February 2018 – Page 5 – Flippin' Pages Book Reviews

The Sins of Lord Lockwood by Meredith Duran

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Rules for the Reckless, #6

Release Date: February 27, 2018

I loved this book, it is a complex story with many layers that converge into an intense and gripping read.

The book opens days after William Devaliant, the Earl of Lockwood aka Liam marries Anna Wallace, the Countess of Forth (in her own right). He is aboard a prison hulk being beaten, he was abducted and traded for another prisoner. Later he realizes who orchestrated his abduction, his cousin Stephen and he vows revenge.

Fast forward 3 years, 8 months – Anna has left Scotland and traveled to London to confront her errant husband, he disappeared on their wedding night and she hasn’t heard from him since. But she learns he is back in England and is spending HER money and sponsoring artists in his London townhouse and she is going to set him straight. She enters the house and there is a party in full swing, she is appalled by his servants and the debauchery going on around her. She finds Liam on a sofa with a courtesan attached to him like a leech. He rises to greet her and tells her to leave. She refuses and tells him to send his “guests” home. Liam is not in good shape, he took some drug to gain oblivion, but it has only made him muddled. He can’t believe Anna is here and needs to send her on her way. She flat out refuses to go and wants answers – answers he is not willing to give.

Anna makes herself at home and takes every opportunity to vent her anger on Liam. She has come to town to settle some business matters and to get answers – so far she has only more questions. Liam is not the young man she married, but she sees glimpses of him. Where has he been and why did he leave her? The next day they talk again and he tells her what happened to him, but she thinks he is lying. She makes accusations that he does not deny and she seethes.

Liam doesn’t want Anna in his home, he has put his plan into motion and she is a complication he doesn’t need. But seeing her again brings back something he thought he lost, feelings, he FEELS for the first time in years and feelings he thought gone forever. And when she demands he give her an heir and lays down her rules, he agrees, but has a rule of his own. The passion between them is white hot, but neither is willing to bend and they wage a major war of wills.

Liam is no longer the young love-struck boy she married, the past four years have changed him, irrevocably. But Anna is no simpering maiden and she stands up to this new callous Liam. And when she learns the truth, Anna will stop at nothing to save Liam.

The story has several flashbacks to their first meeting, their courtship, wedding day and the fight they had before he disappeared. These flashbacks are well placed in the story and give the read a much better understanding of these two people.

This is not a light read, but neither is it overly dark. It is a meaty, stick to your ribs kind of story with two very flawed people finding their way back to each other, it is a story of revenge, acceptance, forgiveness and love. I was hooked from the first page, it is extremely well written and even with flashbacks, it is paced perfectly. There are steamy love scenes, moments of heartbreak and sorrow, moments of horror, great secondary characters (including Julian and Emma), a shocking twist and a very sweet epilogue. This is the sixth book in the series, but it could be read as a stand alone title with no problems. I loved this book and would be happy to recommend it!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review of an eARC provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*

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A Dream of Redemption by Bronwen Evans
Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Disgraced Lords, #8

Release Date: February 20, 2018

Lady Helen Hawkestone has decided to stop looking for a husband and let fate lead her to her perfect mate. She is the younger sister of Marisa, the Duchess of Lyttleton and Sebastian, the Marquess of Coldhurst and she has seen her brother and sister as well as their friends find their soulmates and will settle for nothing less for herself.

Fate thrusts the most unlikely candidate at her, Clarence Homeward aka Clarey, her sister’s personal secretary. Clarey was instrumental in rescuing Marisa from Victoria and in turn Marisa rescued him and his younger brother Simon from Angelo. Clarey has worked hard in the five years since to make sure he and Simon never ended up back on the streets and nothing and no one will deter him from his path, not even the absolutely gorgeous angel that he has been half in love with for five years. But fate clearly has other ideas.

When Helen offers to help with a newly acquired orphanage, so her sister can go on a surprise anniversary trip, Clarey is opposed, but Helen persists and Marisa gives in to her. Helen has long admired Clarey and most definitely appreciates his good looks, but besides spending time with him, she really wants to help.

Nothing could have prepared her for the harsh reality of the orphanage or her desire to help these children, against Clarey’s advice, she stays and learns that some children are missing – she tells Clarey they must be found. He goes to look and she finagles a way to follow him. He is livid when she shows up and when the fired orphanage master Glover spots them, he kisses her to throw him off their trail. As they return to the home, they are attacked and Clarey is injured. Helen feels awful and cares for him. They both feel the pull of attraction, but Clarey knows what he could lose if he pursues it but Helen wants to explore it. He asks her to go home and reluctantly she agrees, but this is not over between them.

When Clarey returns to work, Helen is waiting, he tries to keep her at arm’s length, but she is sure they could have a future. But Clarey has a dark past that Helen has no knowledge of, he tries to tell her, but she says she doesn’t care. He begins to think that maybe she does love him enough, but when a walk in the park has him encountering a person from his past, he knows that he will never be accepted. Helen is not going to let him walk away, she insists on taking him home after he is re-injured and they move beyond kisses, she tells him that he has to fight for her.

When he is warned off and tries to distance himself, she has doubts, but she still isn’t ready to give him up. She goes to his home and he tells her most of his past, she is shocked, but she still wants him, they make love and reality returns when her brother bursts in.

Helen stands up to Sebastian and will find a way to be with Clarey. But before she can get to him, Glover reappears and Helen is in danger. Clarey goes to the only man who can help him get her back, Sebastian. They find Helen and Glover reveals all of Clarey’s shame to her. Clarey is sure she will turn from him, but to his surprise, she tells Glover she doesn’t care and punches him, enabling a clear shot to kill him. Helen is saved, but that is not the end of their story, they still have to gain her families blessing and based on Sebastian’s reaction, that dream seems impossible.

This was a very emotional read, with a lot of darkness, triggers and angst – but I loved it. It was a beautiful story of acceptance, self-forgiveness, familial love and learning to not let your past define you. It did not have many light moments, but there is action and steamy love scenes, there are villains that get what they deserve and a very sweet epilogue that left me a little teary eyed.

If you have been following this series, you MUST read this book, if you are new to the series, it could be read as a stand alone, but it would be best to start at the beginning of the series and work your way to this book!!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*

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