Prelim Review: I'm a bit torn on this book honestly. On the one hand I think its great that Ranney wrote a heroine who is truly disfigured, who had a realistic reaction to that disfigurement and the guy didn't turn into a gibbering nodcock about it.

On the other hand Catriona is SO unlikeable for SO much of the book. I didn't read the preceding books (of which some events are eluded to and her sister's happy marriage is written about), but I can't think Catriona is very much more likeable BEFORE the accident. She even says she wasn't likeable.

That said she manages to find a way to be selfless even while still making it all about herself. That takes some true talent right there.

Full review to be posted ( )

I enjoyed it, but to be honest, it was too involved and dry for my angsty, dramatic tastes. Good plot though, and very well-developed characters. I suspect if I had read the first book (which I will likely go back and do now), I would have disliked the heroine too much to have garnered enough sympathy for her. But great character arcs, if the did feel a little dry to me. ( )

I enjoyed it, but to be honest, it was too involved and dry for my angsty, dramatic tastes. Good plot though, and very well-developed characters. I suspect if I had read the first book (which I will likely go back and do now), I would have disliked the heroine too much to have garnered enough sympathy for her. But great character arcs, if the did feel a little dry to me. ( )

This is the story of Catriona, Jean's sister from A Scandalous Scot. In that book we saw her as selfish, lazy, and with the morals of an alley cat. In this book she has suffered a horrible injury that has left her badly scarred and hiding from the world. She is quite bitter, feeling that if she doesn't have her beauty she has nothing at all to offer the world or a man. She's pretty much given up on life, though the aunt she lives with refuses to give up on her.

Mark is a doctor who has become friends with Catriona's aunt through their work with the poor of Edinburgh. He is the wealthy grandson of an earl, but medicine is his life. He also remembers Catriona from years earlier when he used to work with her father who had also been a doctor. He listens to Aunt Dina's fears about Caitriona and agrees to examine her and see if he can help. When he goes to her room to do so, she mistakes him for a footman and is incredibly rude to him. He sees that approaching her as a doctor isn't going to work, and goes along with her misconception. He tells her that he has been assigned by her aunt to make sure she eats and won't be leaving the room until she does so. He doesn't understand why he's so drawn to her and determined to help her, but he does succeed at irritating her into compliance.

Meanwhile Catriona is attracted to him, but doesn't see being able to do anything about it because of her scarring. Her arguments with him are beating back the feelings of darkness that she had been experiencing. She goes from wanting him gone, to missing him when he isn't there, though she won't admit that. He has a tremendous influence on her because he pretty much forces her to start living her life again. He wants her to overcome her focus on her looks and see that she can have true value in her life. She doesn't miraculously turn into a kind and loving woman, but she develops an empathy for others that shows a basic change in her character. Meanwhile, Mark's growing fascination with her has him focusing on something other than just his work. He begins to see that she brings some balance to his life. He realizes pretty quickly that his deception probably wasn't the best thing to do, but doesn't know how to fix it. When the truth comes out, he's definitely in trouble, but at least they've gotten to know each other a little. He does take the opportunity to drag her out of her limited world to show her that she's not the only one who has it bad.

Catriona is in danger from an ex-lover who is furious at her rejection of him. He wants revenge and is behind the accident that caused her injuries, only he wanted her dead not injured. He is determined to finish what he started and we see the lengths to which he will go. His actions end up drawing Mark and Catriona closer together. The final confrontation was good and actually pretty realistic. ( )

I think Karen Ranney's [b:Till Next We Meet|118593|Till Next We Meet |Karen Ranney|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348675346s/118593.jpg|114168] is one of the sweetest angsty HRs I've ever read, so I was quite pleased to get an advance review copy of The Lass Wore Black. It is totally angsty, but not so sweet. Nevertheless, I liked it, eventually, and would recommend it.

Young, stunningly beautiful Catriona Cameron is swanning her way through the Season when disaster strikes. She is horribly injured in a carriage accident, and her maid is killed. We get to know her several months later, after she has moved to Edinburgh with her aunt. She is still recuperating, but it has become clear that her face will forever be terribly scarred. Catriona naturally is having trouble accepting this prognosis. From her perspective, her life is over. She has become an embittered hermit, rarely leaving the house and never appearing before the servants without a heavy veil.

Into her life bursts a cheeky, handsome footman, hired by her aunt to ensure that she eats regularly and doesn't starve herself to death. It's pretty clear that he is no ordinary footman, but unbeknownst to Catriona, he actually is a medical doctor, Mark Thorburn, who believes he may be able to help her a bit. Mark is the wealthy grandson of an earl, but he has dedicated his life to medicine and spends much of his time attending to the poor. His parents would prefer that he lead the lifestyle more typical of a member of the ton, so he avoids them.

Gradually, very gradually, Mark begins to break through the walls Catriona has erected. As a reader, I became impatient with this part of the story, but really it would not have been very believable if things had moved much faster. Along the way, Mark begins to suspect that Catriona's accident was no accident and that her life may still be in danger. This adds a bit of adventure to the romance.

Above all else, this is the story of Catriona's redemption, helped along -- sometimes to her annoyance -- by Mark. Ms. Ranney has created a wonderfully complex hero and heroine, along with some entertaining secondary characters, and one truly creepy villain. The happy ending does not come easily or quickly, but it's worth the wait. Patience is required. ( )