When a Scot Ties the Knot Castles Ever After

I absolutely adored this story.

Review from 2020:

I was torn between a 2- or 3-star review for this book; it was a quick read and written well, but it didn’t quite grip me like other romance novels I’ve read. (I get it, the lobsters are a metaphor!)

I enjoyed the ending and some details of their history, particularly Logan’s reveal of how he felt receiving the letters all these years, but perhaps Captain MacKenzie just wasn’t my type. This was the first novel I’ve read by Tessa Dare, and I’m open to reading more by her, but I might want something more diverse and less... vanilla? It is a very straightforward book, and I couldn’t help but compare it to other books I’ve read. (Having recently read The Pirate Lord, I find that Logan pales a bit in comparison to the male lead in that novel.)

That being said, I deeply appreciated the serious theme of consent throughout the book, and how significant it is to the characters and the plot. I felt that enthusiastic consent was given an appropriate level of importance, for both Maddie and Logan.

I liked Maddie as a heroine well enough, her shy nature and fear-driven impulse to lie to keep herself safe, and the ensuing guilt from that, felt very realistic.

I’ve realized I am very particular in how authors describe a character who draws or paints... I find some tend to get very dramatic with it —<blockquote>“Maddie could not remember the first time she’d held a drawing pencil. She only knew she could not remember a time she’d been without one.”</blockquote>

— to the point that it feels... overly mystical... like they’ve used artistry as a stand-in for a personality trait.

So I read it all, and it was fine, just not quite what I was looking for personally — hence, "fun but just alright” stars.

Although the premise read very enemies-to-lovers (and, I guess, it is a bit of that) it turned out to be a very sweet and charming read with some funny moments sprinkled in! The characters are very likable the plot moves along at a good pace. Will definitely be one I reread several times to come!

am i the only one who found this book actually funny? i loved the 2 main characters & all the side characters but the plot was a little bit naive. if there was more suspense/ more of a plot it would’ve been 5/5

3.7

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance   Summary  Madeline Gracechurch, is talented and pretty, but is awkward in social situations. She suffers from panic attacks whenever she is around a big group of people. She knew that she could never survive the Ton, and the numerous parties and balls. So she concocts a story of being engaged to a soldier that she met in bath. She creates letters, and mails them knowing that the person she has created is not real. Its been five years and she has just informed everyone that he is dead so that she can move on with her life and get past the lies she has had to say. She has just been gifted a piece of land and a castle in Scotland. But then a stranger shows up on her front door and claimed to be her Scottish sweetheart, Captain Logan Mackenzie. Logan MacKenzie is determined to save his men. The men he fought for and battled with and when they returned home to have either their families killed or driven off by English Lords who took advantage while most of the men were away fighting their war. He has a group of men, who need a home and after receiving letters for five years...he knows just the place and Miss Madeline Gracechurch is the way...he will marry her and will have a home for his men, he owes them that much. But what beings as a practical arrangement, soon turns into something more real....zesty passion and true love. Plot and Story Line  When A Scot Ties The Knot is a wonderful love story and I really loved the tangles and the web these two try to work their way towards. This is the third book in the series, but I have to say its probably my least favorite. Not to say that I didn't enjoy this book and how events play out, but for the first half I had a challenge getting myself into the story. It just didn't really connect with me, until I got about half way. Which was a bit disappointing, because I adore Tessa Dare, and this is the first time I have had such troubles getting into one of her books. But once I got halfway into the book, then I was hooked. I will say that there were quite a few memorable moments in this one. The soldiers that Logan has brought with him for one. I loved them all, they are all wounded in some form and have come home to learn that most of their loved ones are gone, their ship to Canada having been sunk. Logan even though he is forcing Maddie's hand, will do anything to provide a safe environment for them. I really admired that dedication and see how much he respects those men under him. But Logan isn't just any Captain...he worked hard to get to Captain when he started as a foot soldier. Logan has never known family or what it's like to love. So you see how he is very much out of his element when it comes to Maddie. Now Maddie, I truly wanted to like her character but had a hard time, especially in the beginning however I grew to like her as we learn more about her past and the reasons behind her shy nature. I liked how tenacious and stubborn she is, and quite the creative sort. She is super smart especially when it comes to animals and insects. And oh boy her pets....the two lobsters and the whole mating ritual, quite fascinating. I really enjoyed seeing these two battle it out at times. Both of them go into a bout of denial into what they feel for each other. But boy did this story have some lively scenes, and once these two started to open up to each other than it just came together quite well. I'd have to be dead in my grave before I stopped fighting for you, Madeline. Even then, I'd move six feet of earth to find a way The Cover  It has such a sweet and romantic tone to it, with a hint of playfulness. I love the tone of colors, with the teal and pinks. And isn't that male just gorgeous....love a man in a kilt right? And with the added castle backdrop....simply gorgeous! Overall View  When A Scot Ties The Knot is a charming love story that brings two souls together with a bout of surprises and romantic delights!! Romancing The Duke (1) Say Yes To The Marquess (2) When A Scot Ties The Knot (3)

