The King's Mistress - Sandy Blair

The king of Scotland is in a snit. Which means Britt MacKinnon, proud captain of the king’s guard, has an onerous task: fetch Alexander’s favorite paramour back to the royal bed—now. Never mind that the crown should be about the business of getting a legitimate heir. Especially since England’s Edward I would love nothing more than to seize an empty Scottish throne.

When the handsome soldier appears on her doorstep, Geneen Armstrong has to think quickly. Her twin lies abed in her cottage, pregnant with the king’s bastard. If the barren queen learns the truth, the foolish girl’s life won’t be worth a farthing.

She must somehow transform her graceless, plain-spoken self into her vivacious, talented sister. Then, after the court is convinced she carries no child, use her herbal knowledge to sour the king’s taste for her sister’s company—for good.

By the time Britt realizes this unusually articulate, ungodly stubborn woman is the wrong woman, tendrils of attraction have already tightened into a bond. A bond that will be tested when the king’s unexpected death puts Scotland’s very destiny at stake—and unleashes an ever-tangling web of court intrigues, secrets...and lies.

Though I generally read more modern time periods I found THE KING'S MISTRESS a wonderful book. Ms. Blair transports the reader back to a time in Scottish history full of intrigue, danger and love. She engulfs you in the history of Scotland and the intrigue of the courts all while endearing you to her characters.

Britt MacKinnon, King Alexander’s Captain of the Guard, is a strong, sexy and honorable Scotsman trying to keep his country from falling into the rule of England while trying to control the King himself from straying before producing an heir to the throne with the Queen. When he is ordered to fetch the king's favorite mistress, Lady Greer Armstrong, back to court, he begrudgingly complies. He knows that Greer will be a huge distraction to the King’s duties, beside that MacKinnon doesn’t like her.

Greer had left the court due to a family emergency and returned to her home where we meet Lady Geneen Armstrong, Greer’s twin sister, just as she is realizing that Greer is carrying the heir to the throne. When MacKinnon shows up to bring Greer back a plan is set in motion. Knowing Greer's life is in jeopardy should anyone, especially the Queen, ever find out about her baby, Gen believes the only way to make her safe is to pretend to be her twin, convince the court she is not pregnant and then go to Ireland to their Aunts, which is where Greer will go to have the babe and keep them both out of harm's way.

Britt doesn’t realize that he has the wrong sister right off and he is confused over his attraction to her when prior he couldn’t stand her. He knows that something isn’t right with her and things aren’t adding up. By the time they reach the castle he has figured out that Geneen is with him and not Greer. He also learns about Greer’s condition and why they made the switch, and he decided to help Geneen for the good of “Scotland” but also so he can be around Geneen and see to her safety.

Once Britt and Geneen learn to trust each other, the attraction truly begins, and the romance between them is filled with danger, but they hold steady as long as possible before the past surfaces and Geneen realizes not all is as seems. Can they save her sister and still have each other?

Now I liked that Britt faces his past, though I felt it wrapped up too fast and neatly, realizing he doesn’t and can’t leave Geneen. With Geneen, she learns that not is all as it seems, she grows and faces some startling truths about her sister and herself.

This story is wonderfully written and romantic. I loved the details, dialogue which leads you straight into 13th century Scotland. Her characters weave through the story never missing and keeping the reader right in the story and time frame. They are delightful characters who having you cheering and hoping for them. I also thought all the other characters were wonderfully engaging and added to the story.

If you love a historical romance or if you want to give one a try, I’d highly recommend this book to anyone.

Author's web page : http://www.sandyblair.net/

My Rating: 4  Laura