The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley

Series: Highland Pleasures, Book 1

Genre: Historical Romance

Copyright: 2009

Pages: 320

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Review:
Sometimes, the problem with romance novels is that there's not much new that is written that makes you sit up and pay attention. They all seem to have the same ole formula with the mandatory happy ending. This is where The Madness Of Lord Ian Mackenzie stands out. Yes, it is the usual boy-girl with a dollop of villain and drama thrown in, but what Jennifer Ashley has done is take on a subject very rarely taken on in romanceland.


Lord Ian Mackenzie has been in an asylum most of him life and is known as the mad Mackenzie who doesn't look you in the eye, collects Ming pottery, and get lost in staring at a drop of ink. Ian has Asperger's Syndrome - something those bright folks in the 1800's hadn't known squat about.
His brothers try to protect his and help him blend in with everyone with his quirks but it is Beth who really gets him. Beth who makes it easy for him.

Ian almost said, Teach me to hear it as you do, but he knew that was impossible.
...
The soprano ended the piece on another long, clear note.
Beth clapped spontaneously, smiling, eyes glowing with appreciation. Ian had learned,under Mac’s and Cameron’s tutoring, how to applaud when a piece stopped, but he never understood why. Beth seemed to have no trouble understanding, and responding to, the joy of the music.

Beth Ackerly is a widow whose late husband was vicar and inherited a small fortune when the lady whose place she was working at died. She's about to marry an acquaintance of Ian's who is only after her for her money, when Ian comes to rescue, thus beginning this touching romance.

What made this only a four star for me was the disconnect that i felt in Ian and Beth's feelings for one another. Beth thinks he's hot, Ian thinks she's beautiful and that is all that's written for how these two fall in love. Ian doesn't understand her jokes and doesn't always seem to get what she's saying, but knows he needs and wants her. Beth likes being with him and seems to take care of him more than anything else.

There's some beautiful moments and the sex is very well written, but the fact that i didn't get why Ian chose Beth was what was missing in this book for me.

Don't let that stop you from picking this up though. The Mackenzies are an extremely protective, loving and entertaining family -I'm definitely picking up book two.