Picture this: I'm physically sick, don't feel like studying anymore, and I've been curious about romance novels a while because my friends Natalie and Sam are so passionate about the genre. So I go on Natalie's goodreads profile looking for one to start with, and missing Outlander as much as I do, one titled "When a Scot Ties the Knot" seems good enough. Some four hours later, I've finished the book, and I've laughed heartily (the poem at dinner? I laughed really hard), learnt to care for the characters, and was even chocked up with tears at more than one point. I really loved Maddie, the heroine, and how her need for independence didn't mean she didn't also desire companionship, and loving. Oh, and I enjoyed the mental image of Logan reading P&P with his wire-frame reading glasses. A lot.

* 4.5 stars i'm not even gonna think about it too hard bc i ate this shit UP !

Purrfffeeeccctt💕💕

My heart is so so happy!! This book just made me feel all the warm butterflies and happy thoughts! I absolutely loved it! I love this series and this one is probably my favorite. I related so much to Madeline and her social anxiety and the concept of this entire story is just PERFECT! I flew through this and couldn’t put it down like usual when it comes to Tessa Dare, so much love! If you’re in the mood for something light, fun, hilarious, and with a beautiful romance, definitely pick this one up! I can’t wait to start Spindle Cove!

H Μαντλιν έχει που εχει αγοραφοβία (φυσικά εκείνη απλά πίστευε οτι είναι ντροπαλή), επινοεί τον λοχαγό ΜακΚένζι ώστε να γλιτώσει τους αβάστακτους χορούς της σεζόν. Για χρόνια στέλνει γράμματα, τα οποία θεωρεί πως θα μείνουν στα αζητητα και θεωρεί πως κανείς δεν πρόκειται να διαβάσει. Φυσικά δεν είναι έτσι. Ο λοχαγός Λόγκαν ΜακΚένζι δεν είχε ποτέ στη ζωή του τίποτα. Ορφανός από μικρή ηλικία, διακατέχεται από αισθημα τιμής και αφοσίωσης στους άντρες τους και θέλει να τους δώσει όσα τους στέρησε ο πόλεμος. Τα γραμματα της Μάντι του κράτησαν συντροφιά τις μοναχικές νύχτες και πληγώθηκε όταν εκείνη αποφάσισε να τον "σκοτώσει". Μετά το τέλος του πολέμου τη βρίσκει στο κάστρο της στην Σκοτία και την εκβιάζει να τον παντρευτει ώστε να δώσει στους συντρόφους τους ένα σπίτι, ή μήπως δεν είναι μόνο αυτό; Αν σας αρέσουν τα ρομαντικά με ευτυχισμένο τέλος μυθιστορήματα, οι ντροπαλες αλλά πανέξυπνες ηρωίδες, οι ενδιαφέροντες δευτερεύοντες χαρακτήρες και οι πρωταγωνιστές που φορούν γυαλιά όταν διαβάζουν, τότε αυτό το βιβλίο είναι για εσάς. (Στο σάιτ της συγγραφέα υπάρχει μπόνους επίλογος όπου βλέπουμε πως είναι οι ζωές των αγαπημένων μας χαρακτήρων μερικά χρόνια αργότερα)

