Posh-landed-gentry meets made-it-on-hard-work vet in this
ice queen + enemies to lovers story set in rural Scotland.
Tess Robinson has had a nasty break-up which has cost
her her life as she knew it. On the path to rebuilding everything from scratch,
she has bought into a practice with her friends (a couple) in the small
Scottish village she grew up in. Her arrival back is marked by a wrong turn
that leads her to a not-very-pleasant interaction with local royalty, Lady
Susannah Karlson. Lady Karlson, for all her uppity veneer, is dealing
with a host of her own problems. First she is a closeted lesbian and her marriage
to Lord Jamie Karlson was a marriage of appreance and convenience for both of
them. Plus, her sister-in-law who is hellbent on possessing the manor and lands
that Susannah has inherited and has ambitious plans for. Part of Susannah’s
plans include expanding her stables and creating a space for abandoned dogs and
cats which means she needs to hire vets too. This is a big possibility for Tess’
practice except Lady Karlson’s first impression of Tess gets in the way. But
when Tess does a steller job with Susannah’s favourite filly, things start
changing between the two.
Excellent characterisations and evocative descriptions don’t
save the romance which totally lacks chemistry between the two leading ladies. There
are some good enough run-ins, some typical romance-showcasing situations but despite
all that there is really no chemistry between Susannah and Tess. More than an
attraction between them, it feels like they just gravitate towards each other. In
fact, two other secondary couples are much more interesting. Also, the overly
dramatic fire scene towards the end (which solves all Susannah’s problems) is
rather amateurish and lacks the smooth polish of experienced romance writing.
At best, this is an okay read.
⭐⭐
