Tag Archives: Historical

Historical books are ones that take place prior to the time the book is written. Therefore a book that takes place in the 1980s but was written in that decade would not be a historical but a book written about the 1980s but written in 2015 would be a historical.

Review: Hero in the Highlands

Posted on by
Reply

I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: Hero in the HighlandsHero in the Highlands (No Ordinary Hero, #1) by Suzanne Enoch
Series: No Ordinary Hero #1
Published by St. Martin's Paperbacks on October 4th 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 384
Goodreads
four-stars

“Adam looked liked he’s swallowed a bug.  Gabriel, though, didn’t feel nearly as annoyed as his aide looked; she’d called him by his given name in front of someone else.  It shouldn’t have mattered in the slightest, but it did.  Covering his abrupt urge to smile by turning his back to collect Jack, he couldn’t explain even to himself what seemed to be happening, except that in the midst of this chaos and fristration at the stubborn nonsense keeping him from his duties, he felt…easier.  Not quite relaxed, because God knew he’s stepped from one battle direction into another, but lighter.  Because of her, and her relentless pushing at his well-established sensibilities.  It would never serve him in Spain, but here humor seemed to be an essential part of dealing with Highalnders and the Highlands.  And it felt like it had been a very long time since he’d laughed.”

FINAL DECISION:  The is an enjoyable read that is focused a lot on the plot.  The romance between Gabriel and Fiona is not that complex.  Definitely external problems that keep these two apart.

THE STORY:  Major Gabriel Forrester has dedicated his life to military service when he learns that he has inherited a dukedom he had no knowledge of.  Traveling to Scotland, Gabriel intends to investigate his holdings, put things in order and return to the war on the Continent.  When he arrives at his property, he find a curse, Highlanders unhappy with the arrival of the English Duke, sheep theft, and a woman acting as steward.  Fiona Blackstock wants nothing more than for the new duke to leave but she doesn’t know what to do with the man who doesn’t act like any duke Fiona expects.

OPINION:  This was the first Suzanne Enoch book I’ve read.  I don’t know how it compares with her other books, but I certainly will be reading more.

The story has a slow building romance without much emotional drama between Gabriel and Fiona.  This is a book that is grounded more in the plot with the drama centered there.  Gabriel and Fiona have a little conflict in the beginning, but as they recognize that they can have common goals, the conflict recedes and the plot drama increases.

I really, really liked Gabriel.  He is an honorable man who is trying to do the right thing.  Despite the anger and dismissal that he experiences in coming to the Highlands, he always considers the feelings of others.  He can understand and empathize.  And when he decides that Fiona is for him, he jumps in with all his heart and mind and talents.  He is willing to change everything for Fiona.

I liked the development of their relationship as partnership. When Gabriel commits himself to Fiona, he shows his willingness to listen, to learn, to take her counsel.  Sometimes a hero who has not obvious flaws is boring, but not Gabriel.  He struggles with finding his place in the world.  He works on learning how to take what he has learned as a soldier and adopt that to a civilian world.

Fiona was a bit more of a cypher and I while I liked her character, I never felt that I understood her as well as Gabriel in this book.  I suspect that there is more to learn about some of the events that formed her (especially the disappearance of her brother), but for me, there was just too much I don’t yet know.

WORTH MENTIONING: There are lot of books featuring a Scottish hero and an English heroine.  I liked the switch of having an English hero and Scottish heroine, a twist I haven’t read a lot of before.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  HERO IN THE HIGHLANDS is the first book in the No Ordinary Hero series.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: The Spinster and the Rake

Posted on by
Reply
Review: The Spinster and the RakeThe Spinster and the Rake by Anne Stuart
on August 15, 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 162
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION:  A sweet historical romance between a woman who has spent her life raising her brother’s children and a man who has plenty of notoriety behind him.  He brings animation into her life and she bring stability to his.

