This historical romance is unusual and gripping from the start. A young woman who has seen two sisters unhappily wed already, removes herself from her father's London house to escape his overarching plans for her own marriage. Nine years later she returns, UNWED AND UNREPENTANT.

Lady Cordelia Armstrong hasn't found life to run smoothly in the meantime, but she's set herself up well writing travel guidebooks for ladies, and invested carefully. Recently she toured the Highlands, and made the brief but memorable acquaintance of a Scots engineer, Iain Hunter. In order to travel respectably she called herself a plain widow, so it's hard to say which of them is more surprised when they meet again in her father's home.

Iain designs paddle steamers which ply the Clyde river, and he has plans to sell ships to the Arab countries. Two of Cordelia's sisters are now happily married to Arab sheiks, so their family connection can ease him into the business. Lord Armstrong however wishes only to put his wayward daughter in her place - as he sees it - and instructs Iain to marry Cordelia if he wants the contract. He has no idea that they're better than close acquaintances already. Cordelia doesn't wish to marry - certainly not anyone of her father's choosing - but the devious lord won't allow her to contact the rest of her family and she misses them. In private, Iain suggests a truce, and a faux betrothal. He needs the contract.

Oddly for a couple who can't keep their hands off each other, and talk as equals, they don't want to get married. On their travels we get to see the centre of Glasgow; the East London docklands with coal, sugar, tea, silk and spices; the ship building industry on the Isle of Dogs. The clothes of the time are well described and the stiff formality of women of propriety is a strong contrast with Cordelia's more Continental manners. Then the two set sail for Araby, and we see some Mediterranean sky, sand and sea before they board a dhow at Cairo and ply the Red Sea.

A novel of contrasts is the best way to describe UNWED AND UNREPENTANT, making it a fascinating read. Margaret Kaye has done her research well and shows a different side of society to the formal balls of other stories. I greatly enjoyed her adult romance and will look out for more of her work.