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Safely in Scotland #1

The Lady's Reckless Abandon

Can a chance encounter lead to the love of a lifetime?

Abandoned in Scotland, Lady Lily Cantrell is not only ruined, she is positively furious at the man who tricked her into eloping. Promising to never trust a man again, she is left with no choice but to do exactly that when a handsome stranger offers his assistance after finding her abandoned at an Inn in Scotland.

Finneas Lockhart, Duke of Granton, has no intention of getting mixed up in the troubles of the sun-singed lady with unfortunate luck. But his conscience seems to get in the way and before he knows it, they are both on their way to his secluded and isolated castle.

Soon his quiet life is filled with music, laughter, and an unexpected surprise…

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Safely in Scotland
Book 1 - The Lady’s Reckless Abandon
Book 2 - The Lady’s Great Escape
Book 3 - The Lady’s Sweet Revenge

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 28, 2025

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Allison B. Hanson

34 books156 followers

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5 stars
68 (53%)
4 stars
42 (33%)
3 stars
13 (10%)
2 stars
4 (3%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for Lauren.
1,619 reviews243 followers
April 18, 2025
Read: 4/17/25
Setting: Scotland, England 1814
Trope: friends to lovers, Proximity, abandoned
2.7 stars

Plot:
Lady Lily is desperate to be loved for herself. She is the odd duckling of the family and her family are indifferent to her. Lily thinks she finally found someone that loves her. Poor thing couldn't be more wrong! The story starts with Lily waking up in Scotland to discover her fiancee abandoned her with no money after anticipating their wedding night early. In her grief she sits down at the front door and waits.... and waits. This is where Finneas finds her

Finneas, Duke of Granton, is returning home from visiting London when he meets a sunburned woman. He tries to ignore her until he hears his late sister's voice telling him to help her. So he offers to take her to his castle until she hears from her family. Finneas is understanding. He knows what it's like to be alone. Unlike Lily, he was raised in a loving household. Unfortunately, he's the only member of his close family left. Both live a lonely life.

The couple slowly build a wonderful friendship. Finneas is so understanding and the first person to really see her. They both fight their attraction ( I wish they hadn't). Lily can't trust her own judgement anymore and Finneas doesn't want to take advantage of her. Still, these two come alive every time they were around each other.

***** spoiler*****
Unfortunately, Lily discovers that there are more consequences to her impetuous elopement. When Finneas finds out about the child he proposes but deep down he wanted to marry her. Lily agrees because she is already in love with him. Now, they face her horrible, indifferent family who finally shows up 3 months after receiving her letter about her botched elopement. How will this couple survive them? Will Finneas really treat her child as his own? What will happen when Lily runs into her child's biological father again?

MC characters

1. IRL I would be madly in love with Finneas. He was such a a great guy. Unfortunately, that doesn't make him exciting in a book either. The character was too perfect! I wanted him to break his proper behavior and society rules just once. While, the couple had a few kisses I wanted a little more heat. They do make up for lost time later.

Finneas gets extra points for always correcting Lily when she would call their son hers, "He is our son". He also didn't care about the gender of her child. Since, he was a Duke that's saying a lot.

2. Lily was such a underrated gem that her selfish family ignored. It's very understandable why Lily trusted her ex. She wanted someone that would see her. She's always been in the shadows but with Finneas, she comes out of her shell and gains some confidence. She was witty and smart. Lily could play several instruments and compose music. She stopped playing because of her rude family. Though I don't believe someone with such an exceptional gift would hide it.


Problems:
Why two stars?

This book would have been so much better as a novella than a full novel. Editing was definitely needed. Their SLOW courtship could be tedious. There was not really any other characters present nor did the settings change. They mainly just walked and talked every day. Nothing happened to change the monotonously setting. Their conversations could be witty and entertaining but it wasn't enough to liven up the plot.

The plot does pick up after her crazy family FINALLY arrives. Unfortunately, they don't appear until 60% into the book and they didn't stay long enough nor does the H's friends. The plot was better when they go to London for Parliament in the last 20% of the book.

Conclusion: Did they end up together because of love or because both were lonely and proximity of each other? I think it's more the later, which is not good in a romance.