THE STORY:  Gillian Redfern has reached the age of thirty never having even been kissed.  Living with her brother and his family, Gillian takes care of the children and the household.  One night she meets Ronan Blakely, Marquis of Herrington who has been absent from England for twenty years.  Ronan is a true rake who left England in scandal.  Now he has returned as the Marquis.  When he meet Gillian, he thinks of making her break out of her comfortable world by turning his charm toward her.

OPINION:  I enjoyed this book tremendously.  It has a little dated feel to it (having been written in the early 1980s) but I loved Gillian as a character.  She is a woman who comes out of her shell and into her own as the book progresses.  She learns to reach out for what she wants in life rather than letting things happen to her.

Ronan is a true rake.  (Sometimes in modern books, rake is overused).  He has had notorious relationships (including an attempt to make off with a married woman).  I miss the opportunity to see his development as a character because much of his thinking remains murky (not uncommon in older romances).

I like how Ronan doesn’t know how to deal with Gillian.  Everything in the book was great until the ending.  There is a big twist that really wasn’t necessary and was brought up and resolved far too quickly.

I was amazed that so much story and character development was contained in so few pages.  I enjoyed it and this book reminds me that Anne Stuart has been a great writer for a long time.

WORTH MENTIONING:  This is a reissue (with a bit of new material) of a 1980s Candlelight Regency romance.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  This is a standalone.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: A Midsummer’s Kiss

Posted on by
Reply
Review: A Midsummer’s KissA Midsummer's Kiss (Farthingale Series Book 4) by Meara Platt
Series: Farthingale #4
on February 3rd 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 302
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION:  A gently developing romance with a hero with a broken leg and a reluctant betrothed, I loved that this book is about Laurel and Graelem talking and getting to know one another.  There are people plotting against them, but the true center of this book is the time Laurel and Graelem spent quietly together.

THE STORY:  Laurel Farthingale literally knocks Lord Graelem Dayne off his feet.  Unfortunately, it is because of her headstrong horse which manages to break Graelem’s leg.  The accident ends up with Laurel becoming betrothed to Graelem against her wishes.  Laurel loves and intends to marry a childhood friend.  As the two end up spending time together, Laurel sees a different side to the gruff Scot.  Graelem must marry Laurel because he needs to marry in a month in order to retain his inheritance.  While he came to London intending on having a business relationship with his future wife, Laurel’s caring nature seeps into the soul of a man who has been alone for a long time.

OPINION:  There is something I really enjoy about Platt’s characters.  They are all gentle, nice people.  Don’t get me wrong, they are not boring, but rather there is a tenderness to their personalities that I really enjoy.

Laurel is caring and nice and she is willing to protect those she cares about.  Even when Graelem annoys her, Laurel deeply feels his pain and wants to comfort him.  What is a triggering part of their relationship is that Graelem almost immediately wants to care for Laurel in return.  Without knowing her and having good reason to dislike her horse, Graelem shields Laurel and her horse from being separated.

The books has a different feel since Graelem is convalescing for much of the book.  This gives him a weakness that should not be attractive in a hero.  Yet it manages to do the opposite here.  Graelem always appears in control despite his physical limitations.

This book also contains a special relationship between Laurel and her sisters.  I enjoy the interaction between these sisters which isn’t stereotypical but rather feels deep and real.  I also enjoy the meddling Farthingale family in general.  They are annoying, loving, nosy, unfair, judgmental, supportive and everything that a real family is like.

WORTH MENTIONING:  Because of the unique order in which these books are written, there are intriguing reveals no matter what order you read the books in.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  A MIDSUMMER’S KISS is the fourth book in the Farthingale series.  It is actually a prequel to the other books in the series and can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: Rules for Reforming a Rake

Posted on by
Reply
Review: Rules for Reforming a RakeRules for Reforming a Rake (Farthingale, #3) by Meara Platt
Series: Farthingale #3
on May 21st 2015
Genres: Historical
Pages: 308
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION: I found this book so interesting because it was a different take on a plot that I have read before.  The characters were so likeable that I was completely satisfied to sink into their world and see how their difficulties would be resolved.

THE STORY:  Daisy Farthingale is determined to find the perfect suitor in order to regain her family’s regard.  Daisy voluntarily took the blame for an attempted elopement (but it wasn’t her).  Her family no longer trusts her opinions regarding men.  Daisy’s determination is challenged when she meets Lord Gabriel Dayne, rake and wastrel extraordinaire.  Despite her best intentions, Daisy finds herself attracted to Gabriel and she just senses that he is a better man than his reputation suggests.  Gabriel is indeed a better man but purposely cultivates a terrible reputation in order to disguise his missions as a spy against the French.  Gabriel cannot risk getting close to Daisy even as he finds her irresistible.  Gabriel must stay away from Daisy for both their sake.

OPINION:  What strikes me most about Platt’s Farthingale series is how likeable the characters are.  In every book, the characters seem like they would be people that I would enjoy meeting.  I also enjoy how each Farthingale sister is so different from the others.

In this book Daisy is the middle sister who wants to make things better.  She even took the blame for her older sister’s attempted elopement.  That act by Daisy has placed her in a difficult position in her family.  Although completely innocent, she is distrusted by her family.

In fact, Daisy and Gabriel are both seem incorrectly by their family.  Both have taken on actions not their own in order to protect.  Daisy to protect her sister; Gabriel to protect his country and those he loves.  It is therefore unsurprising that each recognizes something in the other and sees something beyond reputation.  This equivalency is done with deft care and a great deal of subtlety.

The romance is so sweet and I especially enjoyed how Gabriel is given reason to hope for a future by Daisy.  He is a damages soul that is healed by the gentleness and vivacity of Daisy.  I liked Gabriel a great deal and I loved that Daisy does not give up on Gabriel despite all indications.  She wants true love and when she finds it, she becomes determined.

This is not my favorite in the series, but it is really good and I look forward to going back in time and reading about Daisy’s older sister.  (We should also learn about the attempted elopement which gets Daisy in so much trouble).

WORTH MENTIONING:  I find the fact that this book is a prequel to the other two books in the series fascinating.  The remainder of the sisters’ stories will be told in reverse order.  What I like best about it is how rather than knowing about the past and having to wonder about what happens to the characters in the future, the future instead is already known and the past has many secrets.  This is a different way of building a series and I find it intellectually interesting what techniques Platt is using.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  RULES FOR REFORMING A RAKE is the third book in the Farthingale series.  The book is actually a prequel to the first two books and thus can be read as a true standalone.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: Dressed to Kiss

Posted on by
Reply
Review: Dressed to KissDressed to Kiss by Madeline Hunter, Caroline Linden, Megan Frampton, Myretta Robens
on September 12th 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 370
Goodreads
four-stars

This is a collection of four novellas tied together by characters connection to a dressmaker’s shop.  Madame Follette’s dressmaking shop has been declining for years due to changing fashions and the stubbornness of its owner.  Her children convince her to turn over operations to her daughter who struggles to revitalize the business in the shadow of the king’s coronation.

THE DUKE’S DRESSMAKER by Madeline Hunter:  Selina Fontaine is working at Madame Follette’s when Randall, Duke of Barrowmore comes back into her life.  Four years ago, Randall’s brother seduced and left her at Randall’s urging.  Selina knows that the Duke disapproves of her.  She now fears that he will expose her true identity and ruin her again.  By the description of this story, I expected more drama and angst.  Things are neatly explained in this story which was sweeter than I expected.  These two quickly manage to find out the truth about the past.  I liked the characters which is important in a short novella.  Rating: 4 stars.

THREADS OF LOVE by Myretta Robens:  Delyth Owen is a new dressmaker in the shop.  She loves vibrant and sometimes unfortunate color choices.  Simon Merrithew is the author of a fashion column.  He comes to ruin Delyth after she creates a too colorful dress for a friend that Simon believes was intentional.  When he meets her, however, Simon realizes that the bright colors are just a reflection of the joyful woman Delyth is.  This story was good, but I really didn’t feel drawn to Delyth at all.  She remained too insubstantial for me to root for her. I did enjoy the story and having a man interested in fashion was a novel experience. Rating: 3 stars.

NO ACCOUNTING FOR LOVE by Megan Frampton:  This is the story of the son of Madame Follette, Mr. Henry Dawkins.  Henry is the bookkeeper for the shop.  When Miss Katherine Grant walks into the shop, Henry can’t keep his eyes from her.  Katherine is a lady’s companion.  Unfortunately, her charge is drawn to the inappropriate Mr. Dawkins.  Henry is big and gentle and a bit shy and he desperately wants Katherine even if they are a social mismatch.  I really loved Henry’s character.  On this one, the story didn’t work as well for me, but I liked the characters.  Henry is definitely not your alpha male, but he is adorable.  Rating: 3.5 stars.

A FASHIONABLE AFFAIR by Caroline Linden:  This is the story of Miss Felicity Dawkins, daughter of the owner.  Felicity is struggling to reinvent the shop and return it to prominence. Evan Hewes, Earl of Carmarthen, wants to buy the shop to tear it down as part of his revitalization of the street.  This story could have been fascinating as a full novel.  In its shortened form, the personalities of the characters were not as well developed.  I liked the story, but it seemed like there was much more to find out.  Rating: 3.5 stars.

What would have made this collection amazing would have been an epilogue.  All these characters contracted such difficult marriage pairings that I would like to know what happened a year later.

four-stars

Review: No Mistress of Mine

Posted on by
Reply
Review: No Mistress of MineNo Mistress of Mine (An American Heiress in London, #4) by Laura Lee Guhrke
Series: An American Heiress in London #4
Published by Avon on August 30, 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 384
Goodreads
five-stars

‘He’d been ready to sacrifice everything dear to him, to turn his back on everyone else he loved, in order to keep her.  And then, she had left him.”

FINAL DECISION:  This is my favorite book of the series.  I loved just about everything about this book.  The characters were good people, intelligent and demonstrated growth in the story.  The romance was difficult and there was no magic solution for these two but rather a mature acceptance of the painful things that can go with love.

THE STORY:  Lord Denys Somerton has finally regained the respect of his family after a wild period where he fell for a cancan dancer and thought to make her his future countess until she abandoned him for another man.  Now Denys is considering marrying his childhood friend while managing his family businesses.  Then Lola Valentine walks back into his life.  Having inherited half a theater from the man she left Denys for, Lola has returned to London to fulfill her dream of being an actress.  Denys finds himself an unwilling business partner of Lola.  Denys knows that Lola is bad for him but he has never been able to resist her.

OPINION: I don’t if I can express how much I loved this book.  A fallen woman.  Class differences.  Hero is a genuine nice guy.  Heroine is smart.  Setting someplace other than the ton balls. Second chance at love.  Accepting love requires sacrifice.  This hit so many of the points that make my heart soft and gooey.

I loved Lola.  This woman is a survivor.  Intelligent and self made.  She has taken risks and brought herself so far.  And yet she is haunted by the choices she has made to get where she needs to be.  Being with Denys challenges her because she feels unworthy because of her past and because of their class differences.  She let Denys before in order to protect him from the sting of their relationship, but she also wanted to save herself.  She has returned, older and stronger and perhaps willing to try harder.

Denys is adorable.  I love that he acknowledges his mistakes and tries to remedies them.  He is also completely devoted to Lola.  Even when he is hurt from her actions, he still treats her with more respect than other people.  I like that he attempts to understand her.  When he realizes that he did not know Lola as well as he assumed, he takes actions to remedy that.  It takes a brave man to toss everything he loves away for a woman and an even stronger one to try and convince those he loves to support her.

