The Madness Of Lord Ian Mackenzie ~ Jennifer Ashley

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

On the surface this seems like a typical Historical romance.

"Mad" Lord Ian Mackenzie meets the beautiful widow Beth Ackerley at the opera and proceeds to warn her that the man she is engaged to, is only after her money. Being both a gentlemen and completely captivated by Miss Ackerley, Ian offers to marry her instead.

That is pretty much where the cliche' ends.

Ian is probably one of the most interesting characters I have come across in historical fiction. At a young age, he is committed to an asylum because he is considered to be uncontrollable. Ian's problem is not madness as so many assume. He actually suffers from a form of ADD & Aspergers. He has problems following conversations, but can recite what was said word for word weeks later. He has problems understanding different emotions and the concept of a joke is pretty much lost on him. But, the world around him, including himself and some of his family members, still consider him to be crazy. Beth is one of the few people to see past the labels and grasp who Ian truly is.

The love story between Ian and Beth is unconventional, but so sweet and tender that it works on every level. Just when you think you know where the story is going, it surprises you.

While I am a huge fan of Historical romance, it always nice to come across a story that differs from the mainstream. And this definitely does. A hidden gem that now has a permanent place on my keeper shelf.