Lorraine Heath - The Viscount and the Vixen

Love begets madness. Viscount Locksley watched it happen to his father after his cherished wife’s death. But when his sire arranges to marry flame-haired fortune hunter Portia Gadstone, Locke is compelled to take drastic measures to stop the stunning beauty from taking advantage of the marquess. A marriage of mutual pleasure could be convenient, indeed . . . as long as inconvenient feelings don’t interfere.
Desperation forced Portia to agree to marry a madman. The arrangement will offer the protection she needs. Or so she believes until the marquess’s distractingly handsome son peruses the fine print . . .and takes his father’s place!
Now the sedate—and, more importantly, secure—union Portia planned has been tossed in favor of one simmering with wicked temptation and potential heartbreak. Because as she begins to fall for her devilishly seductive husband, her dark secrets surface and threaten to ruin them both—unless Locke is willing to risk all and open his heart to love.

Comment: This is the third story in the Hellions of Havisham trilogy by Lorraine Heath. There's a sequel novella but I'm not likely to read it. This is another story where the author creates a complicated situation which drags until the protagonists must face it.

In this book we finally have the story of Killian, viscount Lockley, whose father is considered mad by many and Killian sometimes thinks so as well, although he wants nothing more than to protect his father. The marquess Marsden isn't crazy, only deep in grieving his late wife, whom he loved very much. Killian sees what love does and wants nothing with it but one day, he's apparently aloof father is ready at breakfast, waiting for his new bride, who answered a notice in the newspaper. Upon seeing her, Killian can't help but like what he sees but he believes her a fortune hunter preying on his father and decides to provoke her. The solution comes when he checks the marriage contract and realizes his father's name isn't there and Killian ruins her plans by marrying her himself...after all, he wouldn't fall in love with a woman whose only interest is money and status. However, as time goes by, she doesn't behave as anything but the perfect wife and woman.... could it be she is as genuine as she appears?

Although one can say most plots follow used and known clichés, it's the author's imagination, talent and choices that can turn something predictable or seen into something special and interesting. I think this book is proof of that because the way the story starts is very plain and seen in many historical romances but here, it felt as if those characters were better and more captivating than others in different books in the same genre.

I think the set up was a bit too fictionalized but I can suspend disbelief if the rest is engrossing enough and I liked both protagonists from the start, so that was easy. Killian had the fame of womanizer and such, as the heroes of the previous books did too, but of course we learn differently as the story goes by. It can be said that Killian had a very modern look at things if one thinks about the rules of society and the mentality of the 19th century when it comes to nobility, but I mean, that's the fun part, to have characters that make us root for them and Killian revealed his personality and hero potential with all the deeds and actions he performed as the plot evolved. 

As for Portia, she does seem to be a bit more complex, personality wise, because she faced situations which women always would be looked down at for them and still Portia was a good person, sees the beauty and the positive, even though she had reasons to be bitter and sad. What she had to deal with was emotionally draining and probably would have caused anyone to feel unworthy and with no way to cope, but Portia is a very likable character and I was rooting for her.

The romance was quick, mostly for plot reasons, but if there is one thing I'd complain about it is how much time is dedicated to their sexual intimacy. It's nt a big deal but I wish there had been a bit more tension between them, more awareness without giving in so soon. At times, it did feel as if their relationship was a bit too mercenary but of course, by the end of the book, I was very glad with the way they feel in love and reached happiness.

The plot has some conflict, as predicted, and the big secrets are unraveled a bit before the end, which allows them time to deal with things and try their "redemption" actions. This is why I said things are predictable but despite that, I was still rooting for them and felt the obstacles were acceptable for the kind of reactions they had and what they decided to do to overcome the problems. I think there's a certain sense of realism to some details, which means I never thought they were being silly or having tantrums, their pain felt real, as did the moment they "made up".

There's an important secondary character, Killian's father. He has been a recurrent character in the trilogy for he welcomed the protagonists of the other books when they were boys after their parents died. He has been someone most characters mention fondly, even though he is still mourning and grieving after so many years. I liked how sweet and funny this man ended up being and kept wishing he would find peace. The final scenes of the book were very emotional in this regard.

All in all, this was a good story, one I enjoyed spending time reading. I don't know when I'll read another book by the author but I will definitely read more by her.

Grade: 8/10

Lorraine Heath - The Earl Takes All

One summer night, Edward Alcott gives in to temptation and kisses Lady Julia Kenney in a dark garden. However, the passion she stirs within him is best left in the shadows as she weds his twin, the Earl of Greyling. But when tragedy strikes, to honor the vow he makes to his dying brother, Edward must pretend to be Greyling until the countess delivers her babe.
After her husband returns from a two-month sojourn, Julia finds him changed. Bolder, more daring, and more wicked—even if he does limit their encounters to kisses. With each passing day, she falls more deeply in love.
For Edward the embers of desire sparked on that long-ago night are quickly rekindled. He yearns to be her husband in truth. But if she discovers his ruse, she will despise him—and English law prevents him from marrying his brother’s widow. Yet he must dare to risk everything and reveal his secrets if he is to truly take all.

Comment: This is the second story in the Hellions of Havisham trilogy and the protagonist is a character who had a not so good reputation in the previous book. Of course, I was curious to see how the author would redeem him and turn him into hero material...

In this second installment, Edward returns home from a journey he was sharing with his brother Albert with the most terrible news...his beloved twin is dead and he promised in his deathbed, to honor his wishes and, thus, he comes back pretending to be Albert until his sister-in-lam Julia has her baby. The problem is that by pretending, Edward is putting everyone at the worst place because he knows he will need to tell the truth. He also thought he could keep Julia away but what he took for some jealous attraction in the past, comes back to life as a love and passion he tried to deny. When he tells the truth, it won't be only Julia's heart breaking over the death of her husband and someone they both loved, nor her anger at his deceiving, it will also be his heart breaking for never being able to be with her...

What a complicated plot to work with... plus, according to British law, in the 1800s, people couldn't marry brothers or sisters of their spouses. I was both curious to see how the author would play this out and, even more important, how would the HEA happen because if there was one obvious thing, it was the fact Julia and Edward would be in love by then...

I liked this one better than the previous one. The plot is complicated but the challenges felt they were conductive to a better characterization of the characters. Whereas in the other book I found the characters to be a little boring at times, in here I was much more invested in the protagonists and in what obstacles they had before they could have their HEA.

Edward had been known as a free spirit, always into some journey planning, favored by the ladies and his rake friends, a good storyteller, someone not taken too seriously because he was a second son. His twin Albert was serious but not as confident and assertive as Edward and for some this meant Edward wasn't concerned about routines and such. But the boys were close and not just because they are twins, their childhood was pretty special. I liked that there was no good/bad twin plot here, only one of one twin being considered less than the other.

Of course, Edward being the hero, we see in this book how much of a good person he is, not perfect but not as bad as he seemed to have been painted in the previous book. I liked how we got to peel off his layers and how much he hod for the sake of someone or for the feelings of his brother. I liked knowing he was pining for Julia but didn't want to ruin his brother's relationship with her. Obviously, this means Edward is a true hero, focused on the heroine from afar....

Julia is a little more predictable. She is a good person and I can see why some readers found her to be a bit bland, especially since it takes around half the book for her to realize her husband isn't who he says he is. Her reaction upon discovering everything was also a bit "contained", I kind of imagined something more shocking could happen but, then again, how many witnesses would understand this before the characters were ready to explain... this is addressed in the story but I can't help thinking some realistic issues were push aside a bit too much...

The romance is cute and takes time for both to be immersed in love, let's say so, and I rooted for them to find some way to be together. I think the author did a good job here, the pace was good, the setting up of every detail seemed to work out fine and while this wasn't as tense and strained as it could, I was still convinced of the dire situation and that they felt nothing could help them. Some readers claim there was too much drama but for me, the final part kind of worked out.

The end has a HEA as expected and I also liked the epilogue. I would put this book along with the ones I liked best by the author, for certain.

Grade: 8/10

Lorraine Heath - Falling Into Bed with a Duke

In the first in a dazzling new series, New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath introduces the Hellions of Havisham—three charismatic rogues destined to lose their hearts . . .
After six unsuccessful Seasons, Miss Minerva Dodger chooses spinsterhood over fortune-hungry suitors. But thanks to the Nightingale Club, she can at least enjoy one night of pleasure. At that notorious establishment, ladies don masks before choosing a lover. The sinfully handsome Duke of Ashebury is more than willing to satisfy the secretive lady's desires—and draws Minerva into an exquisite, increasingly intimate affair.
A man of remarkable talents, Ashe soon deduces that his bedmate is the unconventional Miss Dodger. Intrigued by her wit and daring, he sets out to woo her in earnest. Yet Minerva refuses to trust him. How to court a woman he has already thoroughly seduced? And how to prove that the passion unleashed in darkness is only the beginning of a lifetime's pleasure . . . ?

Comment: This is the first book in the Hellions of Havisham trilogy by author Lorraine Heath. I have read several of her books by now and although her style is unique and constantly appealing to me, I must say this one wasn't as great as I hoped for.

In this book we have the story of Minerva Dodger and the duke of Ashebury. 

He is a hellion, so-called by society for he and three friends have been raised by a "madman" in the aftermath of their parents' deaths. Now adults, they travel and give the ton plenty fodder for thought, especially because of their status. Ashe likes his freedom but he learns his estates aren't doing as well and he knows many depend on him. While trying to come up with a plan, he meets a mysterious lady at an exclusive night club, where ladies wear masks so thy aren't identified. Somehow, he and Minerva seem to be a good match but what will happen when he finds out who she really is?

I should say this trilogy is a spin off of other series by the author. As usual, things and plot make sense independently of having read those others, but since there are many references and one or two cameos of previous protagonists, I think this one is best savored by having had information from those other books.

The premise of this book is simple: Minerva has been raised by loving parents and has been surrounded by loving couples, both friends and friends of her parents and despite her considerable dowry, she has yet to find someone to marry. The reason is that she wants to marry for love and al men who have approached her only see her money first. She, therefore, devises a plan, to attend one of the parties at a night club where it is said ladies can be anonymous. She wants to feel desire, even if for only night.

That is where the duke of Ashebury is that same night and somehow their paths cross but even though there seems to be an attraction and connection between them, she keeps her mask and nothing sexual happens but Minerva is certainly intrigued. They carry on thinking about one another, Ashe tries to find out who she is - against the rules of the nightclub - and at one event he believes he has found her. But one thing is to keep things a mystery, another is to say it surrounded by the ton, so of course they are both careful... 

I mean, sure, this can be seen as original but let me confess I truly disliked this tactic for them to met one another. I find no fun nor romance in characters who only think about the physical and conveniently find love in the process. I prefer other plots, other methods... it is true the author manages to find a way for all this to make sense for these protagonists but to me, personally, it was something to endure. I finished the book not believing they were in love. That they like each other, that they respect the fact what makes them unique is special for their identity as a couple, sure. But their path to love didn't feel romantic to me, at all.

What I liked best was really their personalities, how Minerva is clever and assertive and has a head fr numbers and Ashe is loyal and caring if he wants and likes photography which gives him a certain sense of what can be seen between the lines... them as a couple was something good but I wasn't fond of the road they took. The author also made things in a way that it does feel they are meant to complement each other.

All things considered, this wasn't a bad book in general, but to me and comparing with all the others I've read already, this has to be one of the weakest, in my perspective.

Grade: 5/10

Lorraine Heath - Gentlemen Prefer Heiresses

Lord Andrew Mabry, the second son of the Duke of Greystone, has no desire to marry. As the spare, he has no obligation to provide an heir and he rather enjoys spending his days and nights in play with the demimonde. But more and more of late, he finds himself wanting to play naughty games with the American heiress, Gina Hammersley.
After her scandalous older sister marries a marquess, Gina Hammersley suddenly finds herself the darling of London with beaux a plenty calling on her, sending flowers, and filling her dance cards. Unfortunately, the one she desires most is the one who has no wish to be caught in the marriage trap: Lord Andrew Mabry.
But when they are discovered in a compromising situation, this unlikely pair must decide whether to face scandal or discover if the passion they’ve always felt is strong enough to lead them into love.

Comment: This is the last installment in the Scandalous Gentlemen of St James series by author Lorraine Heath. It's also a story novella sized featuring the siblings of the protagonists in previous book. I wasn't particularly interested in these two but I was curious to see if the past characters would be mentioned or part of the action somehow. 

In this novella, we have the story of Gina Hammersley, the younger sister of Tilly from the previous story. Gina knows her sister has done what she could to help her but she also recognized how perfect she and Rex were to one another, even though he was pretending to court Gina instead.

Gina still wants to be married, still wants to find happiness but, from all the prospects, including the new ones she gained after her previously scandalous sister "elevated" her status, the one who shows more interest doesn't make her blood sing. Not like Andrew Mabry, the younger brother of her new brother-in-low Rex. However, being now family of sorts makes them able to spend more time together and nothing like adventure to make them realize they can suit quite well indeed...

