Though The Sinful Scot is the third book in Maddison Michaels’s Saints and Scoundrels series, it can be read as a standalone novel. Connie is raised to marry a man chosen by her parents, one most likely to elevate the family status. Unfortunately, the duke they choose turns out to be a sadist who beats his wives and mistresses indiscriminately. Connie confides in her mother who urges Connie to be a better wife and to not antagonize her husband. She remains committed to the relationship only to protect her stepdaughter. She awakens one morning to find her husband dead in her bed and his blood all over her. Soon she realizes she’s being framed for a murder she didn’t commit. Her estranged childhood friend, Alec, has become a physician. When he realizes her situation, though, he vows to help her. Alec helps her escape, taking her on the run to clear her name. Their undeniable chemistry results in the requisite epilogue with a happily-ever-after and a bun in the oven.
This book comes with a trigger warning in the beginning as Michaels takes on a tough subject—especially for the romance genre—and does it with sensitivity: spousal abuse and spousal rape. For the most part, the abuse tends to occur “off screen” and is seen mostly in Connie’s flashbacks. She suffers from mild PTSD symptoms from her abuse. The novel is sexy but without overt eroticism. As a physician, I found the description of her wound towards the end of the novel to be a bit inconsistent and inaccurate.
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The Sinful Scot was released onJanuary 27, 2020 by Entangled Amara and is available through:
