Book Review

The Devil Wears Plaid by Teresa Medeiros

Some of the earliest romances I read were by Teresa Medeiros. I remember staying up all night reading Charming the Prince. Medeiros is one of those authors who is abidingly constant in her writing. Sometimes it knocks me over and I have to lie there for awhile savoring the feeling, and sometimes I read it with a smile and a quick-moving eye, eager for more. While I didn’t read the vampire books she wrote, as they came at a time when I was Vamptired, I was very curious about The Devil Wears Plaid. Medeiros writes great dialogue, and has a way with plots where there’s very little stagnant time. She’s continually solid in her writing, and I love that her career spans so long with such strength.

When I saw this book, I was unsure whether to read it. I’m not normally a fan of Scottish romance. I love romances set in Ireland and Scotland, but I get very tired very quickly of the brogue, ye ken, lassie? Ach. It makes me irritable, it does. Really, if you want to transcribe brogue, try, like, a Proclaimers interview or something, and bring it and bring it ACH ALL THE WAY LASSIE. Scottish accents are some fine hotness, and the written version never really measures up.

So while I always remember Medeiros’ books favorably, I was hesitant to read this because of the ach and the wee and the language possibly driving me barmy. Ultimately, though I came away pleased that Medeiros is still writing solid and entertaining books, and not at all annoyed by the very light hand she employs with the transliterated (I think that would be the right word, or transcribed, perhaps) brogue. In fact, one of the funnier jokes in the book is based on the hero’s accent, and it’s worth the inclusion right there.

Emmaline Marlowe is at the altar, about to marry a decrepit older man to save her family’s financial stability and position in society, when Jamie Sinclair comes busting into the church on horseback, interrupts the wedding, and gets all The Graduate on the festivities (except he doesn’t know her personally), kidnapping Emma and riding away before anyone can do much of anything to stop him (he’s huge, and he’s on a horse after all).

Sinclair rides away with Emma, whom he does not know and doesn’t much care about, into the mountains of the highlands, where he plans to hold her for ransom until his lifelong enemy, the old goat fiancee, better known as the Earl of Hepburn, coughs up what Sinclair wants. Sinclair is surprised that Emma is rather brave, strong, and not cowed much by his treatment of her; he was expecting wailing and shrieking and fear (she is, ye ken, English and shit). Emma is not terribly surprised that Sinclair is a much more attractive man in her eyes but she’s horrified by how much she’s attracted to him, as she knows that the future of her sisters and her parents is solely on her shoulders, and those shoulders, along with the rest of her, need to marry the Earl of Oldness back down the mountain.

There’s layers of problems to be addressed and solved in this book – why is Emma’s family destitute? Why is she responsible for the solution and not her parents? Why is Sinclair so ready to ruin Hepburn’s wedding and possibly Emma as well? – and Emma and Sinclair are both entertaining characters to read about. This is a very friendly story for the reader: it’s easy to enter, easy to get carried away with Emma, easy and fun to read as an adventure story with a snowswept romance at its core. It’s not deeply and painfully emotional and it focuses very firmly on Emma and Sinclair.

The more I thought about the book after I finished it, though, the more I had questions as to how the happy ending came to be. The question of whether Emma’s ruined as soon as she’s out the door of the church and away from the eyesight of any reputable chaperone isn’t addressed really, and I kept picturing Emma like a new car driven off the lot – already worth 20% less the minute the tires leave the curb. Emma is already strong and brave, resourceful and resilient, and I liked her a lot – but she didn’t have far to go in terms of character development. She learns to be more vocal about her desires and in defense of herself,  but in the end, everyone around her changes and adjusts to what should happen for her to have her happy ever after. I’m not saying she doesn’t deserve it; she does indeed. But she doesn’t have a long way to go in terms of growth and development, whereas many of the surrounding characters need to grow up, grow a pair, get over themselves, or all three.

