How to be a Scottish Mistress

Basso (How to Seduce a Sinner) sets this heartwarming odd-couple romance in the highlands of 1306 Scotland. Lady Fiona Libourg has just one goal: to foster her injured son, Spencer, with a strong knight so that he can grow up to reclaim his English barony from the usurper who killed his father. Lacking money and power, Fiona strikes a desperate bargain with Gavin McLendon, the Scottish Earl of Kirkland, offering herself as a mistress in a trade for Spencer’s future. Gavin’s first impulse is to refuse, as rallying the clans to support Robert Bruce is hard enough without harboring an English widow. In the end, his attraction for Fiona and fondness for her late husband lead him to accept the bargain. As Spencer overcomes his infirmity and finds a place in Gavin’s household, Fiona and Gavin share likes and dislikes, hopes and dreams, and tender moments both in and out of bed. In the end, the political strife barely hampers their love affair; it’s just a sweet, delightful progression from attraction to all-encompassing love. Agent: Pam Hopkins, Hopkins Literary Associates. (July)