Lord of Fortune by Darcy Burke

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Legendary Rogues #3
Publication Date: 4/24/18

I don’t think I know enough superlatives to describe this book! It is wonderfully, magically delicious. It sucked me in from the very first sentence and didn’t turn me loose – not even at the end because now I am so anxiously awaiting Gideon’s book. I’d like to thank the author for taking a three-year break in the series. No, I’m serious. I don’t know why she did it, but I’m glad she did – otherwise, I might not have found this outstanding series. It would have driven me insane if I had already read the first two books and had to wait this long for the next book in the series – but since I didn’t read those, I wouldn’t have found the series without the new release. I was only two chapters into the book before I knew I had to get the first two books and read them as well.

This wonderfully written, excellently plotted book is filled with fully developed and completely relatable characters. It is Indiana Jones meets Romancing the Stone. It is filled with excitement and you just never know what will happen next. I still want to know what is going to happen next – who is going to be the earl? Will Gideon use the stone to make someone fall in love with him? Will he collect all thirteen of the treasures? There is just so much still to learn! That next book is going to have to be a doozie as well if it is going to manage to wrap up all the loose ends!

Penn Bowen is an adventurer, a scholar, an antiquarian and maybe an earl. Well, scratch that last part because he certainly doesn’t want to be an earl. He absolutely loves his life of freedom and adventure. His life couldn’t be more perfect – he loves his parents, he loves his sister, he loves his job as assistant to Carlton Burgess who is the keeper of the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford – he just loves every part of his life. There is an item in the museum that Penn is sure is a fake and he fully intends to find the real one. The Heart of Llanllwch was found several years ago by Jonathan Gardiner and donated to the museum. Did Mr. Gardiner know it was a fake and wished to perpetrate a hoax or did he genuinely believe the Heart was authentic? He was a renowned scholar, translator, and antiquarian, so why would he wish to perpetrate a hoax on the museum. There is a dagger hidden somewhere and that dagger should have a clue to finding the Heart. Penn is determined to find that dagger and to then find the authentic Heart – wherever it is hidden!

Mrs. Amelia Gardiner Forrester is the granddaughter of Jonathon Gardiner. She adored her grandfather and she wants to do anything she can to fulfill one of the last promises she made to him. Find the dagger and keep it safe. He was incoherent at that point and she couldn’t get all of the details from him, but she had enough to point her in the right direction. Imagine her dismay when she arrives at a cave to search for the dagger only to find two men already there – and they have just retrieved the dagger. Well – what would any well-bred, demure lady of good breeding do in such a situation? She pulled a pistol on them and took the dagger back! Only to have a group of brigands take it from all of them. Now what?

That sets off a chase to all parts of England with Mrs. Forrester and Mr. Bowen having to work together to find the dagger and maybe even the real Heart. They are in London and Oxford and they spend time at the home of Penn’s parents – all researching.

Then – there is an exciting end – which I won’t tell you about – but be prepared to hold your breath and cross your fingers!

Penn’s dad is named Rhys Bowen – I just wondered if Ms. Burke was giving a nod to mystery author Rhys Bowen. Just something that caught my attention 

Great read! I loved it!

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