pure magic with this charming, romantic novel' Jennifer Probst 'An absolute triumph and a joy to read' Roshani Chokshi 'Evie Dunmore is my favourite historical romance author!' Stephanie Marie Thornton

Abby Cummings

Beauty and the Beast at its finest. Evie Dunmore gets better with each book.

I generally just love this series. Combining Victorian-era romance with feminism yields a pretty fantastic story. I enjoy Hattie's character, and especially her journey of self-discovery. Lucian didn't quite make me swoon but definitely had his redeeming qualities. Overall a good addition to the series and another shining example of the authors knack for showing social justice through the lens of historical romance.

Madeleine Ngo

Sabrina Davis

Definitely still a fun read but I had more issues with the plot and the characters of this story, and their communication (or lack thereof). However, just because I didn’t like it as much as the other two doesn’t mean it was wrong… this absolutely felt right for Hattie, who we know to be a feisty if a little careless woman. And it also fits with the time period without sacrificing TOO much of the autonomy we’ve come to love about our feminists. 

Liz Whitehead

Gabrielle

I wanted so badly to love this book. I loved Hattie as a side character in the previous books, and I was looking forward to the contrast between her and Lucien's characters. 
But as I was reading, I kept wanting more. There was barely any romance, and what romance there was felt rushed and incomplete. So much time was spent discussing why the characters didn't like each other, and it felt as though all of the romance happened in the last 100 pages of the book. There weren't any tropes that made me smile like in the first book, and all of the interactions between Lucien and Hattie just felt awkward and apathetic. We really didn't get to see them interact as an actual couple, and I found myself bored for most of the book.
I did like the way Dunmore discussed the intersections of gender and class, and the way she wrote the character development of Hattie. But I felt like there was so much emphasis on the plot and politics that the romance was a second thought. It felt like there were three separate climaxes and none of theme made any sense. The fight between Hatte and Lucien on Rutland felt like it came out of nowhere, then the confrontation between Matthews was even more bizarre. While I understand Hattie's reasoning for going to France, I felt like it came out of nowhere and really didn't add anything to the plot. Overall, the pacing of the book was not great, and I just felt bored for most of it and annoyed there wasn't a lot of romance for a romance book.

Sahi K

I don’t know if I wasn’t in the right mood for this one or the book itself wasn’t too engaging, because unfortunately I found this one to be just okay. I was definitely expecting the social issues to be executed well and I’m glad I wasn’t disappointed - the suffragette movement and working people’s rights and mining conditions do form a good portion of the story and the discussions about them are quite progressive. But the romance didn’t endear much to me because I didn’t feel invested in the characters. Maybe I shouldn’t read romance novels for a while when I’m unable to appreciate them better.

Portrait of a Scotsman

Reviews

Highlights