by Grace Burrowes
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: June 1, 2011
Source: sent by publisher
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Summary from goodreads.com:
This Regency era battle of wits, wills, and the sexes features a wily duke determined to see the succession of his line secured. The duke can't force his sons to marry, but he can make their lives miserable until they do. Resisting his pressure, each gentleman holds out for true love.
The second book in the series features Devlin St. Just, the duke's oldest, but illegitimate, son. He arrives at his new estate weary in body and spirit only to find the previous owner's bastard daughter and her beautiful cousin are his responsibility and making his life almost unbearably complicated.
My Review:
Wow, I loved this book! This was one of the more heartfelt romances I've read for a long time. Some scenes are real tearjerkers, but there's still a lot of hope and glimpses of the sun peeking through the clouds.
Devlin was, when it's all said and done, the perfect tortured hero. His years at war gave him many emotional scars to heal. But he was still nothing but considerate and caring. Sure he was a little grouchy at times, but he was never less than respectful and loving to his family and loved ones. He even takes a child into his home to raise, who is a complete stranger.
There is so much love between Devlin and Emmie, you can feel the intensity flying off the page. For the most part, they were friends first, and their love developed into something deep and meaningful over the course of the book.
The secondary characters were fantastic, too. Val, Devlin's brother, was adorable and I would love to see the solitary and sensitive musician get his own story.
The first 3/4 of the book was so wonderful that I found myself disappointed in the last 100 or so pages. I just could not understand Emmie's reasoning for her behavior. When a perfect solution presents itself, why fight it for 100 pages?
Main Characters: 5/5
Supporting Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Romance: 5/5
Uniqueness: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Bottom Line: I absolutely loved this book. It was a real love story with two real, and really scarred, people. I can't wait to read more from this amazing author.