When the pandemic first forced my lazy butt to set up a digital arc site account instead of nabbing them at the bookstore, one of the first I downloaded was Evie Dunmore’s A Rogue of One’s Own, then hit up the library for the first in the ‘League of Extraordinary Women’ series, Bringing Down The Duke. I enjoyed them both, because who doesn’t love a spicy suffragette story?

I’m very excited that the third part of this series is now here.

Portrait of a Scotsman follows Hattie this time. She’s an art student at Oxford and is tired of being the “lovely” one because she feels like her wealthy family doesn’t trust her brain over her looks. There are reasons for this, as you’ll discover along the way.

Hattie’s love of art finds her ditching her protection officer so she can see paintings owned by a scandalous man, Mr. Blackstone. While there, Mr. Blackstone is confused about the reason for her visit and kisses her.

But that’s not their only scandalous moment. During a public tour, Hattie leans in to kiss him again, not realizing everyone can see her through the fancy new invention of two-way mirrors. To save face, her mother announces that the two were already engaged and soon to be married.

Once that wedding comes, Hattie must come to terms with the man she now calls husband and his seedy past. To help her understand, Blackstone takes Hattie to his home country of Scotland (as she is trying to escape and run for France.)

Portrait of a Scotsman isn’t quite an enemies to lovers story, but it’s also not NOT one. It’s complicated, but isn’t that how relationships are in some way?

I love a good Victorian era romance that features strong women, and Hattie is a testament to her red hair. Get it, girl! Blackstone’s backstory is complex and forces the couple to figure things out as they go and learn that maybe, things aren’t always as they seem.

This book wraps up with some fun dangerous moments, so look forward to that. The suffrage movement is less prominent in this story, but it tackles women in the workforce in its own unique way.

If you haven’t read any of this series, add it to your TBR list and look forward to book three. I’m really hoping there is a fourth story ahead as well.