FINAL DECISION: My favorite of the series. I loved the couple and how the story played out. It was a good combination of the personal drama between the Beatrice and Sebastian and the overarching storyline.

THE STORY: After a duel where Sebastian Hawkestone, Marquis Coldhurst, kills her brother, Beatrice Hennessey and her family are in desperate straights. She comes to the docks to meet his ship with a proposition but instead she ends up being rescued from the Thames. She is rescued by Sebastian both from the Thames and from impending poverty. The two marry but Sebastian is determined that Beatrice will be perfect for the marriage of convenience he has planned after seeing his parents destroyed by the obsessive love for one another. At the same time, Sebastian is the focus of the enemy of the Libertine Scholars who is out to ruin and perhaps kill the men.

OPINION: This book is my favorite of the series. I enjoyed the interaction between Beatrice and Sebastian which begins as a spinster and rake story but has some interesting twists.

I liked the characters and this book is better developed than the first in the series (perhaps because everyone is introduced now). Beatrice is a woman who decides to sacrifice herself for the good of her family. (One negative is that we really don’t see her family so it is hard to put her sacrifice into context). She has been the responsible one in her family which has destroyed her marriage prospects because she has been given the nickname Henpeck Hennessey because she tried to turn her brother away from the vices in order to help their financial situation. Now Beatrice is stuck with the nickname, seasons without a match and no dowry. She is willing to do the only thing reasonable to her…convince her brother’s killer to marry her and save her family and sacrifice her dreams of love. I really liked how Beatrice is determined to make the best of her life and ultimately won’t sacrifice her dreams of more than a marriage of convenience with Sebastian.

Sebastian is a worthy hero. Although he is a rake and determined to live a life without the love that destroyed his parents, Sebastian is a good man. He cares for his sisters and is determined to right the damage done to Beatrice’s family — even if that means marrying her.

Watching Sebastian fall under Beatrice’s determined spell was fun to watch. As he finds the truth that love is not something that hurts, he and Beatrice build a relationship with one another.

I enjoyed the plot and drama in this one very much. A negative of the story is that, for me, Beatrice too quickly turns to her project of making Sebastian love her. Happened a little too quickly for my tastes.

WORTH MENTIONING: Spoiler but warning:  Some readers might be offended by Sebastian contemplating adultery and even engaging in some sexual situations with other women (although he ultimately rejects the women). I didn’t think it was serious but I know some readers don’t like sexual situations after the couple are together.

CONNECTED BOOKS: A PROMISE OF MORE is the second book in the Disgraced Lords series. This book has a continuing storyline that weaves the books together although each couple has its own book. While this book summarizes the events in the first book, I think this series is better read in order.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

FINAL DECISION: Intriguing premise and I liked the characters, but I thought the execution of the story was uneven. Parts of the story did not hold my interest and the romance was resolved too quickly with only external things keeping them apart.

THE STORY: Christian Trent, Earl of Markham, is determined to return to England after having been shanghaied to Canada by a duke who accused Christian of raping his daughter. Christian will return to England and repair his name. While in Canada he acquired a ward after the death of the family that took him in. So Christian needs a governess to accompany them back to England. Sarah Cooper, a widow, is desperate to get the job as she runs from the darkness of her past. She once saw Christian when she was a young girl and had a crush on him. But Christian doesn’t know who she is, which is good because she is disguising herself — she is actually the daughter of a duke.

OPINION: I liked this book, but it has its weaknesses.

The positives: I liked Christian and Sarah as a couple. The story is very sexy and hot. I also enjoyed the premise of the story and the beginnings of the overarching storyline of the series. The other characters also make appearances here and I liked seeing how everything began.

The weaknesses: Too much needs to be explained in the beginning as everything is set up for the series. Too many new characters and stories mean that the momentum of the main storyline is stopped quite a bit. I also didn’t always enjoy the resolution of the problems that Sarah and Christian have. Sometimes things were too neat and quickly fixed for what should be extended and dramatic.

Overall, I liked this book knowing that there are other stories coming that I liked better. This book acts as a setup.

WORTH MENTIONING: This series has a continuing overarching storyline even as each book follows a different couple. The series is really meant to be read together in order. (I actually read the last books first and I think it would have been better to read in order).

CONNECTED BOOKS: A KISS OF LIES is the first book in the Disgraced Lords series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3 stars.