☠ DNF at: who the fish cares? Didn't last long, anyway. Worry not for this is going to be quick. I've lost enough time with this PoC™ as it is. ➽ The only reason I finally decided to pick this one up: in order to help cure my insomnia, my doctor (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] recommended I read Deadly Boring Stuff (DBS™) before going to bed. My boyfriend's adventures weren't really cutting it—they're not exactly Boom Asleep Material (BAM™), I must admit—so I very logically decided to give this thing book a try. And what do you know? It didn't work! Bloody shrimping hell, what a rip-off. Instead of falling fast asleep, I fell fast exasperated. Damn. Doing cardio right before bedtime is kinda sorta counter-productive when all you're trying to do is snooze off; ergo, this thing book kept wide awake instead of acting as a sleeping pill. Sigh. Can't even rely on HR to bore you to death nowadays. This world really is going to hell. My thoughts exactly. ➽ The only thing I didn't hate liked about this thing book? The lobsters. Obviously. This isn't a lobster? You don't say? Thanks ever so much for pointing this out, my Little Barnacles. What would I do without you, I wonder? ➽ Bye now. Awesome things to read, kingdoms to overthrow and all that. Where is the "Don't want to read but will read anyway" bookshelf when you need it? Breathe, Sarah. Breathe. You can do this. You survived The Duke and I. You can survive anything. Maybe. So I need to read a book "outside my comfort zone" for my MacHalo Challenge. Well let me tell you, it doesn't get more uncomfortable than this. I look at the book cover and instantly break out in a deadly rash. If I manage to finish this book, I'm pretty sure I'll become invincible. I had originally planned on reading The Governess Affair for this Uncomfortable Read Thingy but even my HR-loving Freaky Friends seem to think it's bad. I'm not completely suicidal, so I thought it best for my mental health to forget about it and go all Scottish knot instead. This should be traumatizing interesting.

4.5 * The beginning of this book had me fully hooked. I found the majority of this book to be extremely hilarious. The romance was quite steamy. However, I didn't love the conflict of this book. Overall, I really loved the characters and the humor. This was my first Tessa Dare book, and I would be interested in trying more from her.

They both were my exact type of trauma so it was just 🤌🏻💋

y'all this was sooo good my weak little heart!

The premise was ridiculously interesting, a part of me had hope that this wouldn’t be the same old romance books I keep reading, maybe this one would have something different, because after all, the premise seemed to be awesome. It was disappointing. How do the characters manage to simply be cardboard cut-outs with random characteristics stuck to them? The female had social phobia and draws fantastically, the male is loyal, an orphan, and incredibly strong. And yet, these characteristics were barely included. I am an artist myself and the lack of any personality to Maddie in relation with her art was incredibly unrealistic. Also, no artist is magically good, and even if they are good they still have struggles, because art is very personal even if you are doing observational sketches. Secondly, these characters are meant to be in love. I didn’t believe that they were in love. It would have been great to see Logan’s point-of-view when he was receiving the letters and how his emotions toward this woman he had never met changed, instead we get a short diatribe at the end about it. We are told that the main characters are lonely and wanting for love and somehow they find that in each other, but I don’t see them to be lonely. I would have loved to seen more moments where they were yearning/longing for something they couldn’t have. Instead, most of this book seemed to focus on the lust and the love of the characters was based on the lust rather than the other way around...(I mean what did I expect with the cover?) The premise, which was incredibly interesting was done away with in the first 10 pages. There could have been so much exploration but yet there was none. I do read these books for fun every now and then and I do understand that this is the way they are. But I especially lament this book because it could have been so good and it just wasn’t. T_T

just ehh

3.5 stars.

3.5 out of 5 stars.

Adorable. All Maddie wants to be left alone and watch her pair of lobsters mate so she can accurately draw the process for an encyclopedia. Natural drawing has been her dream since childhood, and a pesky husband and panic inducing society events are not for her. To whit, Maddie concocted a secret (and fake) fiancee, a Scottish hearth throb who was sent off to fight Napoleon. To convince her family, Maddie sent hundreds of letters to "Captain Mackenzie," letters she basically used as a personal diary. Too bad Captain Mackenzie actually got all of her letters. And now he's come to claim the lass who used his identity. I loved this. A very different premise, with a great writing and dialogue. Super fun. Listened to on audio in 2017, and it delighted me even more the second time around. The narrator added a great dimension to the characters and had an excellent Scottish accent. The same (female) narrator did all of the voices and had a great range! I turn to Tessa Dare novels when I'm feeling blue. They are always sweet without being saccharine, they have drama without being full of angst, and the heroines always have endearing quirks and passions. I love reading about Maddie's obsession with bugs, creepy crawlies, and her ardent desire to illustrate two lobsters fornicating. Dare's heroes are also the best. They, in the words of Maddie, are often hard on the outside but just full of squish on the inside. My favorite kind. 2021 - #ButDoTheyBang Bumped my rating up to a full five because damn, the craft in WASTTK is incredible. From the allusions to the lobsters to just the sheer emotions between Maddie and Logan, this is just a masterclass of a historical. I love it.