The romance between Denys and Lola begins in this book with them being equals in a way that they were not in their prior relationship.  Lola, especially, feels the inequality between them so it means something for the two of them to be equal business partners.  Their equality in business which Denys accepts become a proxy or a more equal personal relationship.  Their equality also refreshingly comes into their acceptance of their sexual history.  Denys realizes that he cannot condemn Lola for her sexual experience in light of his own. He cannot judge Lola and that allows him to see her in way that is personal and meaningful.

I adored that this book is about two people recognizing their mistakes, learning to trust and talk to one another and then just jumping into love with all it’s complications and pitfalls.  At the end of this book, Denys and Lola know that not everyone will accept their love but the important ones will.

WORTH MENTIONING:  I hope Pongo eventually gets his own story.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  NO MISTRESS OF MINE is the fourth book in the An American Heiress in London series.  While characters from the other books make appearances, it is not necessary to have read those books to enjoy this one.  This book can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 5 stars.

five-stars

Review: A Spring Deception

Posted on by
Reply

I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: A Spring DeceptionA Spring Deception by Jess Michaels
Series: Seasons #2
Published by The Passionate Pen on September 6th 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 239
Goodreads
four-half-stars

“He had set the wheels in motion for the next phase of his investigation. And for her heartbreak, no matter how successfully this case ended.”

FINAL DECISION:  This was a book that slowly built the relationship between the hero and heroine.  By the time the book ended, I adored them as a couple.

THE STORY: Celia Fitzgilbert is recovering socially from a broken engagement when she meets the reclusive Duke of Clairemont.  There is something special between them from the moment they meet.  Celia is thrilled that she might actually find a man she can love.  But the Duke of Clairemont is actually an imposter who is masquerading as the duke to uncover a murderous traitor.

OPINION:  This one quietly crept up on me as a book I really enjoyed.  There was a bit of suspense in determining what happened to the real duke and also the story behind the hero.  What I loved best was that while the two were falling in love under false pretenses, the truth is that both had things to hide.  When the hero’s secret is revealed, Celia is shocked and upset but then realizes that there is much she can forgive.  The sweetness of their story after the big reveal made me love the romance between these two.  Everything seems hopeless and yet there is still a possibility for a happy ending.  Best of all, there is no magic wand at the end.  These two have to live with challenges because of the hero’s past but love makes all of it worthwhile.

I liked Celia as a character.  She is pragmatic and willing to forgive when I expected drama when the deceit is revealed.  To have the man she falls in love with go from a duke to a not-duke might be expected to make a woman despair about all she has lost.  But Celia truly only loves the hero and is willing to sacrifice much to be with him.

An oh, how I loved the hero.  I especially liked that he is truly a nice guy.  His conscience clearly bothers him as his interacts with Celia.  Accomplished and unexpected in what his story turns out to be.  Michaels does a great job of having seemingly unexpected pairs work well together.

There are a lot of secrets at play in this book and I don’t want to give away anything more.

I do want to say that I liked this book even more than the first in the series.  There was just an easiness with the characters and their relationship.  I expected more drama and angst and while there are many secrets to be revealed, the characters themselves have a core commitment to their feelings for one another that gave me a warm feeling.

WORTH MENTIONING:  Oh, I can’t wait to read what is going on with Stenfax.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  A SPRING DECEPTION is the second book in the Seasons series.  It can be read as standalone although there are connecting characters and an overarching story.  This book gives all the information a reader needs.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: Captured by a Gentleman

Posted on by
Reply
Review: Captured by a GentlemanCaptured by a Gentleman (Regency Unlaced 6) by Carole Mortimer
Series: Regency Unlaced #6
Published by Smashwords Edition on August 30th 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 117
Goodreads
four-half-stars

FINAL DECISION:  This is one of the better stories in a somewhat uneven series.  The story between Darcy and Ranulf is hot and well constructed for its novella length.  I liked the characters, the conflicts and the romance between the main characters.

