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The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie Leisure Historical Romance Jennifer Ashley 9780843960433 Books

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The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie Leisure Historical Romance Jennifer Ashley 9780843960433 Books

Spoilers ahead.
So spoiler. Very detail. Much give away.
Here Be Spoilers.
***
This book. It shouldn't work, and I say that with no malice, just absolute, fluttery wonder. The proposal happens on page three and he says he can't love her on page four, but the attraction happens in the second paragraph and doesn't let up. They *like* each other, and that's so refreshing in a romance. I like my alphas and I will hide in the bathtub and pretend I'm not home for a well done enemies-to-lovers, but two decent people who just like each other and want to hold hands and also have corset-popping sex...Oh my.
(someone on GoodReads has this shelved as heroes-who-melt-my-panties-off - bought on their glowing endorsement and was NOT disappointed)
Our hunky hero Ian suffers Aspergers and trauma related to his incarceration in an asylum, and bravo to Ms. Ashley for handling this with research, tact, and gentleness. Ian is not a stereotype, a caricature, and his Aspergers is never a device to make him a giant, gaping a-hole (looking at a few other books, here). He's also not a silly, emotionless robot. If anything, his focus on details and his somewhat obsessive nature make his attraction to and need for Beth h-o-t. He likes her, he yearns for her, and his reasons are so logical that we believe, despite the short chaos of their courtship.
Beth is a wonderful strong heroine. She's at the mercy of the unscrupulous a few times, but we never feel it's because she's TSTL. As Ian thinks at one point, she's so good, so positive about her life and her lot despite all her loss, that she just doesn't see the danger sometimes.
Beth believes in Ian from the very beginning, another theme handled skilfully, because not only is Ian believed mad, he's a suspected murderer - even in his own mind. Rather than seem a wide-eyed, ignorant innocent, we see Beth apply what she's learned of Ian, what she observes in his behavior - not a single time does the book manufacture drama by giving her heroine amnesia. Beth is right there cheering for Ian from the front row, through every twist and low point. They feel in LOVE, and they make us feel it, too.
Steam was a seven out of five, minimum. There are things done in this book that I've never seen done in a historical romance, and crazy sauce as they are, like the rest of this beautiful, improbable story, they work like a charm. No trembling virgins, no alpha domination. These are two people who unapologetically want each other, body and soul.
Secondary story setting up Mac & Lady Isabella's book was also fleshed out and satisfying, without taking away from our h & H.
One-hundred percent in love with this book. Five stars can't do it justice.


Tags : The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (Leisure Historical Romance) [Jennifer Ashley] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Young widow Beth, inexplicably drawn to Ian MacKenzie, a Scottish lord who, rumored to be a murderer,Jennifer Ashley,The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (Leisure Historical Romance),Leisure Books,0843960434,Romance - Historical - General,Historical fiction.,Love stories.,Fiction,Fiction - Romance,Fiction Romance Historical General,Historical fiction,Love stories,Romance - Historical,Romance: Historical

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie Leisure Historical Romance Jennifer Ashley 9780843960433 Books Reviews

I have been working my way through a list staring people with autism and came across this book. It was very enjoyable but slightly out of the normal for me.

Ian Mackenzie is a man of high ranking within society due his brother being a duke. He is also deemed 'mad' by everyone due to his eccentricities.

Beth is a woman born in the working class but has risen through the ranks of society through bouts of luck. She meets Ian through her fiancee and becomes intrigued by him when he forewarns her about her soon to be husband's bedroom fetishes/ mounting debt.

The duo's life becomes intertwined and thus starts their whirlwind romance centered around a murder mystery. Beth has a bit of Nancy Drew within her because she attempts to solve the murder of two women in order to clear Ian's name.