This was one of my first favorite historical romance reads and I've wanted to reread it for ages. I finally said, "there's no time like the present" and dived right on in. Books don't always hold up when you reread them 5 or 6 years after they're pubbed, but I'm thrilled to say this one did. I loved Logan and Maddie so much. I was hooked from the first letters she wrote to the imaginary Captain Mackenzie and, well, as soon as she opened the door for the mysterious stranger, it was on. I couldn't get enough. And oh the feels towards the end! I didn't even realize I was crying until the first tear hit the fabric I was cutting while I was listening to the audiobook. I have all the warm, gooey, swoony feels after rereading.

This was another fun and entertaining read. As usual with Dare's books, I was biting my lip to keep from laughing out loud half the time. I liked Logan and Maddie and even though their romance felt a bit rushed (forced at times), they played very well off each other and I could see them as great friends. I'm not 100% convinced of their romance, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment at all.

Originally posted at Booklovers For Life When a Scot Ties the Knot is actually the first book I’ve read by Tessa Dare, but now that I’ve experienced the awesomeness that is this book, it certainly won’t be my last! I adored When a Scot Ties the Knot – I had no idea I’d be in for such a treat with the fantastic writing, the humor, and the wonderful characters. I’m definitely looking forward to reading Tessa Dare’s other books now! I’m not new to historical romances, but it’s not a genre that I often read. But every once in a while, I get a sudden craving for it, and this latest book by Tessa Dare wholly satisfied that craving. This book was just so… GOOD. It had a sweet, heartfelt romance I was completely invested in, a strong storyline, some fantastic writing… and did I mention the humor? Oh my god, I honestly couldn’t stop giggling when I read this book. I actually can’t believe I haven’t read Tessa Dare’s books sooner, because I loooove funny books, and Maddie and Logan and the Scottish soldiers had me in fits. Remember that time I kissed you so hard, you felt it in your toes?” “No,” she replied defensively. “I only felt it so far as my ankles.” So about the story: Maddie Gracechurch is a nerdy introvert who makes up a fiancé to avoid getting married off. She’s painfully shy so she wants to avoid going out as much as possible, and she can’t do that if she’s to participate in her first Season. So Maddie invents one Captain Logan MacKenzie, who she pens letters to, pouring her heart and life into them, and then kills him off… even though he’s not real. Except… he is? When the real Captain Logan MacKenzie arrives at her doorstep, Maddie is appalled. Not only because he’s incredibly attractive with a gorgeous Scottish accent, but also because she never thought her letters would be read by anyone. But now Logan is at her home with her letters, telling her he’s read every one of them and is there to claim what he was promised in those letters: land, a castle, and a fiancée. I loved Maddie – I always find myself loving heroines who are more on the awkward and shy side. Maddie is a sweetheart of a character and I loved her nerdiness. She’s an artist that illustrates species of animals, and she’s been assigned to draw the mating cycle of two lobsters, Fluffy and Rex. This was just… too adorable. Maddie was a highly entertaining heroine. As for Logan, I’ll admit, I thought he was a jerk in the beginning, but I quickly warmed up to him. He’s determined to marry Maddie so that he’ll gain ownership of her land and castle so that his soldiers have a place to live. Even though he practically forces Maddie to marry him, he does it for honorable reasons. Although it doesn’t hurt that he’s incredibly attracted to Maddie, too. Logan doesn’t believe love is for him, but he definitely wants Maddie. Logan believed what he’d told her, with everything he had in that place where a heart ought to be. Love was nothing but a lie people told themselves. But lust? Lust was real, and he was feeling it. Feeling it to his core. As he held her to him, his blood pounded with the fiercest, most primal kind of need. One that spoke of possession and claiming and mine. She made him wild. Tessa Dare writes some hot chemistry that I highly enjoyed. This book is more of a slow burn romance, with lots of yummy tension building and hilarious banter that only serves to amp up the chemistry. I just really enjoyed the way the romance played out – it was the perfect pace for Logan and Maddie. The way they opened their hearts to one another and fell in love was believable and so wonderful to experience. “Logan, you are my dream. You always were. You have to know that. The deepest desire of my heart. And as wild a fantasy as I spun . . .” She laced her arms about his neck. “. . . the reality of us is so much better.” When a Scot Ties the Knot was such a satisfying read, so sweet, funny, and charming, that it had me eagerly looking forward to the author’s other works. I honestly can’t believe I haven’t read Tessa Dare sooner! Now that I know how great her writing is, I can’t wait to read more. Quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change in the final version. Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review. Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/1c6pVQj Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/1F325gD Audible: http://amzn.to/1LSEt6w Liked this review? Subscribe to Booklovers For Life for more!