Series: Gentlemen of Disrepute (Book 3)
Beautiful Marianne Winslow has had her share of
suitors -- and her share of scandal. Three engagements, no wedding… And
the ton is beginning to talk.
Smoldering Rafe Knight has lived the past fifteen years of his life with
one goal -- avenging the death of his parents. His final target? The
Earl of Misbourne. The perfect bartering tool? The Earl's daughter,
Marianne….
Held at gunpoint on Hounslow Heath, Marianne is taken captive by a
mysterious masked highwayman. Her father must pay the price -- but
Marianne finds more than vengeance in the highwayman's warm amber eyes….
Good book. Rafe kidnapped Marianne to use her as leverage against her father. Once he had her he discovered that she wasn't the spoiled girl he expected. She refused to believe the things he said about her father and had no problem standing up to him. Over the next few days he they found themselves to be attracted to each other. When Rafe's attempts to get what he needed from her father without endangering her, he returned her to her home. Marianne also found herself unwilling to assist her father in finding out who the highwayman is. Rafe made a point of encountering her several times over the next few days because he couldn't stay away from her. When one of these encounters ended up compromising her reputation, Rafe married her. Now he had to decide which was more important - his revenge or her love. I liked both Rafe and Marianne. I thought she handled her abduction pretty well. The only time she lost it was when she was left alone in the dark and we find out why that is later in the book. I liked the way that she stood up for her father when Rafe was telling her why he took her. When she returned home and overheard her father, she lost faith in his honor. She had started developing feelings for Rafe from the beginning, and then did her best to warn him of danger from her father and brother. When they ended up married she was amazed at his tenderness and patience with her fears. Rafe was really terrific too. I could see his intent on his revenge, but he was very good about making sure that Marianna was safe. The more he was with her the more he was drawn to her and her couldn't understand why. Even after he let her go he couldn't stay away from her. When they married he saw how panicked she was, he was incredibly patient at introducing her to passion. As things came to a conclusion there were a couple twists that I didn't see coming but certainly explained the tension on both sides of the problem. I loved learning more about Rafe and Marianne as the book went on - it made them more real to me.
Series: Gentlemen of Disrepute (Book 2)
Sebastian Hunter has shown his last hand at the
card table. Nights once spent womanizing and gambling are now spent in
the dark shadows of Blackloch Hall, staring out onto the wild windswept
Scottish moors.
That is, until the mysterious Phoebe Allardyce -- his mother's new and
far-too-pretty companion -- interrupts his brooding. After catching her
thieving, the master of the house has no choice but to keep a close eye
on this provocative little temptress....
Good book. After the death of his father, Sebastian has left his rakish ways behind and is devoting his time to the care of his estate. When his mother and her companion arrive to spend time, he is surprised by the identity of the companion. Phoebe had been accosted by highwaymen and rescued by Sebastian, but they had not exchanged names. Phoebe became a companion when she needed to find work after her father was imprisoned. Now someone is threatening her father if she doesn't find and steal a particular item from Blackloch Hall. When Sebastian catches her during one of her searches, he decides the best thing to do is keep a close eye on her. He can't figure out what she is looking for, since she hasn't taken anything like money or jewels. As time goes on and he gets to know her, he realizes that things just don't make sense. Except for this one thing, she appears to be an honest, compassionate and loving person. He is also strongly attracted to her, as she is to him. When they move to London, he comes to realize that it is more than attraction he feels for her, and tries to convince her to let him help. There are a couple of surprises at the climax of the story. I liked Phoebe and the way she was doing her best to help her father. I also liked the way that she was able to help Sebastian deal with the death of his father. She also wanted to protect her father and Sebastian from the threats of those after her. I liked Sebastian and the way he came to love and want to protect Phoebe.
Series: Gentlemen of Disrepute (Book 1)
With trembling hands Arabella dons the mask of Miss Noir for her first
night at Mrs. Silver's House of Pleasures. Thinking of her young son,
she prepares to smile prettily at the next gentleman who enters....
Dominic Furneaux, Duke of Arlesford, is stunned to see that the woman
who shattered his heart has fallen so low. He offers her a way out -- by
making her his mistress!
The temptation to reacquaint herself with Dominic's body is hard for
Arabella to resist, but Dominic needs only to look into the
Furneaux-blue eyes of her son to uncover Arabella's deepest secret...
Very good book. I really liked Arabella. She had done everything she could to try to support her mother and son, but had run out of options. When her worst nightmare happens and it is Dominic who buys her "favors" she is terrified that he will learn her secret. Dominic's reaction to seeing the woman who broke his heart is to make her his mistress. However, he finds that, even believing the worst of her, he cannot treat her badly. Each finds that their feelings for each other have not died. They also find out that they had been torn apart years before by the lies and deceptions of others. When he finds out about her son, he proposes marriage. But when Arabella is threatened with exposure, and harm to her son and Dominic, she breaks off their engagement. Dominic is furious and hurt at first, but then realizes that something was wrong. I really enjoyed seeing the way that Dominic worked to make things right, and loved the way he dealt with the blackmailer. The conclusion was fantastic. I am looking forward to reading Hunter's story.
