The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie - Jennifer Ashley

Monday, December 21, 2009

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie - Jennifer Ashley

Description~
The year is 1881. Meet the Mackenzie family--rich, powerful, dangerous, eccentric. A lady couldn't be seen with them without ruin. Rumors surround them--of tragic violence, of their mistresses, of their dark appetites, of scandals that set England and Scotland abuzz.

The youngest brother, Ian, known as the Mad Mackenzie, spent most of his young life in an asylum, and everyone agrees he is decidedly odd. He's also hard and handsome and has a penchant for Ming pottery and beautiful women.

Beth Ackerley, widow, has recently come into a fortune. She has decided that she wants no more drama in her life. She was raised in drama--an alcoholic father who drove them into the workhouse, a frail mother she had to nurse until her death, a fussy old lady she became constant companion to. No, she wants to take her money and find peace, to travel, to learn art, to sit back and fondly remember her brief but happy marriage to her late husband.

And then Ian Mackenzie decides he wants her.

Ok Im keeping all my posts short this week due to Christmas being on Friday and I gotta get the house ready b/c Im going to Florida to see my fam!!! Yay!!!

So onto the review! ;o)

Yall all know Im new-ish to reading so Im always happy to pick up a new author when someone recommends one. And luckily enough I have a friend that sends me books all the time (thanks Nicole ;o) and she sent me Jennifer Ashley's - The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. This is the first book in series of the Mackenzie brothers and what a start it was!

Beth is a widow, but recently engaged to a creep of a guy named Lyndon Mather. He keeps whores on the side and is debt up to his ears...needless to say the money that Beth recently came into is looking pretty sweet to him. But one night at a play Beth meets Lord Ian Mackenzie. Shes heard of him being crazy so she very put off and pretty anxious when meeting him for the first time. Within a few hours Ian has told her that her fiance is nothing short of male scum, kissed her, and PROPOSED MARRIAGE!?!?! This throws Beth for a loop, but she decides to trust the odd man and leave Mather.

After saying no to the proposal and leaving the country Ian decides he will make her say yes and follows her! Needless to say the two find themselves in a bad situation and Beth is forced into marriage! As the two fall in love Ian's past rears its ugly head and Beth starts to ask herself...did Ian really kill the prostitutes hes accused of? Will love and truth concur all???

YAYAYAYAYAAAA! I really loved this book!

It had everything you asked for. A true love story. Your heart broke for Beth and her trying to find true love, and most of all your heart broke for Ian b/c he almost felt he couldnt or didnt know HOW to love b/c of his special circumstances! :*(

As soon as you thought you knew what happened and figured out the story something changed on you! lol I admit I was a bit confused when trying to figue out who the murderer was and I too was questioning if it couldve been Ian...that wouldnt have made me very happy but you know with books theres no telling where it will lead! ;o) There was murder, romance, and laughter all in this book and by the end I was in tears!!!

Snib Bit~
Beth worked her fingers under the edge of her long glove and pulled out the piece of paper. She put her back squarely to the elderly ladies and quietly unfolded the note.

Mrs. Ackerley, it began in a careful, neat hand.
I make bold to warn you of the true character of Sir Lyndon Mather, with whom my brother the Duke of Kilmorgan is well acquainted. I wish to tell you that Mather keeps a house just off the Strand near Temple Bar, where he has women meet him, several at a time. He calls the women his “sweeties” and begs them to use him as their slave. They are not regular courtesans but women who need the money enough to put up with him. I have listed five of the women he regularly meets, should you wish to have them questioned, or I can arrange for you to speak to the duke.
I remain, Yours faithfully, Ian Mackenzie

No, it couldn’t be true. She’d come to know Mather well when she’d been companion to elderly Mrs. Barrington. She and Mrs. Barrington had ridden with Mather in his carriage, visited him and his aunt at his Park Lane house, had him escort them to musicales. He’d never behaved toward Beth with anything but politeness due a rich old lady’s companion, and after Mrs. Barrington’s death, he’d proposed to Beth.

After I inherited Mrs. Barrington’s fortune, a cynical voice reminded her. What did Lord Ian mean by sweeties? He begs them to use him as their slave.

Beth’s whalebone corset was too tight, cutting off the breath she sorely needed. Black spots swam before her eyes, and she put her hand out to steady herself.

A strong grip closed around her elbow. “Careful,” a Scottish voice grated in her ear. “Come with me.”



I give this book a total of...