Review: The Devil of Jedburgh

Reviewed by Jen
 

Breghan's father has promised her hand in marriage to a neighboring laird with a fierce reputation. Arran is known as the Devil of Jedburg for his ruthlessness, his skill in battle, and a string of terrible rumors that follow his family. Breghan is a headstrong young woman, with her own ideas of how she wants to spend her future. Ideas that don't have anything to do with a wild beast of a man. She runs away, but only manages to incense her husband-to-be. Instead the marriage everyone expected, the two become handfasted for a year and a day.

Despite the fact that Breghan drives him crazy, Arran becomes quite taken with her. He uses their time together to become her lover. But he is terribly afraid of getting her pregnant. His father went through wife after wife who died in childbirth and believes Breghan would meet the same fate.

It's only a matter of time before these two are truly in love with each other, but Arran cannot see reason. His fears rend him unable face a future with Breghan, and leaves everyone wondering how the relationship can make it.

The story is set on the backdrop of some Scottish royal intrigue. But the real draw is the evolution of our main characters. I have to admit, Arran did get on my nerves from time to time with his overbearing ways, but I tried to remind myself of the time frame in which the book is set. He makes for a pretty sexy hero and it was very gratifying to watch him slowly drop his defenses with Breghan.

The direction of the plot is pretty predictable. If the guy's big issue is fear over pregnancy, it's no big leap to guess what's going to happen and how it will all turn out. But I did enjoy getting there. And I was surprised to find I also liked the little side plot of Arran's brutish friend and Breghan's maid. Plus --there were kilts. (And a hint of a brogue.) 3 1/2 stars.

*ARC Provided by NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

The Devil of Jedburgh

by Claire Robyns

Release Date: February 6, 2012

Publisher: Carina Press