Review: Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks

Never Seduce a Scot
(The Montgomerys and Armstrongs #1)
By: Maya Banks
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: Sept. 25, 2012
Genre: Historical Romance
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This sinfully sexy new romance from Maya Banks features a remarkable woman whose rare gift teaches a gruff Scottish warrior how to listen with his heart.
 
Eveline Armstrong is fiercely loved and protected by her powerful clan, but outsiders consider her “touched.” Beautiful, fey, with a level, intent gaze, she doesn’t speak. No one, not even her family, knows that she cannot hear. Content with her life of seclusion, Eveline has taught herself to read lips and allows the outside world to view her as daft. But when an arranged marriage into a rival clan makes Graeme Montgomery her husband, Eveline accepts her duty—unprepared for the delights to come. Graeme is a rugged warrior with a voice so deep and powerful that his new bride can hear it, and hands and kisses so tender and skilled that he stirs her deepest passions.

Graeme is intrigued by the mysterious Eveline, whose silent lips are ripe with temptation and whose bright, intelligent eyes can see into his soul. As intimacy deepens, he learns her secret. But when clan rivalries and dark deeds threaten the wife he has only begun to cherish, the Scottish warrior will move heaven and earth to save the woman who has awakened his heart to the beautiful song of a rare and magical love.

Eveline is thought to be daft since her spill on a horse years ago. So when the king forms a marriage between two enemy clans regarding Eveline’s hand in marriage, her family is outraged. However, to refuse the marriage would be defying the king, but, they do not let her go to their enemies hands lightly and are quick to inform Graeme of Eveline’s condition. When she happens upon Graeme and her father speaking, she is instantly taken with him. He is the first person she has ever been able to hear. Granted, she can’t make out words but she can feel the vibration from his deep timber voice and the fact that that is the first voice she’s noticed excites her.

Graeme is not too thrilled with this arranged marriage but like the Armstrongs, there is naught he can do about it without gaining the wrath of the king. So he goes along onto enemy land to marry a daft girl. A girl who will most assuredly, due to her condition, never produce an heir, thus ending his line. What he wasn’t expecting was a beautiful woman who not only seems taken with him but shows great intellect and awareness as well. He is instantly protective of her and when problems arise back on Montgomery land with his clan not accepting her, he is quick to squash the problem and make an example of those whom are harassing her.

This was a great historical romance. I admit that this is the first Maya Banks novel that I have read and I can honestly say that it won’t be my last. In fact, I look forward to more from this series. Banks has a great way of telling a story and painting the picture of the grassy green hills of Scotland. I instantly fell in love with the characters and look forward to catching up with them in the next novel. The romance between Eveline and Graeme didn’t by any means feel rushed since for a good portion of the book, Graeme thinks her daft and tries to respect her as an innocent woman. I even enjoyed the secondary characters and am quite pleased to find out that this is part of a series.

Once arriving on Montgomery land after the marriage Eveline is taking to her chamber. Note the “her” and not the “their” chamber. She is not pleased at all that unlike a normal marriage, her husband has placed her in a separate room to his own. So she sets out to rectify this immediately and is caught by Graeme’s sister Rorie when she’s trying, unsuccessfully I might add, to move her trunks to which ever room might be his. So she asks Rorie to help her not only find Graeme’s room but to assist her in moving all of her belongings there.

“Rorie burst out laughing. Her sister-in-law wasn’t happy over her accommodations and she wanted to move into Graeme’s chamber. She should be loyal and sternly inform her brother’s new bride that if Graeme had wanted her in his chamber he would have put her there. But the devil on her shoulder told her it could be quite fun to aid Eveline in her endeavor and give Graeme a shock when he retired later.”