Sinclair, on the other hand, is all hate and simmer, but when he meets Emma, he has to make room for the opposite of those emotions. He’s never hateful to Emma, but he carries a long, firm, solid… grudge (you thought I was going somewhere else with that, didn’t you?) and doesn’t place her above the revenge he has to settle against Hepburn. Ultimately, I thought the villainy and the revenge were a little too easily dealt with, and the emotional turmoil that Sinclair might have felt was resolved simply and painlessly, belying its narrative significance.

The Devil Wears Plaid is the romance novel equivalent of a pasttime. It’s not an obsession or a fixation when you read it, like some books are that you can’t put down or even take a deep breath while you’re reading. This book is pleasurable, enjoyable, and fun and friendly. Reading it means that you’ll likely smile and be taken along on the adventure with Sinclair and Emma for an escape and mental vacation that leaves you with a sigh and a grin at the end. It won’t rip your heart out, so if highly emotional historicals are your thing, this probably won’t blow your kilt up. If you are looking for a read that’s adventurous and entertaining, this is one you’ll enjoy, especially if you’re a Medeiros fan.

Guess what? I got me 10 copies to give away, lads and lassies. So – leave a comment with your favorite Scottish dialectical word or phrase – or food name! – and I’ll pick winners at random. Comments close at midnight Saturday 25 September. International entries welcome, and standard disclaimers apply. I’m not being compensated for this giveaway. I don’t own any plaid though I’m told I am of Scots descent. Your mileage may vary. Shake well. Refrigerate after opening. It is unlawful to whistle while chewing gum on Sundays.

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The Devil Wears Plaid by Teresa Medeiros

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  1. SonomaLass says:

    I’m of Scottish descent way back; my partner is half Scots, half English, and we spend quite a bit of time in the auld country. We even have a wee croft there. But despite familiarity with the real Scotland, I can usually read through the brogue-speak in Scottish romance, and in the hands of a skilled writer, I can handle the historical inaccuracy and the stereotyping.  I just pretend it’s fantasy, set in mythical AuchLassieLand (hat tip to Maili for that one).

    The word for me is also a food: neeps.  As in the traditional dish, neeps and tatties.  It’s slang for turnip, but that’s confusing to Americans because we think Dutch turnip (the white root with purple end). [Ooops.] In Scotland, a neep or turnip is a Swedish turnip, called a rutabaga here in the US. (Rutabaga being the Swedish word for turnip. I know, right?) It took me a long time to figure that all out (back in the day, when one couldn’t just Google these things), and when I finally could make proper neeps and tatties in my California kitchen, it was a real personal victory.

  2. Colleen says:

    I’m a HUGE fan of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series.  There are sooo many good scottish and gaelic phrases to pick!  How about what Jamie had engraved into Claire’s wedding band – “DA MI BASIA MILLE”… except … oh dear…that’s latin for “Give me a thousand kisses” Well – Jamie calls Claire “mo duinne” which means “my brown one”.  That should do aye?

  3. alia g says:

    deep fried pizza. (i had mine plain, but for an extra pound you could get it batter-dipped, first.)

  4. Kelly says:

    As a Scot*, I generally can’t read romance novels set here (and it’s ‘tartan’, not ‘plaid’) because the attempts at writing Scots makes me cringe.

    For the record, haggis is very tasty in small doses (especially when cooked in filo pastry and dipped in plum sauce) but I couldn’t eat a whole one.

    *I clearly have an extensive Scottish vocabulary – it’s just the way I talk! – but my favourite phrase of the moment is describing someone as being a’ fur coat an’ nae knickers – or “all fur coat and no knickers” if you insist on speaking properly. It means someone who is elegant/classy on the surface but not-so-posh underneath that metaphorical coat!

  5. JF says:

    I can’t believe no one has mentioned THIS yet. . .

    I canna hold her, captain!

    Montgomery Scott, my first (faux) Scott!

  6. redgirl says:

    lol yes…I love the phrase “pear shaped”
    and I’m going to use it today >:)

  7. Maggie P. says:

    Bahookie, as in buttocks. I love the strange look I got from my niece the first time I told her to move her bahookie or she’d be late for school.