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THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE is book 1 in the "Highland Pleasures" series, or what is more commonly known as The Mackenzies. I originally read it upon its release in 2009, and recently decided to re-read it when I bought it on kindle. It was the first book I ever read by Jennifer Ashley and I remember being so delighted with her writing that I went and bought a couple more by her when I was finished. This story had an enthralling blend of both mystery and romance and was never boring. In fact, I was captivated from beginning to end, and often quite shocked too! The love scenes were pretty erotic with some extremely hot encounters, and the unexpected humor was a welcome surprise. Although everything flowed well, there were a couple of aspects that kept it from being perfect for me.

First of all, because of Ian's affliction (at first I thought it may have been autism, and it sounds like maybe AS, also known as asperger's syndrome - I don't know for sure since there was never actually a name put to it) the dialogue between he and Beth was often short and stilted. I do however applaud Ms. Ashley for her unique characters and although I liked both of them, I never did fall in love with Ian myself. He was very blunt and never lied which many times had me laughing, but other than lust or rage, I never knew what he was thinking or feeling. While he's quite the genius with numbers and such, emotions are almost an enigma for him. Although I did sense a connection between the two upon their first meeting, the lack of communication made it hard for me to figure out when lust turned to love.

My only other issue would be how easily Beth solves the murder mystery when Ian whom is extremely intelligent, and even his brother the Duke, couldn't figure it out for years. I didn't find this at all realistic or believable but even so, the book was still a ton of fun to read and thoroughly compelling. In the end I am extremely glad to have read it and wouldn't hesitate to buy more from Ms. Ashley or recommend this title and series to others. It's easy to see the potential and talent this author exhibits early on, and this book made me an instant fan of hers. It was just a hugely entertaining historical romance that engaged my emotions and was filled with both intrigue and suspense, but most importantly, a lovely romance. Ian and Beth's story was certainly a good start to what has become an epic series =)
Spoilers ahead.
So spoiler. Very detail. Much give away.
Here Be Spoilers.
***
This book. It shouldn't work, and I say that with no malice, just absolute, fluttery wonder. The proposal happens on page three and he says he can't love her on page four, but the attraction happens in the second paragraph and doesn't let up. They *like* each other, and that's so refreshing in a romance. I like my alphas and I will hide in the bathtub and pretend I'm not home for a well done enemies-to-lovers, but two decent people who just like each other and want to hold hands and also have corset-popping sex...Oh my.
(someone on GoodReads has this shelved as heroes-who-melt-my-panties-off - bought on their glowing endorsement and was NOT disappointed)
Our hunky hero Ian suffers Aspergers and trauma related to his incarceration in an asylum, and bravo to Ms. Ashley for handling this with research, tact, and gentleness. Ian is not a stereotype, a caricature, and his Aspergers is never a device to make him a giant, gaping a-hole (looking at a few other books, here). He's also not a silly, emotionless robot. If anything, his focus on details and his somewhat obsessive nature make his attraction to and need for Beth h-o-t. He likes her, he yearns for her, and his reasons are so logical that we believe, despite the short chaos of their courtship.
Beth is a wonderful strong heroine. She's at the mercy of the unscrupulous a few times, but we never feel it's because she's TSTL. As Ian thinks at one point, she's so good, so positive about her life and her lot despite all her loss, that she just doesn't see the danger sometimes.
Beth believes in Ian from the very beginning, another theme handled skilfully, because not only is Ian believed mad, he's a suspected murderer - even in his own mind. Rather than seem a wide-eyed, ignorant innocent, we see Beth apply what she's learned of Ian, what she observes in his behavior - not a single time does the book manufacture drama by giving her heroine amnesia. Beth is right there cheering for Ian from the front row, through every twist and low point. They feel in LOVE, and they make us feel it, too.
Steam was a seven out of five, minimum. There are things done in this book that I've never seen done in a historical romance, and crazy sauce as they are, like the rest of this beautiful, improbable story, they work like a charm. No trembling virgins, no alpha domination. These are two people who unapologetically want each other, body and soul.
Secondary story setting up Mac & Lady Isabella's book was also fleshed out and satisfying, without taking away from our h & H.
One-hundred percent in love with this book. Five stars can't do it justice.