Kissing the Countess [Mass Market Paperback]

While climbing down a mountainside a storm hits. Evan falls and passerby Catriona MacConn saves his life. However, her father finds them in a compromised position though nothing happened and they were just trying to stay warm during the freezing night. He offers to marry her, but she is wary especially when she learns he is the new earl. After she becomes his countess, they become better acquainted, and fall in love. However, she has a secret quest and he struggles with guilt from a tragic bridge disaster that he worked on so their marriage remains on shaky ground and could implode at any moment

KISSING THE COUNTESS is an engaging historical romance starring two charming lead protagonists who on the surface seem wrong for each other, but deep inside make a perfect match. The story line engages the audience from the moment Catriona drags Evan to a flimsy shelter. The lead couple is a delight and her brother is a solid support player, but her henpecked father and her henpecking aunt are a bit irritating with their holier than thou pronouncements. Still Susan King shows why she is highly regarded by sub-genre fans with this strong tale.

Harriet Klausner

Catronia was so interesting, both in her physical type and complexity. Her ties to her roots, the land, and her foregone concluded fate as a Plain Girl provided much inner conflict and much to love in her brave and generous nature. And I never thought Evan less strong for his own struggles with survivor's guilt and his own less-than-perfect family ties.

Wow, did KISSING THE COUNTESS get me longing for the Highlands and mountain climbing, even without the quest for the book's fairy crystal. Supporting characters like the heroine's brother and Mother Flora lept off the page. Sexy and evocative use of dress and cultural mores! The English class system along with some casual racism made the story full of painless history as well as a beautiful romance between opposites.

Thanks so much to Susan King for all the joy she brought to my mom and me at this very trying time for our family. This wonderful author is the fairy crystal to us.