THE STORY: Ranulf Montgomery will never be vulnerable to a woman again after his experience with his adulterous wife. Now a widower, Ranulf does not intend to fall victim again.  Then Ranulf discovers his deceased wife’s cousin hiding in his traveling coach.  Darcy Ambridge desperately needs Ranulf’s help to avoid the lecherous advances of her uncle. While Ranulf does not want to help, he cannot consider allowing Darcy to be abused.  As they travel, the passion between them flares out of control at the same time someone seems determined to murder Ranulf.

OPINION:  This is a fast read novella.  The story doesn’t feel particularly historical in many ways, but I liked the characters and the connection between them was hot and intense.  Ranulf is a damaged man who has remade himself after his wife’s deception.  I like how he treats Darcy with respect almost from the beginning despite his concerns and fears.  While the connection goes too quick for a full-length novel, in this shorter version, the pacing went well, the characters were sufficient for the length.  I enjoyed this book and think that it pairs well with the book which introduced Ranulf.

I recommend those who are willing to accept a quick read book that doesn’t always feel historically accurate but contains a fun story with likeable characters.

WORTH MENTIONING: This is a novella length story.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  CAPTURED BY THE GENTLEMAN is book 6 in the Regency Unlaced series. It can be read as a standalone although it is can be read as a sequel to TAKEN BY THE EARL (book 3).

STAR RATING:  I give this novella 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: If I Only Had a Duke

Posted on by
Reply
Review: If I Only Had a DukeIf I Only Had a Duke by Lenora Bell
Series: The Disgraceful Dukes #2
Published by Avon on August 30, 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 384
Goodreads
four-half-stars

“Thea had made an error of epic proportions.

A tall, broad-shouldered, duke-sized error.”

FINAL DECISION:  Rollicking road trip with a man haunted by his brother’s death and the woman whose plans he ruins by making her a social success.  Filled with humor and great emotion, I greatly enjoyed this book.

THE STORY:  After three disastrous seasons and an infamous jilting at the altar by the duke who ended up marrying her illegitimate half-sister, Lady Dorothea Beaumont intends to get through one last season and then retire to her aunt’s estate in Ireland and freedom.  Then, the Duke of Osborne decides to single her out and make her popular by waltzing with her.  Dalton believed that he was avoiding Thea’s desire to trap him into marriage, but his actions incense Thea who insists that he help her escape.  But Dalton has secrets including his search for the man who destroyed his family.

OPINION:  For me, the highlight of this book was the witty relationship between Dalton and Thea that deepens as they two travel together and learn one another’s secrets.  The two begin by exchanging letters (one of my favorite devices).  Amusing and revealing, the letters jump start their relationship.  By the time they encounter one another in London, they each already have plans on how to deal with the other.  Both Thea and Dalton have hidden scars that are not obvious in their society roles.

Thea has been raised her whole life to make the perfect match.  When her debut was a failure, Thea knew that her lack of perfection reduced her importance to her family.  Feeling as if her only value is her marriage prospects, unable to form real relationships with others and lonely beyond belief, Thea has allowed life to happen to her.  When her plans for her future are upset by the duke’s actions, she begins to find out who she really is.  I loved the amusing personas that Thea tries on during her journey with Dalton which are truly all facets of her becoming the woman she wants to be.

Dalton is a man who appears to be an aimless rake about town but is actually a man with a secret identity hunting for the man who murdered his younger brother.  He, too, has been emotionally abandoned by his family.  He has a hard protective shell around himself, but inside he cares deeply about people.

The story of who murdered Dalton’s brother had a surprising ending, which I enjoyed.  I thought the story was in good proportion with the romance.  Enough to keep the book interesting, but not so much as to overwhelm the romance.

