Portrait of a Scotsman

A League of Extraordinary Women, Book 3

By: Evie Dunmore

Narrated by: Elizabeth Jasicki

Length: 16 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's Summary

The Instant USA Today Best Seller!

A BuzzFeed Best Romance of 2021!

One of Marie Claire’s most anticipated romances of 2021!

One of Cosmopolitan's most anticipated fall books 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 into 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.

©2021 Evie Dunmore (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic Reviews

“Portrait of a Scotsman, like all of Evie Dunmore’s excellent books, sits squarely at the unique intersection of history, romance, and women’s rights...a spot where I could happily stay forever.” (Jodi Picoult, number one New York Times best-selling author of The Book of Two Ways)

“Remarkably sexy and surprisingly complex.... A novel that crackles with tension and pulls on every heartstring: perfection.” (Emily Henry, New York Times best-selling author of People We Meet on Vacation) 

"Anyone who binge-watched Bridgerton needs this feminist regency romance on their radar." (Cosmopolitan) 

Wow. 100 Stars.

This is the first time I haven’t had to set aside either my feminism or my politics to enjoy a romance novel. In fact both my feminism and my politics benefited and were strengthened by reading this. And it was a great romance with lots of well-written steamy scenes to enjoy. I wish I could give it 100 stars! It’s way better than many of the other books I’ve given 5 stars to. Highly, enthusiastically recommend! Oh, and the narration was great. No whines tones for women. Great accents across nationalities and classes. First rate.

This is turning out to be a DNF

I’m halfway thru and I honestly don’t know if I will finish this. Love Lucien, but I do not like Hattie. The first two books were wonderful, in fact the first is in my all time great list. But Ms Dunmore has created a shrew in her heroine. I don’t condone violence of any kind, but I want to kick her in her can!

disappointed

I don't think the intention of the author was to make me hate the heroine, but I really did. The other two books in the series are really good but this one for sure missed the mark.

Enjoyable story if you can tolerate Heroine

Hattie ruined the story for me. I started it understanding her POV and why she was reacting the way she was as a woman in those times. But after a while it felt like she just wanted to act out or be stubborn without provocation. She rarely empathized with Lucian or showed him that she cared when he shared hard parts of his story, verbally abused him and never apologized.


Apart from these things I was eager to start this book and I enjoyed parts of the story.

It’s complicated.

I’m trying to decide if I liked it or not. It was interesting. The writing and incorporating historical information was impeccable but was it love and did she act the way she really should have? I’m ok with it but I feel he didn’t really do as much deceiving to her as she acted. I didn’t like her that much. I loved the first book in this series so much. It’s probably the top two or three historical romance novels I have ever read and I have read hundreds over the last decades. But the reason I love them is the intensity of the main characters love for one another. Hopefully the next one is better. Katrina deserves a good story.

History and Romance

PORTRAIT OF A SCOTSMAN is grittier than the first two romances in Evie Dunmore's series concerning the plight of women struggling for legal rights in Victorian England. Each of her female protagonists has stepped out of the proscribed path for women of that era and paid a stiff price from both society and her family. Because these are, after all, romances, we know that love will prevail. But we easily see how the role of women in society has changed because of the sacrifices of those who were brave enough to start the movement.

The sensitive and skillful narration of Elizabeth Jasicki only enhances an already brilliant text.

Loved IT!!!!

WARING SPOILERS!!!!!

"Portrait of a Scotsman" is an entertaining and saucy read, though not what I expected. I enjoyed "Bringing Down the Duke," and I love, love, love "A Rouge of One's Own." As with the previous two, "League of Extraordinary Woman," I listened to the audiobook. Elizabeth Jasicki's narrations are the most excellent!! She was, as before, splendid.....thank you, Audible.
However, unlike the previous two novels, one is bound to experience disappointment when preconceived expectations go in. "Portrait of a Scotsman" took me on an emotional roller coaster and is one of those books that challenged me to look at my own emotions and heal past pains.

Before I go into the story, I am going to start with the characters........