Like any other reader of fiction, there are always things one accepts better than others in fiction and, in particular, in romance novels.

In historicals things get even more specific as the definition of historical is based on certain rules and expectations. There also many better blogs/posts out there explaining this but to summarize: some author are rather anachronistic in their tales while others follow the conventions closer to reality and there are countless grey areas (meaning, authors) in between.

This said, I would describe Lorraine Heath as being in the middle of the group somehow and we loose some stronger inkling of how strict she could be or not with her regency rules because her stories show a lot of sex scenes and this is distracting. This to say she does adhere to some rules but they seem to be overlooked by the romantic scenes or the situations where the protagonists are in.

This brings me to my main complaint about this book and, to be honest, I'm not saying the only good regency historicals having to be labeled as such only if the author is Georgette Heyer. I'm not that knowledgeable on the subject but in this book's case I cannot really appreciate the sweet or cute scenes when the main protagonists go together to a brothel as part of an adventure. 

Is this fun and surprising, does it make the plot move along? Well, yes, it works out in the plot's context but how likely is it something like this happened with a gentleman and a young unmarried lady? Sure, I can suspend my disbelief but to have the rest of the novel seeing them do things they were not really supposed to do kind of ruined the fun for me. I would say the best part of a fictional historical romance is to see authors follow the rules a little more and still find innovative or realistically romantic ways to put their protagonists in the same space somehow.

I liked seeing the secondary characters, all the little tidbits about beloved characters made it worth it and, of course, I was happy Gina and Andrew found out they can be a good couple but their story failed to really ensnare me.

Grade: 6/10

Lorraine Heath - An Affair With a Notorious Heiress

The son of a duke and an infamous mother, Alistair Mabry, Marquess of Rexton, fought his way to respectability. Now, the most eligible bachelor in London, marriage-shy Rexton will take only a wife with an impeccable reputation, good breeding, and a penchant for staying out of the gossip sheets. But when he strikes a deal to be seen “courting” a sweet young debutante whose notorious older sister has blemished her chances for marriage, Rexton is unexpectedly drawn to the highly inappropriate, calamitous Tillie, Lady Landsdowne herself.
After a scandalous incident that sent shockwaves throughout society and disgraced her, Tillie refuses to cower in the face of the ton. Instead, she will hold her head high as she serves as chaperone for her younger sister, but Tillie is convinced Rexton’s courtship is shrouded with secrets—ones she vows to uncover. However, doing so requires getting dangerously close to the devilishly handsome and forbidden marquess…

Comment: This is the 4th installment in the Gentleman of St James series by Lorraine Heath and the last full length one. There's a fifth story which is a novella.

Of the four stories I've read so far, in general terms, this was my favorite but I must keep repeating what a pity it is that authors must add so many sex scenes when (in my opinion) they don't always add much to the plot.

In this story we have as protagonist Rexton, the oldest biological son of Franny and Sterling, from the series that antecedes this one and which I have read.

Rexton has known the love and the support of his parents bu he has also been the target of pranks because of his mother's background. He decides then that when he marries he will choose a wife with no dubious past whatsoever. 

This story begins when he agrees on a deal with another man to pretend he is courting that man's niece, so she can get more admirers. The problem is that Mathilda, lady Landsdowne, and his supposed intended older sister has had quite a scandalous divorce and no one receives her now. This means though, as Rexton tries to court her more innocent sister Gina, he gets Tillie as a chaperone nevertheless and the longer they spend time together, the more layers he discovers in Tillie and the more difficult it to ignore he likes her...

Everyone has preferences in how specific books should develop, isn't it? For instance, I like romances where the main characters interact and get to become attracted but don't jump into a situation just because. This is why I was so captivated by this book from the start. 

Unlike the others in the series, the main male protagonist was not assaulted by thoughts of inadequacy in relation to anything (being worthy, missed chances, etc) and his aspiration to have an unblemished wife made sense. 

I also really liked how the heroine is one of those characters people make assumptions of based on one detail but no one really knows who she is. Again, unlike other heroines, she was not hiding a secret or a desire which I felt then as meant as a way to create suspense about her.

Anyway, until the first time the protagonists were intimate, this was going on being a very good read and I admit I imagined five stars grading and so on. The conversations they had, the apparent passage of time that made me feel they were developing a relationship, the things they shared and the ones they inferred about one another by those moments really felt special. I also liked how they acted with other people, I liked seeing Rexton with his family and friends, he wasn't annoying like previous heroes and Tillie's sister Gina was not as ornamental as she was made to be.

Things were going well indeed but when they admitted their feelings and the author decided to speed up the action by putting the situation between the protagonists in such a point they decided to be intimate I was really disappointed.

I thought, well this has been going on so well, why this? It's not that the reader wouldn't accept they could have sex, after al this is a romance, that is an expectation anyway and they had established a connection too. However, it was really disappointing they acted on their feelings after the situation the author decided to use. I thought it downgraded things a little because to me it would have been much more romantic and special if they had waited more, if they had gotten things into an even more tensed point where they felt they had to be intimate, where they felt they couldn't be without the other person. I guess I'd have liked them to do that (whether they were married or not at that moment) after the other issues between them had been solved, finished, etc.

It's not that the way things happened is totally unlike many other books in this genre but I was having such a great time, it felt like such a pity the plot didn't follow a more romantic path (in my POV).

There's a HEA of course and I'm quite glad about it, I liked these two characters found each other and founded a relationship on mutual ground and interests. I liked reading this for certain and I liked seeing the characters interact, have a little bit of glance of this one and that one here and there.

This author is generally one whose work I like, despite the ones I didn't enjoy as much. Still, when she does it really well, I can't help really liking what she writes. Too bad perhaps specific demands ruin things a little bit (like the inclusion of too much sex thoughts, situations, scenes to be titillating?) but as a whole, this one in particular was better than average for me.

Grade: 8/10

Lorraine Heath - The Duke and the Lady in Red

When Rosalind Sharpe gains the attention of the deliciously wicked Duke of Avendale, she’s torn between her distracting attraction to the notorious rogue and the knowledge that he—rich as Croesus—is the perfect target for a deception that will put her swindling days behind her.
However, Avendale is no fool. After he discovers the tantalizing lady packing up to leave London with his coins in tow, he confronts her with a scandalous proposition: she can have all the money she requires…for a week in his bed.
Desperate for the funds, Rose agrees, but on one condition: he must never question her motives. Avendale quickly sees beneath her mask and discovers she is more than passion and pleasure—she is everything he has ever desired. But claiming her requires he unveil her secrets and lose her forever. Unless he can put his own dark past aside and risk everything for a chance at love.

