Alasdair Penhallow is the laird in the title. Since he just turned thirty-five, it turns out there's a rule that he must find a bride or lose all, including his life. Fiona Douglass is an unwilling candidate for his hand according to the rules, but both decide fairly quickly that marriage between them won't do. So Fiona watches the other three candidates vie for Alasdair's favor in a series of Bachelor-type contests.
As it turns out, Fiona and Alasdair are married much to their dismay and must find a way to create a real marriage despite issues from their pasts.
I just read the first book in this series and enjoyed it, so I moved on to this one which I also liked very much. Ms. Berne has an engaging writing style that makes the reader want to keep going in the book (even when she should turn the light off and go to sleep). I liked both Fiona and Alasdair; they were a good match. I especially liked the way the author treated the beginning of their marriage. There was no instant seduction and grand sex scenes. Instead, we have a blase and perfunctory joining that is solely for the purpose of procreation. Too often I read historical romances where the hero and heroine dislike each other, but are immediately drawn into the throes of passion. I found this a nice change.
I was annoyed a bit with the book of rules and the device used for the marriage, but that was a small bother in an otherwise enjoyable read. ( )