In 1861, Jim has narrowly escaped being discovered by a band of Union soldiers; shot for the sixth time, he continues to make a miraculous recovery. This time he determines to outfit his ship for defense as well as speed, and travels to Norfolk to acquire cannonry. On his return to his ship, he encounters a small group of Yankee soldiers, holding captive a beautiful blond prisoner. To Jim's astounding dismay, this woman is not at all a Southern spy, but a brutally abused housewife, whose physician husband had hired these soldiers to kidnap their daughter and her nanny. The sociopathic father then kills the nanny and his own child, out of jealousy and rage, kidnaps his wife, and later is hung by the soldiers which he allows their Colonel to die of infection from a bullet wound. But Jim doesn't encounter the beauteous and troubled Avery by coincidence: fate has a plan for them, and their destinies are entertwined.

M.C. Scout demonstrates a fine grasp of the historical milieu of the early Civil War Era. Rich with detail and background, the reader finds herself learning history without realising it, and in an entertaining and intriguing fashion. Rampant with suspense, as Avery and Jim are tracked by a secret hunter, the story keeps the reader turning its pages. The characters are well-designed and elicit the reader's empathy. Southern Legacies 2: His Lady Avery makes a fine addition to this series.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Mildly sensual

Reviewer: Annie
August 15, 2007