Hattie is a bright, creative, and intelligent woman who sees things that most people miss. However, Hattie is ignorant and inexperienced in many ways. Life outside her realm, love, sex, and knowing who she truly is not only as an artist but as a woman and an individual.
Hattie was controlled and told who to be and how to act from a very young age. She is often described as not having a head for words and numbers. She is instructed to write with her right hand. Her mother chooses all her gowns even though she is now a grown woman and can decide for herself.
Even on her wedding day, Hattie's mother scolds her for holding the bouquet in her left hand!!!

Lucien is a dark and looming figure at first encounter. He is a man who goes after what he wants and is willing to crush and destroy those around him to meet his ends. So, yes, he is a prince of darkness at first glance; however, as one reads on, one learns that Lucien is also a damaged and grieving man. His life changed instantly when his mother, sister, and six other women and children died in the mines due to Rutland's negligence. Furthermore, when called out Rutland, justified and excused his actions and the repercussions. When Hattie finds out that Lucien married her in part of a business deal with her father, and cries: "How could you?! It was my life with which you tempered with!" I believe that was the question looming inside Lucien himself towards Rutland. He became what he despised. No, Hattie did not physically die, and yes, her circumstances are small in comparison. Still, emotionally, both Hattie and Lucien were left drowning with their own heartbreak.
However, unlike his wife, Lucien still desired vengeance on those who wronged him. As they get to know each other more, I love how Hattie proposes to Lucien to let Rutland and all his hatred and resentment towards him go. Hattie, at the time, does not fully perceive what she is asking. Still, despite her personal reasons, I love that she is acutely channeling and challenging Lucien to grow up...as is he to her.
I imagine what he found appealing about Hattie at the start is that she is not intimidated by him. When he kisses her during their first encounter at his house, Hattie reacts by slapping him in the face and calling him out on his actions. Yes, Hattie secretly enjoyed their embrace but still clarified that she is not his just to take.
Lucien critiques Hattie at various moments; he sees his wife as a spoiled brat, and bodily stops her from going to Paris. Still, he also respects and does not attempt to change or force Hattie to conform to him.
Outside of her friends, and even though he had his own motives at the start, Lucien is the first person to choose to see, accept, desire, and encourage Hattie to be herself. One of my favorite scenes is Hattie screaming, several times, into the Scottish wilderness as Lucien stands next to her, listening and watching.......I believe he found it arousing.

I loved that we got to see Annabelle, Sebastian, Lucie, Tristan, and Catriona.
When Hattie finally contacted her friends, they were all supportive and kind to her while still letting her go on the journey of self-discovery.

Annabelle wants to help and possibly even rescue Hattie for her fate. Still, she knows that hers' and Sebastian's power only go oh so far. Being her father, Mr. Greenfield agreed and announced that Hattie would marry Lucien. Though a Duke and Duchess, Annabelle and Sebastian would be crossing a line by interfering and venturing to stop the wedding.....and they knew it.

I don't think Tristan gave one tinkers damn but instead was bothered by the fact Lucie was upset. Yes, he talked with Lucien, but only because Lucie made her feelings on the nuptials unquestionably known to him....and the whole street, I bet. I am sure that Luice declared that a man to man (rouge to beast) from Tristan to Lucien might convince Lucien to change his mind and let Hattie go or, at best, postpone the wedding. He wanted to make Lucie happy and keep himself out of her line of pixie fire.

I think it's more the circumstances than anything, but I get the sense that Lucie does not like Lucien. (Oh boy, I can see myself name swapping these two going forward.....haha)
Lucie takes Lucien as a kidnapping, dishonest, selfish cad. Deep down, Lucie just wants Hattie to be happy. Which, over time, I believe Luice understands Hattie is with Lucien.
When they are standing outside the end of the book, Luice loops her arm around Hatties and begins to walk her away. Hattie genty pulls out of Lucie's hold to finish talking to Lucien and kiss him goodbye, making Lucie realize that, yes, the situation of their marriage is unfair. Still, her friends' feelings for this man are pure and just.


Catriona was not seen as much. I know she is shy and reversed, but I would like to have seen more of her. Oh well, I will just have t wait until book #4.
It's cute how when Hattie talks to the girls about Lucien, Catarina states she thought Lucien would look sexy in a kilt.
I look forward to reading about Catriona and her story.