  8. DianeN says:

    My favorite Scottish phrase is “I canna change the laws of physics!” Because Scotty kicked Star Trek ass, and he didn’t look half bad in a kilt back in the day!

    Yes, I’m old. But I still like me a brawny Scotsman on occasion…

  9. Teri C says:

    “Whit’s fur ye’ll no go past ye.“This one basically means ‘whatever is meant to happen to you, will happen to you”!

    Ohh I would like me a book. In some past lineage I am a Scot. I think the worst of it was when an aunt came back with my family’s plaid and I wore it for a skirt my History teacher in high school belted out when I came into the room, “What are ye doin’ in me plaid!” To note he gave a horrible accent and he was totally not some ripped highlander. I think perhaps I died on the spot when he continued on saying that was his plaid and then laughed, while I said, ” I doubt we are any any relation. 
    Ohhh that was the last day I wore that nice skirt. I sits up in my closet in one of those vacuume sealed bags.
    Trust me, there are a lot of Robertson’s out there.

  10. DianeN says:

    @JF Looks like we were both writing about Scotty at the same time! And sorry, but that means you’re probably old, too… Nevertheless, one never forgets one’s first Scot, eh?

  11. Kelly says:

    The Star Trek mentions remind me of watching the latest film here in Edinburgh. A hush descended over the cinema as we waited to hear whether Simon Pegg would make a mess of the accent.

    He pulled it off, but his wife is Scottish so he had a head start.

  12. Laura says:

    I’m not sure that any self-respecting Scot ever uttered these words, but I did once read a book featuring a Scottish pirate who continually went around shouting, “Och, arrrrr!” And not even, like, in battle or something. Heroine asks him a question? “Och, arrrrr!” Someone asks him if he’d like more bread? “Och, arrrr!” Heroine pleases him in bed? “OCH, ARRRRRR!” It was hilarious (and in some instances disturbing), and completely distracted me from any actual plot.

  13. Bhetti says:

    The best laid diets o’ scottish men
    Gang aft agley
    An’lae’e us nought but achs an’ ochs
    For deepfried mars bars!

  14. This isn’t a Scottish phrase, but I attended Dragon*Con this month and there was a man wearing a kilt with a t-shirt.  And yes, he wore it well.

    Anyway, the shirt said “If I was wearing anything under it, it would be a skirt.”

    We stopped and talked with him for awhile and really enjoyed ourselves.

  15. Well, I guess I’m not eligible but if I was I’d say “tatties and neeps”. (And that is “tatties”, you wicked-minded Sarah you 😉

  16. Pickle says:

    I’ll take “dirk” 

    It’s a dagger in the length of…….and often worn close to…….well you just change a letter and figure it out.  =)

    Count me in as another of Scottish descent.

  17. Julia says:

    We have a Scottish guy who is a teacher at my job. Not only is he a great speaker, but his accent makes me love being in training more. My favorite phrase “wee bit” or a “wee break” I love it!

  18. Natasha R says:

    The first word that comes to mind – Tyke

  19. Abby says:

    Oooh, sporran is a good one. As is “pear-shaped”. I fully support the use of “pear-shaped”.

  20. HelenMac says:

    Kelly, ya dancer!* Haggis spring rolls FTW!

    a’ fur coat an’ nae knickers: how could I have forgotten that one? Love it1

    *Ya dancer = generic exclamation of pleasure.  Not everyone says it, but those that do, say it a LOT.  I was at a presentation today by someone from our central offices, about the same level as my boss’ boss’ boss. Very well spoken, very professional, very little slang…apart from the fact that he thre ‘ya dancer!’ in every few minutes.

  21. Nico says:

    Not exactly a Scottish phrase but only in a Scottish accent can it rhyme… “It’s like, my pleasure in other people’s leisure.” (Trainspotting)

  22. Sarah B. says:

    Och, wee, and bonnie.

    Och because I make similar noises when I’m disgruntled.
    Wee because… Well, just because.
    And bonnie because it just sounds adorable. I want to name my first daughter bonnie.

  23. Amy P. says:

    “wee bonny lass” – I only wish that was describing ME !!!

