"engaging historical romance"

Ewan McLean does not believe his Uncle Duncan, the Earl of Lyndale, when he insists he is dying. Instead the womanizing Ewan is irritated that he left the warmth of Mrs. Norton to heed the call. Duncan tells him that the next earl must correct the youthful error caused by his going too far. Reluctantly Ewan agrees to nag the next earl to rectify Duncan's mistakes. The next morning Duncan is dead.

Within a couple weeks Duncan's heir and spare die in an avalanche leaving their cousin Ewan as the earl. Ewan plans to use his new wealth to add more erotic art to his collection, but first must handle that indiscretion as he promised his uncle on the man's death bed. He heads to Scotland where he meets Bride Cameron, raising her three younger sisters by himself. He offers her help, but she tells him to return to London as she wants nothing to do with the wastrel. Instead of heeding her warning and his own inner advice to scoot, Ewan is curious and attracted to Bride. She reciprocates his feelings as she begins to fall in love with Lyndale, but refuses his charm as she does not want history to repeat itself.

LORD OF SIN is an engaging historical romance starring two fully developed characters who even as they fall in love are more antagonists than protagonists. The story line is fast-paced filled with intriguing twists as Ewan, though out of the Rake 101 mould, finds he obsessively needs to tame the shrew that demands he go home. The support cast enhances a fine battle of the sexes' tale.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted May 8, 2005

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Summary

When carefree rake Ewan McLean inherits an earldom, his plans for his new fortune are entirely in keeping with his lifestyle: to expand his collection of erotic art and expensive mistresses. That is, until he becomes acquainted with his most intriguing new responsibility. . .

Bride Cameron is beautiful, unmarried, and sole caretaker of her three younger sisters. Now it's Ewan's duty to see that she is provided for. But to his amazement, the last thing the fiery lass wants is Ewan's help. The simplest thing would be to walk away. But Bride, with her sparkling gaze and fierce wit, is the most bewitching woman Ewan has ever met. And he intends to have her—and to learn how she has managed to survive on her own. Even if he has to employ all the arts of seduction for which he is notorious. . .