I enjoyed this book even more than the first in the series.  I thought that the characters had a more interesting emotional journey and their romance was more complex.  While humor is key component to both books, this one felt more complete and emotional (a quality I especially like in my romances).

Bell is a new author and I’m glad I took a chance on reading her books.

WORTH MENTIONING:  This hero has a bit of the Robin Hood/Batman flavor without being a duplicate of those stories.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  IF I ONLY HAD A DUKE is the second book in the Disgraceful Dukes series. It can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: A Scot in the Dark

Posted on by
Reply
Review: A Scot in the DarkA Scot in the Dark (Scandal & Scoundrel #2) by Sarah MacLean
Series: Scandal & Scoundrel #2
Published by Avon on August 30, 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 400
Goodreads
five-stars

Raw, Powerful Story of the Scot Who Rides to Rescue of the Scandalous Woman Who Can Save Herself

“Of course, she was the instrument of her own saving.

She was magnificent enough to save herself and the world in the balance.

If only she could save him, as well.”

FINAL DECISION:  Simply awesome.  A book I will read again and again, I loved this story of a man who comes to save a damsel in distress and finds a woman who ends up saving him.  A story about embracing the human mistakes that we make and being worthy of love.

THE STORY:  Lillian Hargrove was reputed to be the most beautiful, perfect woman in England.  Perhaps for that reason, society is thrilled when it is revealed that Lillian has scandalously ruined herself by posing for a nude painting that will be exhibited in public.  At this moment, Alec Stuart, who had inherited the dukedom of Warnick, unexpectedly and unwanted.  Alec learned that he also had inherited a ward, Miss Hargrove.  Alec comes to London to save Lillian from her own foolishness.

OPINION:  I can’t speak highly enough of the beauty and power of these characters Lillian and Alec.  They both are highly damaged people as the book begins. Unwanted, ignored, rejected, they both make bad decisions in their lives that cause them shame even as both Lillian and Alec assert their independence.

“Flaws saw flaws.”

Like sees like and Alec and Lillian recognize in one another in their pain and flaws.  Alec recognizes Lillian first and his response to her “transgression” is more understanding than she expects.  I fell in love with Alec because he doesn’t judge Lillian in the way the world does.  Despite what one might expect from the storyline of this book the conflict between the characters is not about Lillian’s mistake in posing for the portrait or her sexuality.

As the story begins, Lillian seems like the stereotypical damsel in distress who is waiting for a man to come rescue her.  Appearances are not truth, however.  Although Alec comes to rescue Lillian in the ways of men, she neither wants nor needs to be redeemed by him.

“I am in the market for neither guardian nor savior.  Indeed, if the last few years have taught me anything, it is that I would do well to save myself.  Play my own guardian.”

Lillian is the heroine of her own story.  But she is not immune to needing Alec.  Lillian doesn’t need Alec to rescue her, but she does need him to believe in her, support her, show her an example of a decent and caring man.

Both Alec and Lillian desperately want love.  It leads them into their “scandalous” activities.  Alec and Lillian’s relationship allows them to accept their own failings and recognize that mistakes allow them the ability to recognize true love and the unfailing decency in one another.

What I loved about this book is that there is no magic wand, no pretending that the scandal did not happen.  These characters look beyond scandal, accept the mistakes themselves and each other have made, and find decency and love.

This book is deeply emotional and completely engaged in the relationship between these characters.  MacLean has a way of writing angst and pain that breaks my heart, engages my mind and makes my spirit soar when the happy ending arrives.

This book will end up on my favorite books of the year list.

WORTH MENTIONING: Fans of Sarah MacLean’s other books get some glimpses of some familiar (and perhaps unfamiliar) characters.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  A SCOT IN THE DARK is the second book in the Scandal & Scoundrel series.  Although there are some appearances by characters from other books, this book operates as a standalone.  No prior information is necessary.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 5 stars.

five-stars