  24. JBHunt says:

    Heard this sung at the Royal Oak’s Wee Folk Club in Edinburgh by a rather ancient man named Charlie…

    “O the shearin’s no’ fer you, ma bonny lassie-o”

  25. LEW says:

    I’m going to have to go with “Scotch”.  I love a smooth Highland Scotch – preferably Balvenie 17 year Rum Cask.

    “Haggis” is another favorites, and Enter the Haggis is a favorite band.

  26. lunarocket says:


    Sean Connery

    rawrrrrrrllllllll!!!

    Well, he’s the epitome of Scottish!!!

  27. Aimee says:

    My favorite Scottish phrase isn’t the word itself, but the way it’s said… In a roleplaying game, we used the Scottish equivalency name Caledonia.  One of the girls could not keep her accent around all of the French/English/Spanish accents also being portrayed, so she started doing the most ridiculous Scottish accent you’ve ever heard, and everytime she met someone, she’d give them a speech about how she was from Cal-DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-nia… with this ridiculous accent on the second syllable.  By the end of the weekend, we were all pronouncing it as ridiculous as we possibly could!

    I also agree with the person that said “dirk” above.  It’s a great word.

  28. lifespan2 says:

    A friend of mine spent a few months in England years ago (“100 men in 100 days” according to her) and she observed that the Scots had the biggest testicles.

    Favorite Scottish beverage: Glenfiddich.

  29. Sandy D. says:

    Och now, I could be usin’ a happy pastime. 🙂

  30. Celeste says:

    Gerald Butler.  Yummm…just anything he says when he he’s using his real accent.

  31. shani says:

    hmm. i think i like tup. as in ‘i could use a good tupping’

    which is more amusing because wiki tells me it’s about sheep fucking. but i’ve seen it as a slang term for sex in some romances. heeee 😛

    it even sounds funny the more you say it. tup tup tup tup tup

    tup

  32. wanda flanagan says:

    Hi The Devil Wears Plaid sounds like a fantastic read its a must read for me. MMMM scottish accents and men in kilts yum yum yum.

  33. Donna D. says:

    Favorite Scottish dialectical word or phrase:  Daegus.  It means tall, dark and yummy.

    Kinda.

  34. Melissandre says:

    Ach!  It’s been sae long since I read a Scottish romance, I can nae recall a word or phrase!  But I did just finish a mystery set in Scotland, and they called people from Glasgow “Weegies” or something, suggesting that they were good natured criminal types.  I thought that was kind of funny.

  35. daisy says:

    By the by, be a dear and pour me a cupful of what ye be havin lassie, and I would also like to get a copy of this book. Sounds interesting.

  36. I’ll go with something that nobody’s mentioned yet: Susanna Kearsley’s The Shadowy Horses, which to this day has my favorite Scottish hero in it, the archaeologist David, who went around under the nickname of “Deid-Banes”.

    One of the big things I remember about that book was the heroine, Verity, carrying around a little book of Scots dialect, and David telling her to look up ‘sleekit’ in her book. Used to describe her former love interest, in terms that essentially meant that ‘sleekit’ is code for ‘sly little weasel’. 😉

    However, that said? As a Doctor Who fan I must also speak highly of the accent of David Tennant. ‘Cause I mean, DAMN.

  37. Nichole says:

    Haud yer wheesht! – Basically “shut up!”

  38. Lara K. says:

    I’m going to go with ‘stramash’ – it’s just a fun word!

  39. Elizabeth says:

    I love the word “braw”. It means something like “nice” but it reminds me of (Eng) brawny, which makes me think of hunks, which is the part of Scottish romances I do like, even when I overload on the dialect.

  40. Kirstin says:

    I love Scottish accents. (Also with the Gerard Butler and Ewan McGregor love.)

    Well, I kind of like the word lassie. I always thought they were talking about the dog when I was a kid and would get really confused about it. The word still cracks me up for this reason.
    Lass is good too. Unfortunately, I’m not at all knowledgeable about Scottish words.

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