Now to the story......

I loved the early beginning, Hattie sneaking off and venturing out on her own again, the kiss she and Lucien have in his study. The rush of the experience and how Hattie confronts Lucien for making assumptions and crossing a personal boundary despite enjoying it. (Little does Hattie know that the kiss and his tongue is the most undersized expression of affection she would experience with Lucien...lol) I relished the wonder and curious attraction Hattie felt towards Lucien afterward.
After their second kiss in the gallery, however, my feeling went to inraged. I am aware that Hattie's situation is common for the time. Still, I was infuriated by the injustice of Hattie's forced marriage to Lucien, her family's attitude, and how she is prevented from communicating with the ladies after the fact. Hattie is punished for her responses by being thrust into a frightening circumstance; she is clueless about what to do or what will happen. Even though her mother provided her with a "manual."
I took a break from the book, at it was having a profound effect on my mood. For personal reasons, I will not be going into depth though I will say that this story struck a nerve and hit home.
Reading on, I fell in love with the story—the train ride from London to Scotland. I would gladly take the lodgings at the inn where Hattie and Lucien stay at. The beautiful Scottish wilderness.......Evie Dunmore did a great job describing the surroundings of Scottland, the miners, and the atmosphere. I felt as if I was Hattie herself at the wedding party, dancing and drinking the night away. Though I would not want her hangover the following day. Lol, poor thing did not know the power of Scottish whiskey!! :)

Hattie and Lucien's relationship and love story overall are unusually delightful. They get to know each other and themselves through the circumstances, which I liked to see. In the end, when Hattie chooses to divorce Lucien only to remarry him was a sweet finish. I believe that Hattie did not want to divorce herself from Lucien, his love and affection, or a relationship with him, but instead start over. Pursue, desire, and grow in each other and a new relationship. When they initially said their vows, they were saying and doing what was expected of them. Now, when Hattie and Lucien state the vows and live as a remarried couple, I think that they will not only understand but feel and have experienced their meaning. They will now be a couple in passion, not an obligation.
I think they both are; as Stella in "Rear Window" said, "When my husband and I met, we were a pair of maladjusted misfits. We are still a pair of maladjusted misfits and loved every minute of it."

I greatly look forward to book #4 with Catriona!!!!
See you, lads and lasses, then.
Happy reading and writing.
;)

Disappointing ending

Adored the first two in this series, and this was actually turning out to be my favorite of the three. Then the ending happened. Heroine ended up being so selfish...if it had happened midway through the book, she could have probably been redeemed. But waiting until the final couple chapters? Evie Dunmore, you can retrieve your dagger from my back now.

Lucien ended up being so tender hearted, yet bad a$$ when his wife needs saving. Definitely in my top six H's of all time. I mean this man started out so clumsy with Hattie, unsure of how to go about being a husband....he is freaking reading books on the love language of flowers right after she rejects him. He tried so hard to make her happy. Lucien is just too precious. 👑🦁💖 Narrator was awesome...nicely done all the way around.

Not disappointed I used a credit for this one, but I do wish I would have stopped listening at around ch. 35 or so.

Beautiful and thoughtful romance

Loved the characters and story. Beautifully unfolded with lots of interesting things to think about thrown in alongside the story.

Couldn’t get past the bratty heroine

Like many other listeners, I wanted to love this book, but didn’t. In fact, I am giving up at about the halfway mark. I’ve enjoyed the previous 2 in the series. I love the intermingling of women’s rights activism and portrait of the times, but these themes and the author’s great descriptive writing still couldn’t save this one for me. It don’t mind the hero’s character; in fact, I am curious to see how his story develops. However, the heroine is so unlikeable. The narrator, who I liked in the previous books, actually exacerbates the problem, infusing Hattie’s voice with a shrill and whiny tone, making her hard to stomach. I actually haven’t been a huge fan of Hattie as a character since she was first introduced, but was hopeful that her own story would redeem her. I can’t get past her behavior in the first half of the book to find out. However, I read at least one review that said the ending was horrid. Sadly, DNF for me.