I don't think this author is for me. The first book I read by this author I really enjoyed but I'm starting to think it was a fluke.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Margaret.
3,454 reviews35 followers
April 2, 2025
Lady Lily Cantrell thought she was in love. Running off to Gretna Green to marry became a nightmare when the groom abandoned her with no money and unmarried. Finneas Lockhart, Duke of Granton, is lonely and with compassion rescues Lily and takes her to his castle. With her family uninterested in her plight and nowhere else to go, Finn convinces her to stay. Attracted to each other, they're both looking for love before they marry, but pressed for time, marriage is the only answer. Heartbreaking and romantic.
Mild descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.
Profile Image for Janet.
5,538 reviews67 followers
January 20, 2025
Abandoned in Scotland, Lady Lily Cantrell is not only ruined, she is positively furious at the man who tricked her into eloping. Promising to never trust a man again, she is left with no choice but to do exactly that when a handsome stranger offers his assistance after finding her abandoned at an Inn in Scotland. Finneas Lockhart, Duke of Granton, has no intention of getting mixed up in the troubles of the sun-singed lady with unfortunate luck. But his conscience seems to get in the way and he knows his sister would have made him help before he knows it, they are both on their way to his secluded and isolated castle.
The start of a new series & a delightful romance, no mystery just two lonely people finding each other & falling in love. I really liked Lily but loved Finn, Lily is the sibling who is totally overlooked by her family & Finn is on his own after losing his loving family. I loved that whilst they were attracted to each other they didn’t act on this attraction but got to know each other but events took a turn & they married. I loved how their feelings deepened & grew. I totally disliked all but one member of Lily’s family & was glad she had found an ally. Finn’s two friends are a hoot & I loved how they managed to end Lily’s family’s stay. My quibble was the villain didn’t get his just comeuppance
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own
3,652 reviews37 followers
February 7, 2025
A Lady’s Reckless Abandon by Allison B Hanson started of just a little differently. Lady Lily Cantrell woke up after a night of love with her husband-to-be. They would be married today as soon as they got to Scotland. What matter, jumping the gun by one night? Then she discovered her betrothed gone as well as her money and her jewels, and they’d been in Scotland for hours. When she asked after him downstairs she discovered he had left at the crack of dawn. What was she to do? So she sat down on the front steps and waited . . . and waited. After many hours of waiting Finneas Lockhart, Duke of Granton, frowned as he saw her. He heard the voice of his dead sister telling him to help her, so he did. Slowly the story came out. He encouraged her to write to her family so they could dispatch some help and yet the days dragged on. Then he noticed: the days weren’t dragging. He was happy and not lonely as he had been ever since Junie had died. Then he realized he was falling in love. Then she discovered she was pregnant. What was to be done?

In a move totally unlike Regency men, Finneas proposed. Then they invited her family to visit. What a disaster that turned out to be. They were everything she had said and worse, but they devised a plan to get them to leave and it worked. Things went from excellent to not so great when they went to London for the Season and so Finneas could do his duty in parliament. For a story that started off so strangely, it had a surprisingly good ending. Enjoyable. Funny.

