The book ended up as an OK read, nothing more. The back cover has a quote from Heather Graham who says “definitely a must-read”, with which I disagree. The characterisation was patchy, particularly with regard to Brodick who seemed very indistinct; the ‘baddies’, Anne’s half-sister and her mother, were comedy baddies. Anne herself varied from forthright and bold to a mousy woman hiding away in her room for a month. Some vignettes of life as it was then were interesting, particularly with regard to the situation of women used as bargaining pieces in power struggles, but the overall historical setting wasn’t convincing. This is a read for those who aren’t so desperate for a well-constructed story but who more enjoy reading about relationships – sometimes in reasonable detail.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2010
Rating: 3 / 5

Anne Copper is the illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Warwickshire. Her sire is not around very often due to courtly business so when he is gone, Anne’s status is relegated to that of a servant in her own home. Her father’s wife is vindictive and abusive, and the fact that Anne resembles her half sister infuriates her to the point of madness.

It is during one such episode when her father is gone that the news of his contracting a marriage for his legitimate daughter is announced. Anne’s half sister is distraught, and so is her mother – that’s when the cruel woman comes up with a plan to save her daughter and sacrifice her husband’s by-blow. Anne is to travel as Brodick’s wife and become pregnant. If she doesn’t, her father’s wife will turn her mother out of the castle with nothing but the clothes on her back. Anne refuses to allow her mother to be cast aside and so agrees to this plan. After all, how hard will it be to play at being a wife in a marriage of convenience, right?

IN BED WITH A STRANGER is the epitome of why historical romances are my favorite genre to read. Mary Wine has thoroughly captured the Scottish way of life in such a way that I can picture the scenes in my mind. Scottish warriors abound, and Brodick McJames should have been nicknamed, “Brodick McDreamy.” His treatment of Anne was honest and, while not timid, he definitely took his time to make her feel every single facet of their love making. He treated her as if he cherished her, even knowing that something was not the way it should be. He showed her unconditional respect and love. Anne never expected to be treated so honorably by her `husband’ and fought her feelings for him as hard as she could. Brodick was just too enticing and Anne adored him. The situation with her deception weighed heavily on Anne’s mind, not because she was deceiving her husband but because she was lying to the man she loved more than anything.

Scottish highlands, kilts, rugged and virile warriors – there is nothing about IN BED WITH A STRANGER that I didn’t like. Just to be sure, I went back and read it a second time. Mary Wine’s first Brava release is sure to be a hit – I highly recommend IN BED WITH A STRANGER. It is simply extraordinary.

Natalie S.

Rating: 5 / 5

To live in a time where your future and daily life is dictated solely by those around you, must have been difficult, to say the least. Anne is forced to marry a stranger. But what a great man Brodick turns out to be. Brodick is honest, fair, and a strong capable leader. He elicits authority and instills faith from his people. He is a passionate lover and a handsome man. Anne’s feelings of angst over her betrayal as she falls in love with Brodick are tangible. She is virtuous and kind- hearted. In Bed With a Stranger is an erotic tale of love, lies, and deception.

Nannette

Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
Rating: 5 / 5

Having been away, Anne’s father, the earl of Warwickshire returns briefly from court with news that his only legitimate daughter Mary–his child with Philipa–is set to marry a neighboring Scottish lord.

Brodick McJames has no desire to marry a bratty English lady, however, in order to add a significant amount his land to his own, he agrees to the match. Everything had been arranged and Brodick was set to pick up his new bride at her home in Warwickshire.

Philipa has other plans however. Once her husband returns to court, she decides that rather than have her only child be forced to share a bed with the barbaric Scot, for the mean time she would send her hated stepdaughter, Anne in her stead.

Anne is horrified to learn of her stepmother’s plan. She refuses, but with her father away, she doesn’t have a leg to stand on. Philipa threatens to turn Anne’s mother out if she doesn’t comply, giving Anne no choice but to go along with the ruse.

Brodick arrives to retrieve his bride and is surprised to find she is nothing like he imagined. His attraction to his new wife is both powerful and instantaneous.

Dominating, masculine and handsome, he whisks Anne off to his home in Scotland. With no other choice, Anne continues pretending to be Mary. She does her best to resist Brodick’s attentions. But his patience, tenderness and determination completely break down her defenses, until finally, she allows herself a glimpse at a love that was never truly hers to begin with.

But when Brodick finds out that his true bride was not the woman he had fallen in love with, would he be willing to risk all he had hoped to gain just to keep Anne at his side?

I love historical romances, and I enjoyed the attention to detail Mary Wine paid this tale. She really did a beautiful job of whisking her readers back in time.

Her characters were passionate, realistic and I’ll tell you this, if you’re a lover of sexy alpha heroes, you are going to devour Brodick’s character. I absolutely loved his dominating, yet, extremely affectionate nature.
Rating: 4 / 5