Author Note

What if a lady were promised to a duke and found herself married off to a Scottish Highlander instead? That thought was the inspiration behind this story. Beauty and the beast stories are a firm favorite of mine. And I loved the idea of taking Lady Penelope’s dreams and expectations and turning them upside down.

I’ve always been fascinated by this period of history, and it was fun to delve into some aspects I was less familiar with. Revamped Scottish castles and Scottish military uniforms, for example. But what captivated me most were the characters.

Lachlan is a big brute of a man, scarred by years spent in war, the devastating loss of his mother and the sins of his father, which contributed to the ruin of his clan. He’s a far cry from the sophisticated duke Penny expected to spend her life with, but of course, he’s exactly what she needs.

What I loved most about their journey was that Beauty doesn’t simply tame the beast—the beast makes Beauty a bit more fearsome along the way. And it’s that discovery of strength in the heroine that makes writing stories like this such a joy.

I hope you enjoy my fierce Scottish warrior and his resilient lady as much as I did.