I was invited to read A Lady’ Reckless Abandon by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #AllisonBHanson #ALadysRecklessAbandon
Profile Image for Lyn D Rose .
1,557 reviews22 followers
February 26, 2025
This foest book in the Safely in Scotland series is a captivating, beautifully, and well written historical romance. A horrible mistake in judgment leads a young lady to a new and delightful way of life. Surprising developments lead to happiness for a second chance of love. A scary near death incident almost takes it all away. Thankfully, life has more in store, including a happily ever after. I enjoyed this emotionally engaging love story. The ending was perfect. I highly recommend reading!
4,533 reviews26 followers
May 17, 2025
This is the first book of the series Safely in Scotland and is an utterly charming historical romance with heart, humor, and just the right amount of drama.
Lady Lily Cantrell’s misfortune could’ve ended in disaster, but thanks to a brooding, duty-bound duke and a Scottish inn, it turns into the start of something unexpectedly beautiful. This novel is a delightful blend of emotional healing, slow-burn romance, and witty banter set against the moody backdrop of the Highlands.
Lily is fiery, strong-willed, and determined not to fall again—especially not for another man. But Finneas Lockhart, the reluctant hero with a heart of gold, makes that promise difficult to keep. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the gradual buildup of trust and affection between them is deeply satisfying.
While the plot leans into some classic tropes (the ruined lady, the brooding duke, the secluded castle), it does so with a freshness that keeps the story engaging. There’s also a twist that adds a touch of surprise to their growing connection.
The perfect romantic escape that will leave you smiling.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Profile Image for Margaret Watkins.
3,579 reviews89 followers
January 27, 2025
I found my emotions being tapped in this lovely romance when Lady Lily discovered that she had made the ultimate mistake and had been abandoned in Scotland. What is worse is that she is used to being sidelined and although she has no options whatsoever given that the scoundrel she eloped with robbed her of her money, she does not fall apart. Fin, the Duke of Granton, finds her sitting on the steps of the inn and an inner prompting makes him stop to assist Lily. She does not fit into his plans but her plight makes him offer her refuge until her family can be contacted. The longer Lily stays in his home, the more Fin comes to appreciate her spirit and the enchanting music she plays for him, Things do not go as planned and ultimately Fin comes to realize that Lily is truly on her own. Still, her loss is his gain, making him feel needed and filling his days with music, laughter, and the possibility of family. The closing chapters are dramatic and it is only when Lily almost loses Fin that she finally comes to realize how much she loves him. I received a copy of this novel as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.
Profile Image for Cassandra.
3,571 reviews35 followers
January 24, 2025
I really liked Finn. I feel like over all, this book is a 3.5 but I LOVE Finn so much it bumps it up. Lily is just kind of there. She makes a mistake that a women would most likely never recover from and finds a man that loves her regardless to give her an amazing life. I felt the end of the Reggie story line didn’t feel like an end and it was a very dramatic, quick wrap to that part of the story. Now on to Finn, he was just amazing (not sure if I mentioned that yet). He was so loving, kind, considerate, and caring. A man that truly wanted a marriage of love and kindness. A man that was good to those around him not just Lily. And I liked him with his friends. Oh and the epilogue was cute. I still wonder what happened to Graham really from our last series, will we ever know? Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I did also pre-order this when I saw it was added to Amazon, I can’t wait to own it.
Profile Image for Farida .
482 reviews17 followers
February 24, 2025
This is a tough one to review.
While not a complete fail in my book, it wasn't really that enjoyable or memorable.
I'm not holding it against the author that she chose the ruined lady/heroic duke cliche for the plot. But the author's version didn't have any stand out points, it was just that. A cliche.
I also didn't care for how both characters handled their interactions. For example, her cursing openly in front of him, even considering the situation, just didn't make sense. Also, keeping in mind that she was said to be quiet and always blending in the shadows of her family, she wasn't really that meek.
At some point, after both acknowledged their adoration for the other, the author just kept piling up misunderstandings between them, and making the FMC always spiraling mentally over the same thoughts. All of that just for filling out the book.
I'm ranting, but it really got old pretty fast.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Amanda.
147 reviews
January 21, 2025
Thank you Net galley for letting me read this book. This book was a fun and cozy historical romance. Lily, goes with her beau, Reggie, to Scotland with the intention of eloping. Unfortunately, Reggie uses Lily just to ruin her and abandons her the next day. As Lily is contemplating what to do, she meets Finn who is a Scottish Duke. Finn thinks he hears his sister's voice telling him to help Lily out. This leads Finn to swoop in and take Lily back to his family home. There we see Lily and Finn begin to fall for each other. It was very sweet seeing Lily and Finn getting to know each other and go from friends to lovers. They of course have a few obstacles to overcome that lead to meeting her family, a duel, and more before they get a happily ever after. If you are looking for a low stakes romance and fast read, then this book is a great choice. :)
1,306 reviews
February 6, 2025
3.5 stars,

Not having read the author before, I took a chance on The Lady’s Reckless Abandon and I’m glad I did.

*a ”ruined” lady
*a Scottish duke
*close proximity
*yearning
*doubt
*friends to lovers

This was just what I required after a long week (umm, it’s Tuesday night but it’s felt really long. I appreciated the writing, and Finn was wonderful.