Comment: This is the 3rd installment of the Scandalous Gentlemen of St James series by Lorraine Heath. As with the previous two, this left something to be desired in how it captivated me and it's more along the lines of the first in how I liked it, being the second so far, one step ahead but not that much. As a whole, I've got to say this series has been the weakest of the author's work I've read so far.

In this story we follow the duke of Avendale, he is the son of one of the heroines from the previous Scoundrels of St James series, from which this spin off one originated. Avendale's mother was mistreated and abused by her husband, his father. Things got solved when Avendale was a little boy so his recollection of those times is not the best but he has believed his whole life his mother was at fault. This means he doesn't want to be close to anyone so he won't have to compare his feelings with those who are happy.

In his life of debauchery he meets many women but none like the lady in red that one days shows up at the club his friend Drake has recently opened up to allow women too.

The lady is Rosalind Sharpe, a mysterious looking widow woman who seems to be new in town and who doesn't seem to care much about Avendale's title. When a game between them gets too complicated and he starts seeing things don't match where she's concerned, will they be able to put aside misconceptions and just accept each other?

It seems the books in this series have a common detail so far: all the heroes are people who had the best of two realities. All of them have had the privilege from a certain point on, to rely on wealth and some power in order to keep up their lifestyles and even the second hero, who had a less good start in his life, managed to be adopted by a well established family.

The other - and more important - detail they all share is that all have had the love, the care, the help, the possibilities of a good environment, of a good family and relationships by their side and they had no reason whatsoever to not respect those who have loved them.

This makes me think about the element in this book I disliked the most. How is it possible that the hero, as privileged and as intelligent as he lead us to believe, waited decades to ask questions regarding a scene he saw as a young, impressionable child but which affected and shaped his behavior completely from that on? I just cannot accept this as a possibility! If his family were mean, unapproachable, loveless, careless, I might have bought it he wanted distance and save his state of mind. But he had people who love him and were there for him all the time! No excuse why this was a so-called "tormented" hero.

Putting aside my pet peeve in relation to this poor choice of the hero's personality and attitude, of course the interesting part was to see him become a better person.

(Actually, I just never warmed up to him so I feel he was a wasted character)

The woman who caught his eye was much more interesting but some of her attitude wasn't as likable as I imagined. She is a woman in need, who swindles others because she needs money not just for herself but for others she is taking care of as well. I can understand why she wasn't an honest person but some of her self beliefs and reasons didn't make her look like a person I'd like to know.

With time and the situation around her unraveled, she became more intriguing and appealing but as a whole, they won't certainly be the couple I'd remember the most.

The most fascinating part of this novel is why Rosalind had to be dishonest. I could believe into her need to help her ill brother and why she felt he was more secure hidden away. I won't spoiler why but all the scenes involving him were emotional and well done, for me. It was also cute how Avendale wanted to help her by becoming friends with her brother and thankfully there was genuine interest from him in knowing a person with such a different life from his own.

This, of course, set off some character development for Avendale and we could see his best side as the story approached its end but for me it was too late.

At a certain point, Avendale solved his inner turmoils and discovered the answer to all his doubts but it was rushed, badly done and I was annoyed. The first half of the story he was an idiot (in my POV) but in the second he was still aloof enough to not be likable. I mean...the execution of his character development really fell poorly done.

Rosalind was, by now, a much more interesting character and I liked her more. However, the obvious difference from who the couple was and acted at first to how they ended...not believable for me, nor was it as romantically done as I imagined.

All things considered, this wasn't a terrible book but the characters could have been developed a lot better, many situations could have happened the same way but without the (unnecessary) drama intended and it would still have been a good story.

I hope the next installment is more romantic.

Grade: 5/10

Lorraine Heath - Once More, My Darling Rogue

Born to the street but raised within the aristocracy, Drake Darling can’t escape his sordid beginnings. Not when Lady Ophelia Lyttleton snubs him at every turn, a constant reminder he’s not truly one of them. But after rescuing her from a mysterious drowning he realizes she doesn’t remember who she is. With plans to bring her to heel, he insists she’s his housekeeper—never expecting to fall for the charming beauty.
While Ophelia might not recall her life before Drake, she has little doubt she belongs with him. The desire she feels for her dark, brooding employer can’t be denied, regardless of consequences. So when her memory returns, she is devastated by the depth of his betrayal. Now Drake must risk everything to prove she can trust this rogue with her heart once more.

Comment: This is the second installment in the Scandalous Gentlemen of St James, a series by Lorraine Heath I intend on reading going through a book a month.

The first installment wasn't very exciting (to me) to red but I had hopes for this one, since it seemed the protagonists would have a love-hate relationship and I'm always eager to see this type of story developing until I'm convinced with the HEA.

In this book we have the story of Peter Sykes, one of the young characters we've met in the series connected to this, featuring the parents of some of the characters that will have stories in this sequel series. Peter was adopted by Frannie and Sterling, the protagonists of one of the books of that previous series.

He has become Drake Darling in respect to the couple that welcomed him and treated him as one of their own. Drake has been part of the aristocracy world but he knows very well how many still think of him despite the obvious love and care of his family and those they are friends with.

One of the people who gets on his nerves has been his sister's Grace's friend, Ophelia "Phee" Lyttleton. She seems to snub at every opportunity and he sometimes fights back which means they do bicker quite a lot. However, one night, he finds Ophelia almost drowned and helps her by taking her to his lodgings.

When she wakes up without some of her memories, he decides to get his revenge by telling her she is his housekeeper but, of course, he didn't count on liking who she is so much behind her cool and public persona...

This was a better book than the previous one for me. The amnesia trope isn't one I tend to enjoy much because usually the conflict comes from the reveal and sometimes that's not very well done. It's not as if it matters much to me but I admit I like other types of plots better.

In this book, the amnesia situation felt too oddly done and I felt it was only a tool for the main characters to spend time without their mutual dislike to be in the way but it worked out in the end anyway.

In the first chapters, even before the heroine's amnesia became the driving force of the romance, I was already a little irked with the fact the hero didn't consider himself worthy of the family who loves him. I can totally understand the psychology of this thinking but to be honest it can be a bit tiring to read about a situation he couldn't change (his childhood circumstances) and if he was ans is loved by those of his current family, he should honor those feelings and not feel apart from them.

