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Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore
Historical romance

Portrait of a Scotsman

by Evie Dunmore

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Quick take

Great Scott! This tale of an ambitious odd duck couple has it all: romance, big fortunes, and Victorian hijinks.

Good to know

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_400

    400+ pages

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_Feminist

    Feminist

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_SalaciousPeach

    Salacious

  • Illustrated icon, Icons_3rdSeries

    Third in series

Synopsis

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 in 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 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.

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Free sample

Get an early look from the first pages of Portrait of a Scotsman.
Portrait of a Scotsman

Chapter 1

London, August 1880

As she hovered on the rain-soaked pavement in front of the Chelsea town house she was about to infiltrate, feeling hot beneath her woolen cloak, Hattie Greenfield couldn’t help but think back to the last time she had run from her protection officer. It had resulted in an altercation with a toad of a policeman and a dear friend being held at Millbank prison. She supposed all the most perilous adventures began with escaping dour Mr. Graves. All the best ones, too.

She eyed the lacquered front door atop the steps. The iron-cast lion’s maw holding the door knocker had absurdly long, pointy teeth. The warning that she was about to enter the lion’s den was almost too shrill to ignore for someone selectively superstitious. But this time, her adventure wasn’t an inherently risky women’s rights march on Parliament Square; it was a private art gallery tour. Perfectly harmless.

She lifted her skirts in one hand and began the ascent.

Her friends would point out that the gallery was owned by Mr. Blackstone, a man society had nicknamed Beelzebub, and that he also happened to be her father’s business rival, and no, she shouldn’t be found admiring his Pre-Raphaelites unchaperoned.

However, it was safe to assume that Mr. Beelzebub wasn’t present; in fact, very few people had ever seen him in the flesh. Second, she had registered for the tour as Miss Jones, classics student at Cambridge, not as Harriet Greenfield, Oxford art student and banking heiress. Third, the full tour through his gallery of arts and antiques comprised a handful of other young art connoisseurs and likely their chaperones, and the invitation in her reticule said she was keeping them waiting. The tour had begun at two o’clock sharp and her small pocket watch was all but burning a hole through her bodice.

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Why I love it

From glittering ballrooms to the grit of the rookery, history provides the perfect backdrop for compelling stories that highlight the injustices and triumphs of the human spirit. Combined with romance, it demonstrates that love truly can overcome all obstacles. Evie Dunmore is that rare author who can blend the best of these elements together perfectly. Her talent is on display once again in Portrait of a Scotsman, the latest installment in her fabulous series, A League of Extraordinary Women.

Hattie Greenfield, banking heiress and suffragist, wants to marry a respectable and proper gentleman who will support her dream of becoming an artist. She doesn’t count on her improper fascination with the wholly unsuitable Lucian Blackstone, self-made man and her father’s business rival, thwarting her plans. When that fascination sends her unexpectedly to the altar with the brooding Scot, she believes that her carefully planned life is over. But as she slowly peels back Lucian’s gruff exterior, she finds there is more to him than meets the eye, and she just might lose her heart if she isn’t careful.

I’ve loved every book in this series, and this one is no exception. Evie’s meticulous research into the era shines with every word, and her lush worldbuilding is spellbinding. But it’s her characterization that always keeps me turning the pages. Hattie evolves from an inexperienced woman who doesn’t fully realize her privilege to someone determined to make the world a better place. Lucian is ruthless and adept at getting what he wants, but it’s his affection for Hattie that draws out his sensitive nature. It’s simply beautiful to watch their romance play out on the page.

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Member ratings (7,322)

  • Cassie S.

    Alabaster, AL

    Evie Dunmore is amazing! I loved all 3 books in the series. My only criticism is that for a portion of the book I sided with Lucian over Hattie. She seemed off from her previous character ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

  • Lauren F.

    Santa Monica, CA

    Maybe the best romance novel I’ve ever read. It wasn’t dumb, it felt historically genuine, and was empowering. Read in 1 sitting. The heroine had actual agency. AND it was very spicy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

  • Katie M.

    Honolulu, HI

    LOVED THIS SO MUCH! I loved watched their relationship and the characters grow in unexpected ways. It definitely pulled my heart strings and the ending definitely sold me on an ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating!!

  • Alexandra A.

    Nashville, TN

    Evie Dunmore can do no wrong! I have seriously loved the growth in both our lead characters through this book. And a moment to celebrate the heat between them, woo! Absolutely adored ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

  • Amy E.

    Oklahoma City, OK

    Evie does it again. It’s truly astounding—one moment I’m thinking about Duke and know it’s my favorite of the series. Then I think of Rogue and know it’s my favorite. AND THEN HERE’S MY NEW FAVORITE?!

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