"A sensual Scot, everyone's favorite"

Escaping the violence of "The Terrors" of the French Revolution, the far from innocent, natural daughter of a Scottish Earl flees to the Borders of Scotland in Hope Tarr's MY LORD JACK. This is the fourth offering from Jove's successful Highland Fling series, yet this one falls a bit short in comparison to the previous offerings. Claudia Valemont is the love child of the Scottish Earl of Aberdaire, Lord Drummond and a French courtesan. When Claudia's protector is murdered in the violence of the revolution she must flee France and finding her natural father is her goal. However this goal is thwarted when in her haste and arrogance, she is caught in an attempt to steal a hero's horse. Taken before the local magistrate she is condemned to hang. Yet in an odd turn of events, she is remanded into the custody of the local executioner who pleads her case, much to his annoyance, as it was his horse.

Jack Campbell is said executioner, a noble profession with which he brings a unique sense of honor. When he realizes he is now the guardian of this stubborn young woman, his well-ordered life takes a direction even he can't predict. That she stirs in him more than a sense of protection is a growing problem for our virginal hero. Yet, in true hero fashion Jack steals the show in this often-rambling tale of two souls trying to overcome their "wrong side of the blanket" beginnings.

This tale will delight and confuse many readers at the same time. Ms. Tarr has a fascinating premise here, especially if the reader can hang in there through page one-fifty when the story does becomes less tedious. What bogs the story down in the beginning is the huge amount of introspection (internal talk) of our couple. Done well, this can set a wonderful tone of sexual tension, yet here it slows the pace of the plot. Often I found myself saying, "All right, they like each other, but where is this going?"

Readers may wonder at some of the plot inconsistencies (league vs. miles are used interchangeably). Nor is the evilness of Lord Drummond explained other than a veiled reference to his not supporting the Jacobite cause, which many a Scot didn't (be they highlander or lowlander). This reference seemed too easy a plot devise to explain away what he does to Claudia on their first meeting. As a connoisseur of Scottish romances, for me there were a number of historical anomalies, although not absolute inaccuracies (it is fiction after all). Unfortunately, one took me out of the story right away in the prologue (the presence of a strong Catholic influence in the post- reformation almost solely Presbyterian Scottish Borders). However, Ms. Tarr should be commended for the richness of Claudia's French and Jack's Scots dialogue. This is a unique talent and adds much to the characterization as well as time and place. Yet it too is not without its own problems. When she makes references to Jack's swearing in "Celtic" and using Gaelic love words, it seemed out of character for Jack who had spent his entire life in the Borders (especially after how well she has done the Scots dialogue).

However fans of Scottish romances should not despair. There are some delicious reasons to read Hope Tarr's latest offering: one being the fresh twist in having a virginal hero. With Jack and Claudia, Ms. Tarr has created some superbly vivid sensual scenes that will stay with the reader long after the last page. MY LORD JACK will especially appeal to readers who enjoy strong heroes; the Scottish setting even with the problems is an added bonus.

Reviewed by Jody Allen
Posted April 9, 2002

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Summary

Sparks fly when pampered French beauty Claudia Valemont flees revolutionary France for Scotland in search of the Scottish father she has never known. Instead she meets Jack Campbell, a handsome half-English, half-Scottish outcast with a troubled past of his own.