Series:
Clan Kendrick (Book 5)
It’s Christmastime in Edinburgh, but Lady Samantha
Penwith’s secret mission takes no holiday: the Highlands-born lass vows to find
the assailants who murdered her beloved husband, founder of a charitable school
for orphaned boys. On her latest undercover excursion, she closes in on a pair
of armed attackers and interrupts another assault, then disappears into the
darkness, leaving the lone victim mystified—and lucky to be alive . . .
Braden Kendrick may be the sensible brother, yet the
dedicated doctor routinely ignores the dangers of his late-night calls to the
city’s slums. But when a fleet-footed rescuer saves his life, he’s determined
to uncover the stranger’s identity. And once he does, he’ll find himself facing
his own past loss for the first time—and more than willing to risk his heart
again, just in time to make the Clan Kendrick’s Christmas celebrations more
festive than ever . . .
I loved this book. The fifth book in the Clan Kendrick
series features Braden, the "boring" Kendrick. From the time he was a
child, Braden was focused on his goal of becoming a doctor, motivated by a
desire to help his younger brother. Though Ryan was healthy by the time Braden
reached his goal, Braden had found his calling. Unlike his rambunctious
brothers, he had always been a quiet, serious man but has been even more so recently.
He devotes long hours to his work with the poor in Edinburgh, where we find him
as the book opens.
Braden has never had a problem with his safety wandering
the streets of Edinburgh's slums late at night until now. Unfortunately, two
armed thugs seemed determined to end his "interference," and it seemed
likely they would succeed. Luckily he's rescued by a pair of avenging angels -
one massive, and one small, quick, and - female? He is thankful, intrigued, and
determined to discover who she is.
Lady Samantha Penwith is a widow on a mission. Two years
ago, her husband was murdered, and no one could be bothered to investigate. With
her faithful servant by her side, she prowls Edinburgh slums, looking for the
truth. She's recently added another quest - children are disappearing from the
orphanage/school her husband founded. The last thing she needs is a nosy doctor
poking around.
Braden and Samantha are brought together by a mutual
friend, Dr. John Blackmore. John suspects Samantha's mission and worries about
her safety. He is also a member of the board of the Penwith Foundation and is
one of the few members backing her plans for the Foundation. John believes Braden
will be an additional voice for good on the board, and the scenes involving his
attempts to convince Braden are pretty amusing. Meanwhile, Samantha wants
nothing to do with Braden, afraid he will figure out she is his rescuer. In
fact, it takes little time for Braden to do so.
Braden and Samantha are determined, independent, and
intelligent. He quickly realizes that nothing will stop Samantha from her
mission. Instead of trying to stop her, he listens to her concerns, suspicions,
and ideas and then offers to help her. He is also the voice of reason that
balances her impulsiveness. There is a fair amount of push-and-pull between
them as they delve deeper into their searches.
I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Both have
the pain of love lost in their pasts and a reluctance to risk their hearts
again. However, neither can deny the attraction that grows between them. Braden
is the first to realize the truth of his feelings for Samantha but is sensitive
enough to give her the space and time she needs to adjust to their growing
relationship. Samantha's instinctive trust in Braden goes a long way toward
opening her heart to him.
Samantha has another problem in her life. Her husband's
grandfather is a controlling old man who has never approved of Samantha. She and
her husband cared for his deaf younger sister, Felicity, while Lord Beath would
instead have confined the girl to his estate. With Roger's death, Lord Beath
constantly threatens to take Felicity away from Samantha if she does anything
to bring scandal to the family name. I heartily disliked his attitude towards
and about Felicity, especially when he appeared and started making threats
again. It didn't help that he despises the Kendrick family. I loved seeing the family
rally in Samantha's support and laughed out loud as they spiked the man's guns by
using their more significant connections.
Lord Beath gets his licks in, though, when he stumbles on
Samantha and Braden sharing a passionate kiss. Braden had already suggested one
surefire way to keep Felicity with Samantha - marry him. Lord Beath's appearance
expedited the necessity. I loved watching Braden and Samantha settle into
married life. By this time, Braden is head-over-heels in love with Samantha,
exercising great patience and restraint while he waits for her to love him
back. When that point is reached, though their intimacy is closed door, there
is no doubt about their feelings.
The mystery of the murder and the missing children is
never far from Braden and Samantha's minds. I enjoyed following their progress
as they chipped away at the puzzle. When a question about the Foundation's
finances raises a red flag, Braden and Samantha recruit his brother Logan to
help. The pieces come together quickly, revealing a more elaborate scheme than
previously suspected. The intensity ramped up when Felicity was taken, and I
was on the edge of my seat as I watched Braden, Samantha, and the Kendricks work
together to bring her home. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, and I
loved that Samantha was in the thick of it. The epilogue was great and an
excellent conclusion for the book.
You can't have a Clan Kendrick book without involving
other family members. In this case, it is mostly Logan and Donella, as Braden
lives in their house. I loved the interactions between Braden and Logan. It was
fun to see Logan attempt to get Braden to add a little balance to his life, and
Braden agreed with Logan and then did as he wished. There is no doubt of their
love and respect, but each has the Kendrick stubbornness. I loved Logan's
thirteen-year-old son, who can talk rings around his father and is well on the
way to being as intelligent as his uncle Braden. Life at the Kendrick home
becomes even more chaotic when their boisterous and mischievous grandfather
shows up. Angus is always good for a laugh over his self-delusions and antics;
this was no exception. There is also no doubt about his love and loyalty for
his family, even as he creates chaos around them. The youngest Kendrick, Kade,
has a prominent role in this book, and I can't wait for his story.
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