Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Bound to Please by Hope Tarr
Historical romance released by Harlequin Blaze (#407) 01 July 2008

I’ll admit when I first heard that Harlequin was interested in publishing some historicals under the Blaze line I didn’t get it. I mean, why? We already have the Harlequin Historical line. Why not just sex some of those up a bit? But after reading Bound to Please, the first ever Blaze historical, I think I now “get it.” Since the line launched in 2001, Blaze has become synonymous with sassy, sexy reads – which is exactly what Bound to Please is, albeit set in the Scottish Highlands and not a hip, contemporary world.

When Brianna MacLeod and Ewan Fraser met as children it was puppy love at first sight. Both children of clan lairds, they vowed to marry each other when they were grown. Instead, as the years pass, Brianna finds herself marrying the man her father chose for her. With her father now dead, and her husband murdered by Ewan’s twin brother, Brianna has sworn revenge. While she didn’t love her husband, the shock of his murder caused her to miscarry their baby. Eager to stop the brewing feud between their clans, Brianna decides the best way to do that is to have Ewan’s baby. So she dispatches her men to kidnap him, chain him to her bed, and there he will stay until the deed is done.

Ewan has carried a torch for Brianna since the day they met as children. So much so, that even at 22, he still hasn’t married (some kind of record for 15th century Scotland). The fact that she didn’t honor their oath to wed still stings, as does the fact that she never answered his letters, and that she’s had him kidnapped for the sole purpose of playing stallion to her brood mare. However, as much as he tries to resist, he cannot. He’s always loved Brianna, and this is his opportunity to prove to her they are meant to be together.

It should be noted that when it comes to historicals, I’m not the sort of reader who analyzes every detail for accuracy. Also, what I know about 15th century Scotland could fill a leaky thimble. That being said, I suspect there will be some readers who will take issue with Brianna being her clan’s laird. Could it have happened? Did it ever happen? That will be up to others to ponder. Me? Not so much. I fell into the story and just rolled with it.

I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump, and this book was just what the doctor ordered. It was fun, sexy and spicy enough to keep the pages turning. Brianna is a woman bound by duty, so much so that she’s not quite sure how to be “just a woman.” Ewan is my favorite type of hero, the man who has carried a torch for the heroine for years and is now realizing that the fantasy doesn’t hold a candle to the real thing. When these two get together it’s enough to peel paint off the walls.

Readers looking for a rich, meaty, historical doorstop of a read won’t find it here. Tarr doesn’t have the time given the short, snappiness of the Blaze line. But she does craft a quick, sexy read, ideal for lounging on the beach or taking an afternoon break while the kids are napping. Hopefully this won’t be a one book experiment and readers will have more historical Blazes to look forward to in the future.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Fifteenth-century Scotland is a tough place to be a woman in charge. Brianna MacLeod, new laird of her clan, needs a child to establish her position. And the best way to do that is to demand the sexual services of her sworn—and very sexy—enemy!

Ewan Fraser never foresaw being kidnapped, tied up and expected to perform stud service. Yet being bound for the delicious Brianna’s pleasure isn’t all bad. In fact, the more time he spends in her bed, the more he’s determined she’ll be the one who ends up enslaved…

Read an excerpt.