Despite seriously shaking my head at Lily’s utter dumbness and predictability (although honestly, there’s only so much you can do with a historical romance plot, imho) this was a fun story and I enjoyed my reading of this.

I’ll definitely read more of Ms Hanson’s books and look forward to the next title in the series.



Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC
1,646 reviews14 followers
January 17, 2025
This book was okay, unfortunately there was nothing unique in it. The plot was stereotypical, the historical norms were ignored quite a bit, one slightly evil ow and om. The only redeeming feature in this book was Finn and his buddies. Finn is a pretty amazing guy and it shows both by the affection his household has for him as well as his friends teasing and banter. Lily is just blah, so naive and kind of stupid. When a duke offers for you and you are pregnant with someone else's child and know that one of your options to survive will be on your back out in the streets, you cannot be questioning the offer!!

#netgalley #TheLadysRecklessAbandon
1,466 reviews17 followers
February 19, 2025
Abandoned in Scotland

Lily had no idea that she was making the worst mistake of her life when she eloped with a cad. As she sat outside an inn, pondering her fate, Finn saw her. He did not want to get involved, but he heard the voice of his dead sister in his head. He could not abandon the woman to her fate; his conscience would not allow it.

Even though she vowed not to trust men, Lily found herself taking a chance on the duke. Her family did not seem to be very involved in her life, and she ended up staying with Finn for months. Love would flourish. Would Lily make a home with her duke? I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to those who like Regency romance.
1,095 reviews12 followers
January 17, 2025
When Lily is abandoned at an inn by a man she had eloped with, she doesn't know what to do. The man had stolen her virtue as well as her money and jewels. Finn can't seem to ignore Lily's plight. He invites her home to stay with him until she can decide what to do. When they start to have feelings for each other, they decide to make things more permanent. This is a new-to-*me author and a new series. I look forward to reading more of her work. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.
702 reviews
February 2, 2025
An interesting tale of Lily and Fin. Lily is naive, a bit dense, and definitely not street smart. She gets abandoned and robbed, left in Scotland until Find comes along. A true damsel in distress with a handsome Scottish Laird there to rescue her. Fun to read and great characters with well written looks into their personalities. I like strong women usually in my reading yet I must say that it's refreshing to engage in a story that also shows that not all women of that time period had it all together. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Profile Image for Lyn D Rose .
1,557 reviews22 followers
February 26, 2025
This first book in the Safely in Scotland series is a captivating, beautifully, and well written historical romance. A horrible mistake in judgment leads a young lady to a new and delightful way of life. Surprising developments lead to happiness for a second chance of love. A scary near death incident almost takes it all away. Thankfully, life has more in store, including a happily ever after. I enjoyed this emotionally engaging love story. The ending was perfect. I highly recommend reading!
6,387 reviews32 followers
January 26, 2025
She is reckless...

Not the brightest bulb, Lily runs off with Reggie. Who promptly ruins her and leaves her stranded in Scotland.
Finn, a Scottish duke, takes pity on her and brings her to his family home.
I really liked Finn, he was great. Lily was just kind of ho-hum. I really liked that they were friends first and got to know each other.
119 reviews
February 1, 2025
Really enjoyed

What an enjoyable story. Once started I did not want to put it down. Our hero comes to the rescue when Lily our heroine is abandoned by the man she had eloped with. This is their journey to HEA. This is the first in a new series and I am really looking forward to the next book.
Profile Image for SelinaW.
362 reviews9 followers
April 8, 2025
This is a very emotionally charged book with two MCs coming together from a place of hurt to rebuild. Lily has been wronged and abandoned by everyone she loved. MMC, having suffered his own tragedy, is slowly thawing out with Lily. A hard won HEA and a delightful read.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and this is my unbiased review.
95 reviews1 follower
July 8, 2025
Good story

This was a slow read. Its a good story but seemed to take forever. What I liked the least is the h never told the H that she loved him! We know she did because mentioned it in her thoughts! She never said it out loud even after he did. But like I said, characters were all written very well. Finn is a good hero, all around good guy.
Profile Image for Lesley.
2,673 reviews20 followers
January 21, 2025
A naive and neglected young Lady is left ruined and without funds in Scotland, far away from her London home. Luckily a Duke comes to her aid and dear reader you can guess the rest!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews