Portrait of a Scotsman - Evie Dunmore (Penguin - Sept 2021)

Series: League of Extraordinary Women (Book 3)

Going toe-to-toe with a brooding Scotsman is rather bold for a respectable suffragist, but when he happens to be one's unexpected husband, what else is an unwilling bride to do?
 
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 desire for 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.
 
Terrific addition to the series. It was an emotional roller-coaster with a Beauty and the Beast feel to it. Like the previous books, this one focuses on particular aspects of the suffrage movement. In this case, most of the focus is on a woman's loss of autonomy when she marries, and some on the plight of women and children in the mining communities.
 
Hattie and her friends are all members of a group working toward women's suffrage. At the beginning of the book and series, I didn't care for Hattie as she didn't seem to be as deeply invested as the others. I sometimes felt she looked at her involvement more as a form of rebellion against her wealthy father than a true calling. She is also a struggling artist who evades her bodyguard one day to attend a tour of Lucian Blackstone's art collection.
 
Lucian is a ruthless businessman and self-made man rumored to have ruined more than one peer. The only reason he opened his home for the tour was to attempt influencing members of the peerage into accepting him into their circles. He wants that acceptance to make the contacts he needs to push for the changes he'd like to see happen in the country.
 
I liked the first meeting between Hattie and Lucian. He wasn't expecting her and mistook her for a different type of woman. Though Hattie was nervous and wary around him, that didn't stop her from standing up to him. Her knowledge and passion intrigued him and attracted him, leading to an explosive kiss. After she left, he discovered who she was and decided she was the perfect solution to his problems. He'd marry her and use her father to get what he wanted. Hattie herself would be an unexpected bonus. To that end, he manipulates events to force a marriage between himself and Hattie.
 
I enjoyed watching the slow burn development of the relationship between Hattie and Lucian. I liked that Hattie stood up for her needs from the beginning, insisting that she continue her studies and work with her friends. Lucian was surprisingly agreeable. But their marriage gets off to a rough start when Hattie learns of Lucian's actions. Already wary of the attraction that burns between them, Hattie does her best to keep him at a distance. Lucian wants her in his bed, but seduction, not force, is his preferred method. A small taste of passion sends Hattie running for cover, but she doesn't get far.
 
The confrontation between Lucian and Hattie when he stopped her flight created more of a rift between them. Lucian wasn't about to give in and insisted on Hattie accompanying him to Scotland. While there, the rift narrows as they spend more time together. I liked seeing how Hattie's positive outlook softens some of Lucian's rougher edges. He's more than a little disturbed by his growing feelings for her but can't help wishing for more. At the same time, as Hattie sees a different side of life, she grows to love Lucian for who he is. There are some wonderful scenes of their interactions and the effects on the way they look at things. I especially enjoyed seeing Hattie get involved with the miners' families and search for ways to help them, bringing in her work for women's rights. I loved her ideas.
 
When disaster strikes at the mine, sending Lucian into a rage against the previous owner of the mine, Lucian carries out his long-planned revenge against him. Horrified by his actions, Hattie tears into Lucian before fleeing back to London. When Lucian catches up to her, she makes it plain that some things must change and that it starts with her. I ached for them both as Hattie made her demands, though I understood why she felt that way. Though it hurt him badly, I loved that Lucian understood and supported her needs. I rooted for them to find their way back to each other and loved how it happened. Their reunion was lovely, and the epilogue showed the changes in them both.
 
I liked the attention to historical detail. The stories of the miners, their families, and the hardships of their lives painted a vivid picture and drew me deeper into the book. Hattie's idea of using photographs to bring attention to their plight intrigued me. I thoroughly enjoyed the expedition to purchase the camera and supplies. Seeing Hattie's treatment by the shop owner opened Lucian's eyes to the truth behind so many of her complaints. We also get updates on the suffragists' work back in England and the frustration at the glacial progress. I can't wait to read the next book, which I assume will be Catriona's story.