Tag: Maggie Dallen

A Gentleman’s Gamble by Maggie Dallen

On By TracyIn Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews1 Comment

A Gentleman's Gamble (Devilish Lords Book 3)A Gentleman’s Gamble by Maggie Dallen
Tracy’s rating: 4/4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Devilish Lords, #3

Release Date: August 21, 2018

Jeb Cleveland and Eliza Beaucraft have a past, two years ago Jeb hit rock bottom and almost took a wager that would have cost him is honor and a young girl’s reputation. But he realized his mistake and walked away – straight into Eliza, the sister of the woman he was going to wager over. Eliza tells Jeb in no uncertain terms exactly what she thinks of him and warns him to stay away from her sister.

Two years later, Eliza has a problem and now it is her turn to gamble. Her father wants her to marry his disgusting business partner, Eliza believed that she was well on her way to being a spinster and was fine with that. She is not a beauty, tends to be prickly and wants nothing more than to be independent. She hatches a plan, knowing Jeb to be a worthless rake with a gambling addiction, she decides to offer him a gamble he can’t pass up – her dowry in exchange for a marriage of convenience. He will get the money he needs to pay off his brother in law and she will be free of her abusive father, but the true lure is the risk, this is an all or nothing kind of bet – there is every chance her father will not pay him – she is hoping that the thrill of the uncertain outcome will be the thing he can’t pass up.

Eliza finagles an invitation to Georgie’s house party and allows her sister Mary to update her wardrobe and soften her hairstyle, not that she thinks it will help, she is doesn’t expect Jeb to want her – just her dowry.

When Jeb learns that Eliza will be at the party, he dreads seeing her, she reminds him of his failure, but he is shocked by her transformation and her cordialness, he wonders if she has forgiven him and hopes to get her alone to talk. As luck would have it, they meet by chance later that night and when she asks him to marry her, he agrees. She insists that theirs will be a white marriage, but he insists on sealing their deal with a kiss.

They set off for Gretna Green and form a friendship of sorts along the way, with Jeb, Eliza can be her blunt self and he likes that about her. Once they marry, he tries to learn more about her and her desires, but prickly Eliza responds by comparing him to his father. She realizes that she hurt him and tries to make amends and they end up kissing again. Afterwards, Eliza turns frigid again, but Jeb press her and answers her questions honestly.

Eliza begins to realize how badly she has misjudged him and begins to think that they could have a real marriage together. But when they return to London to face her father everything goes horribly wrong. But their time together changed Eliza and when she is faced with Jeb’s betrayal, she refuses to believe that he hurt her on purpose, but it doesn’t really matter, because whatever was between them is over and her father is the only winner in the gamble, or is he?

This was a very sweet, well written novella. There are a couple of heated kisses, but for the most part this is very low steam novella, with flawed characters, twists and turns, forgiveness and a very well done HEA.

The Duke’s Distraction by Maggie Dallen

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

A Duke's Distraction (Devilish Lords Book 2)A Duke’s Distraction by Maggie Dallen
Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Devilish Lords, #2

Release Date: June 20, 2018

Rhys Galwin, the Duke of Roxborough needs to find a bride, in fact he has a list and Georgette “Georgie” Cleveland is NOT on it!

Georgie has come to stay with her sister and brother-in-law for the season. She has high hopes for finding her own love match this season and may have already found him! Lord Malcolm Reynolds is the man of her dreams, he is handsome, charming and a poet! He hasn’t noticed her yet, but he will.

When Rhys accompanies Georgie and the family to a ball, Georgie spots her rival Mary with Lord Malcolm. She decides that Rhys is the perfect man to make Mary jealous, she commands Rhys to dance with her. Shocked by her forwardness, Rhys complies and is a bit annoyed, this dance will but a kink in his bride hunting! He scoffs when Georgie offers to help him find a bride – she is the LAST person he would ever ask for help, she is frivolous and doesn’t have any clue what is required of a duchess. But despite that, he feels oddly protective of her.

Her dance with Rhys did make Lord Malcolm take notice and he asks her to dance, but instead of feeling elated, she feels unsettled by him and when he asks her to meet him in secret, she is shocked. She wonders what she did to give him the impression that she was that type of girl. Later Rhys overhears Malcolm boasting to his friends that he will seduce Georgie, he intervenes and implies that he is interested in her and is glad that Malcolm isn’t considering her as a wife. He finds Georgie and forbids her to meet Malcolm, she didn’t plan on it and when he goes further and insults her family, she slaps him. They bicker and he kisses her!

Her friend Mary comes to visit and tells her of the gossip – Rhys wants to court her! WHAT?? She needs answers, she finds Rhys and confronts him, he is just about to kiss her again when his mother bursts in, she has heard the rumors and wants to do damage control. Georgie is confused by her feelings and wonders if she should give up on finding a love match.

Rhys tries to apologize about the kiss, but Georgie brushes it off and again offers to help him with his “list”. Georgie makes him laugh and he feels lighter than he has in years. Days later, the duchess tells her that she noticed her connection with Rhys and approves, Georgie pretends to misunderstand and the duchess doesn’t fall for it – she says she won’t tell Rhys of Georgie’s feelings – Georgie is overwhelmed, she isn’t falling in love with him! It was the kiss – yes, she needs to kiss him again! When Rhys happens upon her, she throws herself at him, he kisses her back, but then tells her he can’t marry her – she babbles and runs off.

Later that night, Rhys escapes the bride choosing soirée – he finds Lord Malcolm in his study and sends him away, Nic comes in and offers him some advice. Rhys realizes, that Georgie is the bride he wants and needs, but how can he convince her?? That is when he notices the “list” is missing. But he no longer needs a list – he has made his decision!

This is a delightful story with very likable leads, some heated kisses, wonderful secondary characters, a dash of humor and a very wonderful declaration scene. This is the second book in the series (third if you count the Wicked Earl’s book), but it can easily be read as a stand-alone title.