Thankfully, things improve as he takes Ophelia to his house and tries to joke with her. Not that I found this to be a great behavior of his but he did think she wasn't serious the first time she said it and he had the intention of taking her home the day after so she wouldn't be found in a compromising situation. Their romance developed then, in a very sweet manner. I think the author was quite obvious in her attempt to show us how they matched and suited one another with the scenes of their conversations and bonding over mundane things.

Peter, now Drake, is a fascinating character with all his likely psychological issues to deal with but his heroine Ophelia even more. What a pity the amnesia trope was used here but I get this was an easy way for her to be a likable heroine and not just the irritating one we've seen in the first chapter.

The more we learned about her, the more complex she became. I did like how her character was developed and presented but the fact she had a "arrogant mask" felt a bit too much considering what she went through.

As one can imagine, the romance between them was sweet and had interesting moments but I only liked them as a couple for real closer to he end, when they both had to think about the time they spent together before she got her memory back.

The best thing about this book for me were the small but clear thoughts both Ophelia and Drake had about their lives and the important things they have and should be glad for. Although these details are interwoven with the plot moves, it still made me happy to see their feelings run deep and not just the ones they had for one another. I especially liked how Drake finally thought and looked at his family and felt genuinely happy he had them.

This has some emotional content I appreciated but it's not always perfect. 

The hero of the next story has even darker stuff in his emotions to deal with, I already bet he will be complicated to admit he deserves happiness...

Grade: 7/10

Lorraine Heath - When the Duke was Wicked

Lady Grace Mabry’s ample inheritance has made it impossible for her to tell whether a suitor is in love with her—or enamored of her riches. Who better to distinguish beau from blackguard than her notorious childhood friend, the Duke of Lovingdon?
After losing his beloved wife Juliette, Lovingdon has spent ten years on pleasure. He can help Grace find a proper match, being familiar with ploys of scoundrels, and how to distinguish honest emotions from false. But lessons lead to torrid passion and Grace becomes ensnared in another man’s nefarious marriage plot.

Comment: A couple years ago I've read the Scoundrels of St James series by this author and was impressed enough by the stories even those I didn't like as much.

I was, therefore, eager to try the sequel series too, this Scandalous Gentleman of St James, which features children from the couples of the first series.

In this first book of a new series but with cameos from beloved characters for those who have read the other series, we have as protagonist Grace Mabry, she's the daughter of Sterling and Franny. 

The other protagonist is the son of Olivia, now the duke of Lovingdon.

Grace and Lovingdon have known each other all their lives because their families are close but Lovingdon has married very young and has also lost his wife and small daughter, which means he has been in mourning. Grace feels like bringing him out to society again and she pretends she is considering men to be her husband and wants his input as to their suitability. 

In the meantime, they spend a long time together and Grace even shares Lovingdon's opinions on courtship with her friends. But does this game last or will they realize their friendship has room for more?

On paper, I suppose this had all the ingredients to be a good story for me, even despite the obvious friends-to-lovers trope which I don't like much...after all, how likely it is to realize after years you do like that person..the friendship is always affected.

Anyway, despite that I was still curious but to be honest, this ended up being a bit too meh for me and I can say it's not the fact they are better friends than a passionate romantic couple. What annoyed me a bit was the reluctance of such a clever guy as Lovingdon to just act accordingly to his personality and what we are told he used to be like.

Basically, the learn the families have been mostly happy but Lovingdon married young and feels guilty over the death of his wife and daughter. He has been mourning them since then and seems to have purposely isolated himself from most family affairs but wait, not from being with lovers or prostitutes if he feels like it.

I mean... for such a devoted man as we are told he was, even accepting he feels very guilty for something that, nevertheless, was not his fault, why does he have to be one of those (in my opinion) silly heroes that mourns by having sex wth strangers but stays away from his family?? Very well, I can imagine he might feel too much pressure from seeing their pity or any other more positive feeling while being too sad but if he has had such a good support system, if we are to believe the other series' HEAs, then why can't he cope while still being with his friends and family instead of strangers?

Some plot choices made to increase drama sometimes just feel like silly, easy paths.

As for Grace, she is a special heroine for certain but I wonder how realistic her portrayal was, even with the note th author included in the end about her scars.

Grace fears her scars might put off  husband that doesn't marry her for love, so she wants to avoid that and at the same time we know she has always felt something for Lovingdon besides friendship. I liked her side of the equation more and rooted for her, even when she went to unlikely situations to accomplish things. 

The romance between her and Lovingdon wasn't very good, though, mostly because to me it wasn't balanced and I was not convinced by his turn of heart after a yet another drama scene.

As for the book as a whole, I liked several details, I liked having the older characters being mentioned, it's always good to feel like you're returning to a happy place. This wasn't a perfect read for me but probably it was just my impression rather than a failure everyone would agree on.

Since I'm committed to the series, I do hope the next story is better.

Grade: 6/10

Lorraine Heath - The Last Wicked Scoundrel

William Graves is the last of Feagan's scoundrels. A onetime grave robber turned royal physician, he has devoted his life to saving others—because he knows there is no way to save himself. Especially not around a lady like Winnie. Though undeserving of her touch, he cannot resist. His passion cannot be tamed…even in the face of certain danger.
Winnie, the Duchess of Avendale, never knew peace until her brutal husband died. With William she's discovered burning desire—and the healing power of love. But now, confronted by the past she thought she'd left behind, Winnie must face her fears…or risk losing the one man who can fulfill all her dreams.

Comment: This is the last installment in the Scoundrels of St James series by Lorraine Heath. I've enjoyed all the books in the series and I was quite eager about this one, since book #1. This final book, however, has a change because it's only a novella when the others were full length stories and, in a way, I think this was what made it weaker in my eyes.

In this novella, we finally have William Graves' romance. He is a doctor, now even at the queen's service and is very well respected. Like the other boys, and Frannie, he was part of the group who survived the London streets. He was called in previous books to help in this or that situation, including when Winnie, Catherine's best friend, was hurt by her husband. We have been aware of a spark at that time but since Winnie was very fragile, nothing else was mentioned.

Now that Winnie has recovered, now that all their friends are happy, it's finally their time to see if happiness can be in their future. But William has a secret that Winnie will never accept. And strange clues are left for Winnie, she starts to doubt she is actually a widow...

This story suffers from a limited page count sort of syndrome. It's positive that we are familiar with all the characters, with the things that have happened (it is necessary to read the series in order for everything to make more sense) and that makes it easy when it comes to simply follow certain plot lines. But the fact this is a novella, means some things have to happen more quickly or aren't described with as much detail. I found this to be a negative point, because I finished the novella thinking it was way too quickly solved in order to be satisfying. Plus it wasn't fair in a way too, all the others had the chance to have their romance develop at a acceptable pace and this couple didn't.

