Category: Tracy’s Reviews

The Danger of Desire by Elizabeth Essex

On By TracyIn Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Danger of Desire (Dartmouth Brides #3)The Danger of Desire by Elizabeth Essex

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Dartmouth Brides #3
Release Date: 04/04/17 (Revised edition)

Please Note: This review is for the 2017 revised/reissued version.

I read the original version of this book years ago and I loved it – the changes in this new version are slight, but for all those who were upset that the hero was not a virgin in the original – you will be very happy with the revisions!

Captain Hugh McAlden has been recuperating from an injury that almost cost him his leg and is at loose ends. He has been asked by the admiralty to look into a delicate matter. His reward for a successful mission will be a knighthood and reinstatement of his command. Eager to get back on his ship, he accepts the mission and finds the perfect person to help him as he is leaving the admiralty building.

Meggs is a thief, she has been working the streets as a pickpocket for years to support herself and her younger brother. She is “working” outside the admiralty when she catches Hugh’s eye – shocked that she has been caught, she runs without hearing Hugh’s proposition. Hugh chases her through the streets and alleys of London and finally corners her. He tells Meggs what he needs her to do. Meggs takes his watch and manages to escape – but in the process, badly injuries her hand.

Intrigued by Hugh and worried for her brother, Meggs seeks Hugh out by taking his watch to the watchmaker and pretends to be trying to return it the owner. The watchmaker sends a note to Hugh
and when he comes to claim the watch, he meets with Meggs again. This time he gives her more information about what he wants to hire her for and gives her his direction.

Meggs decides that if Hugh is really willing to pay her, it would mean security for her and her brother, so she seeks out Hugh to make a deal and then collapses from complications of her injury.

Hugh nurses Meggs back to health and brings her brother to his house as well. When Meggs wakes, he tells her what he needs her to do and puts her to work in his house. As the days pass, the attraction between them grows and they dance around each other. Meggs is confused by her feelings for Hugh and can’t imagine a future with him, so when she is finally healed enough to go on the mission, she sets out determined to succeed and then set out on her new life.

When Meggs is nearly caught, Hugh realizes that Meggs means more to him than the mission and doesn’t want things to end between them. He enlists his mother to help him acclimate Meggs to society and makes provisions for her brother to train for the navy with his friend James Marlowe. At this point it appears that it will be smooth sailing to a HEA, but a surprising twist that leads to the truth about Meggs identity threatens to tear our lovers apart.

This book is well written, has funny moments, some very steamy love scenes, some intrigue, a lot of twists and turns and finally a very hard earned HEA. The book is the third in the trilogy, but it is loosely connected and could easily be read as a stand alone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for a Revised copy of this book that was provided to me by the author*

Confessions of a Dangerous Lord by Elisa Braden

On By TracyIn Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

Confessions of a Dangerous Lord (Rescued from Ruin Book 7)Confessions of a Dangerous Lord by Elisa Braden
Release Date:06/20/17
Series: Rescued from Ruin,#7

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Of all the books in this series, this book is my favorite (to date) and I would give it 10 stars if I could!

Lady Maureen Huxley has been in love with Henry Thorpe, the Earl of Dunston for years and considers him her dearest friend, there was a time when she thought that he might be more than a friend, but Henry made it clear that friendship was all he would offer.

Henry Thorpe has been in love with Maureen for years and would love nothing more than to marry her, he has been dissuading her suitors for years and keeping his true feelings for her hidden. Because Henry loves Maureen, he cannot bring her into his life right now, he has spent years hunting the ruthless villain that murdered his father and he fears that Maureen would become a target if he married her.

Maureen makes a final attempt to declare herself to Henry, but when he tells her he can not be the man she wants, she says goodbye and tells him she must move on with her life.

Henry is beside himself at the prospect of losing his love and frantically tries to find a way to keep her in his life. When Maureen is courted by the Earl of Holstoke, Henry seethes, when Holstoke asks her to marry him, Henry makes a decision and chooses love over his quest for vengeance. Now all he has to do is convince Maureen to forget everything he said before and agree to marry him.

Henry turns over all his information about the villain to Reaver, assures Maureen’s father that he is done with his quest, makes plans to marry Maureen and then hunts down his bride to be. Maureen has decided that she will marry Henry, but wants to turn down Holstoke’s proposal in person before she accepts Henry, she feels that that is the right thing to do, because even though she doesn’t love him, she does like him and would like to continue being friends. Unfortunately, Henry shows up and that plan is shot – he reacts badly to seeing Maureen with Holstoke and it takes a bit of doing to calm him down.

Henry and Maureen marry and on their wedding night all hell breaks loose and Henry becomes a man that Maureen doesn’t recognize. He whisks them away from town and barely speaks to her. It isn’t until they reach Colin and Sarah’s house that Maureen learns the truth of why Henry kept her at arms length for years. When she finds out the entire truth, she is shocked, hurt and very angry.

Henry and Maureen have a long road to reach their HEA, but thankfully, the argument between them regarding Henry’s deception does not drag on and on. They talk and Maureen is very forgiving and Henry is very sincere. But the villain is not done with our lovers and when Henry must return to London to hopefully end this once and for all – an unexpected twist puts Maureen in danger and threatens to destroy their dreams of a life together.

This book is well written, has very likable characters, some laugh out loud moments, some heartbreaking moments, some suspense, steamy love scenes, cameos from Harrison, Jane, Colin and Sarah and a very hard won HEA.

This is the seventh book in the series and it would probably be helpful to the reader to have read at least the second and third books, but the author does give enough backstory to make this enjoyable as a stand alone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC provided to me by the author.*