@LSmithAuthor – Page 2 – Flippin' Pages Book Reviews

The Gentleman’s Seduction by Lauren Smith

Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Seduction #4
Publication Date: 1/7/19
Number of Pages: 222

This is an excellently told tale of romance, and revenge gone awry. I loved both the hero and the heroine. The poor hero started out trying to be a villain by ruining the man who had ruined his family eleven years ago. It didn’t take him long to come to understand that revenge wasn’t quite as sweet as he thought it would be.

Martin Banks is now a very, very, very rich man, but that wasn’t always the case. Eleven years ago, near Christmas, an evil man visited ruin and death upon his family. Martin would like nothing better than to find that man and bring that same loss and ruination to him. Finally, for the first time in eleven years, Martin has come across the villain. He certainly doesn’t resemble that formidable, evil man that brought the evil to young Martin’s home. So much the better for Martin because desperate men wager recklessly. It doesn’t take long for Martin to win everything the man owns. Ah! Revenge! Martin informs the man that he’ll call on him the next day to collect his winnings.

Lavinia (Livvy) Hartwell is in the midst of her first season, but she hasn’t seen any prospective husbands that appeal to her. Maybe she doesn’t attract suitors because her clothes are threadbare and several seasons out of style. Livvy also has a vice – yep – she reads gothic novels. As a matter of fact, she’s closeted in her room reading Lady Leticia and the Dark Duke, when she hears her father shouting, “Elizabeth! He’s here!” Livvy rushed from her room and ended up eavesdropping at the door of the drawing room. What she hears is astounding. They are to be turned out of their home tomorrow. Goodness – she just has to intervene – surely the man has some decency – so she burst into the room.

Martin hadn’t realized that Hartwell had a daughter. Ah! That sweet revenge again. He’d take Hartwell’s daughter from him since Hartwell had taken Martin’s mother from him. So, he tells Hartwell that he’ll take Livvy to be his mistress and that will cancel Hartwell’s debt. Hartwell declines, but eventually, to save her home, Livvy agrees.

It seems that Martin is a bit impulsive. He has absolutely no idea what he is now going to do with Livvy. He certainly hadn’t thought through all of the ramifications of he had done. He certainly isn’t going to force himself on her. We soon find that Martin isn’t half the villain he is trying to be and he is out of his depths in this situation.

It is lovely to see Livvy and Martin spend time together and to get the know each other – and yes – to love each other even though Martin adamantly denies it. He cannot – he absolutely refuses – to fall in love with the daughter of the man who caused his family’s ruin and ultimately cost him both of his parents. Believe me – Martin is one hard-headed fellow and it takes a near-tragedy to open his eyes to what he could have.

I definitely recommend this book.

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The Last Wicked Rogue by Lauren Smith

Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The League of Rogues #9
Publication Date: 11/14/18

Charles’ long-awaited book is finally here and it was definitely worth the wait. It hits the ground running and doesn’t let up until the last page – you absolutely won’t be able to put it down. It is filled with excitement, deviousness, life-long friendships, cunning, plots, and a to-die-for romance. Sadly, it is the last of the books for the main group of Rogues, but wonderfully, it isn’t the last of the series. The series will continue with the siblings of the Rogues and their wives and who knows – maybe on down to the children of the Rogues. The book is so exciting that I’m going to have a hard time not including spoilers in the review simply because once I start writing about it, I don’t think I can quit! I see many edits in the future for this review.

You’ll still find excerpts from the Lady Society column interspersed throughout the book and they are always fun to read. You’ll also find spots of humor. As a matter of fact, the very first chapter begins with a humorous scene that showcases the friendship between the Rogues.

Charles Humphrey, the Earl of Lonsdale, has gotten more and more lonely, restless, and almost despairing over the last year. Each of his friends in the League of Rogues has found love and started families and while they still try to include him, he still somehow feels separate and alone. He finds himself more and more often participating in dangerous pass times. One of those is boxing – not at Gentleman Jackson’s, but in the Lewis Street Tunnels. Those are dangerous places to be – very dangerous. While there one night, his would-be opponent wagers a woman, a very unwilling woman, as the prize. Charles cannot let the woman stay with these brutes, so he has to win. Luckily, he is smart, cunning and very good at boxing. Once he has won, he leaves with the woman, she kisses him, tells him her name is Lily, distracts him and disappears. He’s never met such an intriguing woman and he can’t stop thinking of her.

Lily Linley is a woman with many, many secrets and none of them are good – well – except for one. In disguise, she’s spent a lot of time with Charles and she is petrified that he recognized her when he rescued her. He can’t find out her secrets – even though she’s come to admire him – a lot. You’ll love Lily! She had some awful things happen to her, but she is smart and resourceful and has learned to survive within the parameters in which she has to live. If you want a strong heroine, Lily is it.

Hugo is ready to set his end-game in motion and finally have his revenge on Charles and the League. We finally learn all of the history between Charles and Hugo – even Charles doesn’t know all of it. We learn what has driven Hugo to such intense hatred. Hugo has all of his spies in place and he knows what is going on in each of the Leaguer’s home, now it is time for them to act and end it all.

I really wanted to learn more about Phillip Wilkes, the Earl of Kent. I hope that the reason that we didn’t see what happened to him is that he’ll have his own book in the future. If not, I’m disappointed in that. I think maybe he’ll have a book with Charles’ sister.

I highly recommend the book. It is filled with wonderful characters, a lovely romance and non-stop action. You’ll never know what will happen next. You know something will happen, but you don’t know what.

“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

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