The central point in the plot was how Winnie, years after becoming a widow, is finally ready to embrace life again and she wished William could be part of it. She got used to him while he took care of her, medically, but now she looks at him and sees a man she cares about and not only a doctor.

The problem is that she isn't completely confident he feels the same and she doesn't want to crate a situation that might ruin their friendship. Besides, she feels like someone is watching her and strange little things are happening, like a necklace showing up beneath her pillow when she knew it was in a safe or her husband's cologne in the air when no one else uses it. She thinks she might be going crazy and wonders if William will think that too.

William, however, certainly doesn't think crazy when he thinks of Winnie, he is very attracted to her and has been acting as a friend when he actually wants something more from her. He doesn't act because he fears she might not welcome his advances and also because he feels guilty by keeping the secret of how her husband really disappeared from her life.

Obviously, there are some tricky situations but eventually honesty is best way to deal with things. I just think that, considering the amount of time necessary to solve this and to develop the romance in a credible way, the author has picked a lot more things to deal with than she should. In a full book, this might be amazing but being this story a novella, less issues should have been done.

I think that, at the end of things, the romance, despite cute, wasn't explored as romantically as it could and we know they like each other but I would have liked more page scenes with them seducing each other or something. William is a great character and I kind of wish he had as much time to develop his HEA as the others had.

I liked this but it could have bee done better.

Grade: 6/10

Lorraine Heath - Midnight Pleasures With a Scoundrel

On a quest to avenge her sister's death, Eleanor Watkins never expected to fall for the man following her through pleasure gardens and into ballrooms. But soon nothing can keep her from the arms of the sinfully attractive scoundrel, not even the dangerous secrets she keeps. Strong, compassionate, and utterly irresistible, James is all she desires. But can she trust him enough to let herself succumb to all the pleasures that midnight allows?
James Swindler has worked hard to atone for his unsavory past. He is now as at home in London's glittering salons as he is in the roughest streets. But when the inspector is tasked with keeping watch on a mysterious lady suspected of nefarious deeds, he is determined to use his skills at seduction to lure Eleanor into revealing her plans. Instead, he is the one seduced, turning away from everything he holds dear in order to protect her—no matter the cost to his heart.

Comment: This is the fourth installment in the Scoundrel's of St James series by author Lorraine Heath. I've been reading the series for the past months and so far this has been more or less balanced and all the stories have been interesting.

This is the story of James Swindler, another of the boys part of the special group Lucien's grandfather helped when they were all children. James has developed a sense of justice during his teenage years so it was no surprise when he joined the Scotland Yard and is now considered one of their best detectives.

Eleanor Watkins is on a mission, she wants revenge from her sister's death at the hands of a rake. But he is nobility so she must investigate before acting and James is put on her tail to see what she would do and that way maybe they can protect the lord.

Both Eleanor and James start spending a lot of time together and their feelings get more obvious but it all seems irrelevant when the lord Eleanor was stalking is killed and soon after she disappears although having James as her alibi...

Overall, this was a good story, as intriguing as the others and it even had a special twist I didn't see coming! But the romance felt a little bit less romantic than the others. It was still sweet at times but because of the plot it all got a sense of not being as easy or without complications which means the story between them isn't totally independent from the plot line and that makes it a bit poetic, if we can say so, about the whole relationship.

The plot is quite ingenious and I was amazed by the twist a a certain point. I'm sure most readers thought about one things while reading but when the twist came out no one would expect it to be that way. I'm not telling as it will ruin the reading but let's just say all the notions most characters had about the heroine and why she was looking for revenge got a meaning no one would envision.

Obviously, this changed the tone of the story a bit and made it... well, not darker, but different from the expectations being build up to that moment. I wondered how romantic this could actually be from then on.

Of course, the author found a way to justify any action done and the end is the proof not all that appears is real because there were a couple more twists (less impressive but still) to solve everything in a way that would "save", so to speak, the protagonist's relationship.

James is the main focus here, despite everything. He is the one who belonged to the gang and after seeing his childhood friends all find love with a special person who not only deserves them but accepted them along with their past, he sort of wished the same could happen to him but we know he used to have feelings for Frannie (heroine book #3). I felt very glad to read at some point how the heroine changed his ways and made him realize how different it is when you are love and your feelings are reciprocated. I think one of the most touching scenes in the whole book was when James explained why he always seems rather sad and not as close to others. It was a very sad explanation but it all got better when he found love.

The heroine has secrets too but for a while it all seems to go a certain way. I liked how her heart was in the right place and everything she did was out of love and a need to find justice for a thing she couldn't change. What surrounds her actions I won't explain, it is part of the book's mystery but I'm very glad she is a true heroine.

Her relationship with James isn't always easy but it's good to see how they didn't give up and towards the end everyone worked together to solve the problems in action and to help James achieve his happiness.

Because I feel this isn't as immensely romantic as the others, I think it's one step down when comparing them but the epilogue is sweet and gives hope to any reader who imagines what can possibly be happening to beloved characters in the future.

Grade: 7/10

Lorraine Heath - Surrender to the Devil

Frannie Darling was once a child of London's roughest streets, surrounded by petty thieves, pickpockets, and worse. But though she survived this harsh upbringing to become a woman of incomparable beauty, Frannie wants nothing to do with the men who lust for her, the rogues who frequent the gaming hall where she works. She can take care of herself and feels perfectly safe on her own—safe, that is, until he strides into her world, and once again it becomes a very dangerous place indeed.
To bed her but not wed her. That's what Sterling Mabry, the eighth Duke of Greystone, wants. But Frannie abhors arrogant aristocrats interested only in their own pleasure. So why then does the thought of an illicit tryst with the devilish duke leave her trembling with desire? Her willing body begs for release...and a wicked, wonderful surrender.

Comment: This is the third installment in the Scoundrels of St James series by author Lorraine Heath. I enjoyed the previous books a lot and have been having fun with the "scoundrels", a group of children from the streets of London who are now grown ups and have different lives from those days of difficulties and poverty.

This is the story of Frannie Darling, the girl of the group. She had a similar childhood to all the boys, she learned how to pickpocket and how to play the part to deceive others but at 12 she was sold and lost her innocence. She never felt interested in any man until now. Her friend Luke married Catherine, the daughter of a duke and now, her brother, the current duke, is part of their lives and she feels attracted to him. Sensing he disapproves, she makes conversation but his opinion of her is disappointing...at least until they look at one another more seriously and what's between them can be as special as they never thought they could have...

