Narrated by Dave Gillies
A Scot’s Surrender is the third book in Lily Maxton’s series about the four Townsend siblings, who all relocate to the Highlands when the eldest brother, Theo, unexpectedly inherits a Scottish earldom and the remote Lynmore Castle. This is the only m/m book in the set; I read the series when it first came out (2018-2019), and it’s perfectly possible to listen to this one as a standalone as the storylines are not connected.
It’s been two years since Theo inherited and the family moved to Scotland, and in that time, Theo has found love and happiness with his wife, Annabel, and the elder sister, Eleanor, is now living in Edinburgh with her husband. With Theo and Annabel away for a short time, younger brother Robert is charged with overseeing the running of the castle and estate and making sure all runs smoothly, a responsibility he takes very seriously. This means taking regular meetings with Theo’s handsome but dour factor, Ian Cameron, whom Robert is sure has taken him in dislike. He doesn’t know why – he’s always been perfectly pleasant to the man – and is actually rather put out, as he’s used to being liked by everyone he meets, yet Cameron never smiles, never responds to any of Robert’s quips and is generally taciturn and disapproving. Despite all that however, Robert is attracted to the other man with an intensity the like of which he’s never felt before. Robert’s previous sexual partners have been women, but he’s been attracted to men in the past, even though he’s never acted on it. But it’s a moot point, as there’s no way Cameron can possibly feel the same.
Ian’s dislike of Robert has less to do with Robert himself than it does with the fact that he dislikes entitled aristocrats who live off the hard work of others… and because Robert is so very charming and good-natured and nice to look at that it’s hard to dislike him for himself. Ian doesn’t want to find Robert attractive, and it’s easier to maintain a gruff, abrasive manner around him than to risk Robert finding out about Ian’s infatuation and making fun of it or rejecting him.
It seems these two are destined to remain at loggerheads when fate takes a hand. During a storm, a group of stranded travellers arrives at the castle seeking shelter. Naturally, Robert offers them a place to stay for as long as they need it – but comes to regret that decision when, next day, one of the ladies discovers an item of jewellery has gone missing, and another that some trinkets have disappeared. Mr. Worthington, the head of the party, insists Robert must find the culprit – he’s sure it must be one of the servants – and make sure they are punished or he will go to the authorities. Robert is not at all pleased at Worthington’s assumptions – he doesn’t believe any of the servants would do such a thing, but with the other man breathing down his neck, he and his sister Georgina set about searching the servant’s quarters. When they don’t find the missing items, Worthington immediately casts suspicion on Ian, at which point Robert suggests they – he and Ian – should search the castle together to speed up the process.
That’s the set-up which allows Robert and Ian to spend time together and start getting to know each other properly, and the author does a good job of showing Ian’s frosty shell gradually starting to thaw as he comes to realise that Robert isn’t the superficial good-for-nothing he’d believed him to be. He’d thought Robert’s friends-with-everyone attitude was just an act, but he discovers Robert really does care for others’ comfort before his own, that he’s kind and warm and witty, a genuinely good person who cares deeply for his brother and sisters, even though he’s unsure of his place in the family unit. Robert learns the truth about Ian’s estrangement from his family and how unhappy it makes him, how his grumpy exterior is a form of self-protection.
Their daily searches encompass some nicely judged banter and some humorous situations, such as when they have to hide under a bed while a couple gets busy on top of it (!), and there are also some quieter, intimate moments of shared connection and understanding such as the scene in which they share a dram or two and Ian opens up to Robert about his love of stargazing. They’re a well-matched couple, giving each other the kind of unconditional love and support they were missing in their lives.
A Scot’s Surrender is a fairly short listen, and the romance at its heart is sweet and sensual, but there are a few things that really didn’t work for me. One is that the lost property plot is such an obvious contrivance; and as if that wasn’t bad enough, the identity of the culprit is downright silly. Another is the last minute drama shoe-horned into the final few chapters, which is then so very conveniently resolved. I also had to side-eye the first sex scene where Robert, who has never had sex with a man, gives Ian the perfect blowjob on the very first try. I suppose there is at least the likelihood of Robert’s having been on the receiving end and having a rough idea of what to do, but I felt like I was back in m/f historical territory where the inexperienced heroine somehow ‘instinctively’ knows what to do.
I haven’t listened to Dave Gillies before, but he acquits himself well here, delivering a well-paced, nicely modulated performance with clear differentiation and a good variety of vocal characterisations. He reads the narrative portions of the story in his natural Scottish accent – which he also uses to good effect to portray Ian and some of the other minor characters – and switches easily between that and an upper-crust English accent for Robert, his sister Georgina, Wentworth and the other guests. He voices the main female speaking roles distinctively and effectively, and conveys the changing relationship between Robert and Ian well, Ian’s slow thaw apparent in a growing warmth in his voice. Mr. Gillies’ voice is pleasant to listen to, although sometimes it’s a little too pleasant – by which I mean it’s very measured and even-toned, so that sometimes I found myself zoning out and listening to the sound rather than the words, if that makes sense – and on occasion I noted some repetitive inflection and intonation that bordered on ‘sing-song’. Overall though, it’s a solid performance that fits the story, and I’d certainly listen to Dave Gillies again.
A Scot’s Surrender didn’t set my world alight, but it’s an enjoyable, low-angst historical romance featuring two well-drawn leads who manage to overcome the silliness of the plot. Recommended if you’re in the mood to kick back with a nice, undemanding listen.
Caz
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