I liked this book but I kind of expected to, considering my opinion of the previous installments. There are always weaker books but my expectation that a relationship between a girl from the poorer side of London and a duke proves to be interesting and captivating. Yes, it's not realistic or likely to have happened in real life but to be honest, I'm not completely against anachronisms s long as the plot makes sense and the characters act according to their personality.

The author has done a good job portraying the way the characters become who they are now. I like the details about their pasts aren't too long or talked about over and over. It's part of them, but the setting is now. We also learn a lot from character's actions and decisions and that's great because it makes the plot move along without being too boring.

One of the strongest things in the series, so far, has been the relationship between the childhood characters. Now that it's Frannie's turn on happiness, it was fun to seeing them defending her against Sterling when they thought he only wanted to use her. It doesn't mean they take up a lot of the scenes but when they do, it adds to the plot somehow.

Frannie is a good heroine, she has all the necessary elements to be likable and someone we would cheer for, despite her traumatic experience in the past. She is positive and hardworking and only wants what's best for the children who have no hopes, no home, no one to help them survive. Her goal is to build as many orphanages as she can, and schools so she can provide something for them. It's hard not to really like her but her weakest point I'd say is she's too perfect, so the almost sounds like she should be in a pedestal and it can look too angelic and less human than all of us. But it's  minor thing, the way the plot flows doesn't let the reader dwell on this too long.

Sterling, the Duke of Greystone, Catherine's brother, had a fall out with their father before he died and Sterling feels he was to blame and with the disappointment their father didn't want to speak with him again, not even just before he died. Now Sterling has a secret and he feels it's payback of sorts for his reckless years. He knows Frannie can only be someone he has for a while but with time it was so cute to see him fall in love, to see him defend her, to see him do everything to help her, even if it meant accepting orphans in his house temporarily.

Sterling and Frannie's relationship was sweet, not too unbalanced as I imagined by their ranks in society and the steps taken to be together, to be a help only added to the strength of their bond. There were a couple of times where everything felt a bit too easy, where it's difficult to imagine Society would accept their being together so easily or without more scandal but I admit it's not something that bothers me too much.

The HEA was sweet and romantic as expected, although some passages of the epilogue made me wonder if it wouldn't be better to focus on something different, rather than an overall image of their lives so often into the future...anyway, the story is still good. Not the best historical ever, but it had many strong points that made me glad I read it.

I hope the next one is as interesting, especially because it's the character that doesn't have as much presence as the others, even despite his work...

Grade: 8/10

Lorraine Heath - Between the Devil and Desire

The ladies of the ton won't stop whispering about deliciously wicked Jack Dodger—once a thieving street urchin, now the wealthy owner of London's most exclusive gentleman's club. There's no pleasure he hasn't enjoyed, no debauchery the handsome scoundrel won't provide for the lords who flock to his house of carnal intrigue.
Olivia, Duchess of Lovingdon, would never associate with such a rogue. So when Jack is named sole heir to the duke's personal possessions, the beautiful, well-bred lady is outraged. Now, Olivia is forced to share her beloved home with this despicable man.
But Olivia's icy disdain is no match for Jack's dangerous charm. His touch awakens desire. His kiss demands surrender. She will struggle to bar Jack from her heart...but her body, coveting divine release, will not let her bar him from her bed.

Comment: After having read and liked the first book in this Scoundrels of St James series, of course I would have to keep reading. This month I added this title to my list in hopes of keeping up with the adventures of the group of friends we met in book #1.

In this story we follow Jack Dodger, the risk taker of the group and the one the ones looked up to in trouble, not because Jack had the means to help them but because he would invent one way to make it so. But beneath Jack's appearance of nonchalance and indifference, he is very much attentive to his surroundings and with an anonymous helper, he managed to have his own business and became able to help many unfortunate ones like he and his friends used to be.

What Jack didn't expect was to be given the task to be guardian to a little boy, the son of a duke he was never friends with and he has no idea why he was chosen, even more so when the young widow and the boy's mother also has no clue about her late husband's idea. At first Jack only wants to provoke her out of her superior ways but getting to know her proves to be more challenging to his state of mind than what he ever imagined possible...

Months after reading the first book in the series I confess I didn't remember certain things but one thing is certain, the main ideas come to you because the author has inserted the needed information with precise splashes of knowledge without making it look like an info dump on readers. I no longer remembered certain things but I managed to have a global idea again without having to consult the first book. This is not easy to accomplish, so great work, author.

This story follows the first one pretty much right after and now we have Jack Dodger's tale. He seemed quite obnoxious and bent on his ways in book #1, in fact I think he is clearly shown in a not so positive light on purpose but now that we get to know him, his past, his fears and his hidden good guy personality, I think he is more than an worthy hero. I liked getting to know him better and his personality is quite tempered because he isn't perfect, he still acts rather sneaky at times but deep down he is as good any other hero.

The heroine, Olivia, seems one thing at first but she almost blooms from the moment she meets Jack and is more or less forced to interact with him. Se seems a bit too unmovable at first and that makes her hard to be likable but with time I think the author developed her personality well and one things is certain, she is a good, dedicated mother, even if slightly over the top here and there. But she had good reasons. 

I liked Olivia and Jack together, especially because it wasn't immediate and it wasn't done just because the story had to have a romance. Their relationship was believable and well paced.

The plot is interesting, I liked the slow development of everything...the bad guy/villain here is creepy, obviously that is on purpose but there is a certain lack of balance in the pace here. We barely have clues about why him and why like that and in the end all is found rather quickly. I don't mean to say we should have known about him and his motives sooner nor do I think more details were necessary, but some changes would have make him better matched with the rest of the plot moves.

There are some surprises that I didn't see coming. Ok, some were rather obvious, but I still don't think it had to be with those explanations. I get that the impact was much better that way but it still feels a bit too obvious at times and honestly, some explanations were avoidable, I mean, the story would have been perfect enough without the extra about Jack's parents identities, for instance.

I liked the secondary characters appearances, especially the couple from book #1 and the other friends, I now can't wait to have Franny's story.

Many readers prefer the author's western romances but I'm very fond of these regency stories as well and I'm looking for to read more.

Jack and Olivia ended up being a good couple and I wanted to keep reading all the time, so... that is a positive for me.

Grade: 8/10

Lorraine Heath - In Bed With the Devil

They call him the Devil Earl—a scoundrel and accused murderer who grew up on the violent London streets. A proper young lady risks more than her reputation when consorting with the roguishly handsome Lucian Langdon, but Lady Catherine Mabry believes she has no choice. To protect those she loves, she would do anything—even strike a bargain with the devil himself.
Lucian desires respectability and a wife above all else, but the woman of his choosing lacks the social graces to be accepted by the aristocracy. Catherine can help Lucian gain everything he wants. But what she asks for in exchange will put their very lives in jeopardy. When danger closes in, Catherine discovers a man of immense passion and he discovers a woman of immeasurable courage. As secrets from his dark past are revealed, Lucian begins to question everything he knows to be true, including the yearnings of his own heart.

Comment: This book caught my eye a long time ago and I was curious about it because I was used to read the author's historicals set in the US, with a different flavor and atmosphere...so I was curious how I would react to read her "voice" in a regency styled story. This title is the first in a series of five installments and if all are as engaging as this one, then this will be quite the successful series for me.

In this first book of the Scoundrels of St. James series, we have Lucian Langdon, a man with a earldom conquered after he killed the rightful heir of the time. However, the heir's father claimed Lucian was actually he lost grandson and decided to raise him as such. But Lucien couldn't forget his childhood among the scoundrels of London, pickpockets and orphans and always felt like an impostor. Having his own personal wealth, he is thinking about giving up the title to the son of the man he killed, but after meeting and talking with Lady Catherine Mabry due to a request of hers, he starts to doubt his past and wonder if happiness is what he thought he wanted or something he never imagined he would have...

I liked this story. It wasn't overly complicated despite some more intricate details concerning Lucien's past and some mystery surrounding his origins, but overall I was quite pleased by the way the story developed.

The plot revolves mostly around Catherine's request for Lucien to kill someone, considering his fame and all but he also asks something out of her in return, for her to teach etiquette to Frannie, the woman he has always wanted to marry. Frannie feels not good enough to behave in polite society, coming from a rough childhood as well, but Lucien believes Catherine, being the daughter of a duke, will help her. But the more Lucien and Catherine spend time together the more attracted to each other they become. When things get really decisive, Lucien must weight who he really loves as a man loves a woman. Of course we can guess how the HEA will be and I must say I loved seeing these two falling in love, slowly and step by step. I think the author did a good job in placing them in a position where their lives aren't only about the other one - we see them interacting with other characters many times, or on their own - but when they are together, even for the simpler of reasons, there's chemistry and emotion between them.

The author's voice is visible but the tone and atmosphere are clearly different from her other works. I had the feeling this book wasn't as heavy in the drama as her books set in the US were. Or maybe I haven't read enough to confirm that.

The plot wasn't complicated like I said but I liked how everything seemed to have a purpose and the reader gets to enjoy the story and still pay attention to several aspects without one of them domineering or some things not having the same importance.

The romance was good in my opinion. I liked the pace and how their relationship developed and how they got to know each other well slowly but in a steady way. I was convinced of their love for each other by the end of the book and it was important that the author took the time to show us, whether by small or more detailed scenes, how their feelings were getting more and more serious with time, even when they didn't explicitly admit it.

Lucien is a fascinating character and all his friends as well, so I have good faith the following books will be as interesting as this one. Catherine wasn't always what I expected, she did seem quite forwards, even despite her position in society allowing her to feel more free and firm in her decisions and actions, and in certain situations I thought a bit more care would have been nice, but overall, a good heroine.

All in all, the story is quite successful for me. Some details didn't win me over completely and I think at one time or another the pace seemed to not aid in the developing but thinking about it globally, it was a very entertaining historical and something I enjoyed quite a lot. So, this first installment won me over and made me curious about the other books, which I consider a success.

Grade: 8/10

Lorraine Heath - Always to Remember

After refusing to fight for the Confederacy, Clayton was spurned by everyone in his hometown of Cedar Grove. To Meg, who lost her husbands and brothers in the war, Clay's presence was a constant offense. As punishment, Meg commissioned Clay to create a memorial for the town's war heroes. But as she spent months watching him, Meg's feelings began to change.

Comment: I've heard so many good things about this book, I just had to try it myself. It was a while between knowing about it and getting it but now I finally scheduled it for this month's reads.

I was very eager to read this book and in fact, it was a wonderful read.

 

This is the story of Clayton, a man who refused to fight in the war between North and South, not only because he didn't think the south should be at war with the north but also because he didn't  want to kill a fellow man. Of course the rest of the small town where he lived thought him a coward, even more so when the rest of the town's young men all joined the army voluntarily.

Meg is a young widow of one such man. She overlooks the friendship between Clay and her late husband Kirk and at a moment of rage demands Clay sculpts a monument dedicated to those who bravely fought and died in the war, as a punishment for Clay's refusal to fight too.

But while the two of them talk and spend time together discussing the monument, how it should be, what would be inscribed in it, Meg stars to see a different side to Clay and starts to understand why he refused to kill other human beings... but will others ever change their minds about him?

 

I had a great time reading this story. The emotional aspect of it is very well done, even more so because the author inserted many little details, almost tender, and that gave the story an almost ethereal feel. I think the way the characters dealt with prejudice, lack of communication and just cultural situations and knowledge was very vivid and certainly believable. Of course, seen through our contemporary eyes, we like to think we are all understanding and magnanimous but things aren't that simple. The author did a good job portraying the difficulties Clay had to be heard, to make his feelings known. It's not often we find conscience objectors in historicals, so the author did a great job in showing that reality, which, I'm sure, happened more than we are led to think about.

 

I really liked Clay. His personality, his values, his behavior in trying to be a good man, to have a clean conscience, to not get revenge on those who talked about him, who attacked his beliefs... he showed good people have strength in their values and try to be honest and truthful. Of course Clay comes out as a bit too perfect, but sincerely, I think he was just adorable and amazing in how he treated others and respected them.

 

Meg, of course, was the one who had to learn to forgive and respect. Some readers think her unworthy of Clay because she takes too long to understand him and her acceptance at some point almost feels like a duty. I too felt a bit like that, but she acted as the alpha in this relationship, which was fun to watch. In a way, comparing them makes Clay even more special. I liked meg changed her mind, she realized Clay is not the gossip others talked about him, he's a person with feelings and for her to have an opinion, she had to know who he was. Their relationship was slow paced but cute and I really wanted things to work out for them.

 

I think the author used the right amounts of angst and sweetness in this story. I also think some situations could have been explored slightly better, or in ways that would display emotions a bit better. But all things considered, this was a great and romantic story, that showed how people can change their minds and forgive and how we should be truthful to ourselves, have a clean conscience and believe in those we love or care about.

 

I really liked this book. It's one of those stories that warms up our hearts and to be honest I don't know what else to say besides how much I liked it and how every romance reader should spend time with it. So... go out and read it.

Grade: 9/10