Why I read it: I bought it because: Jo Beverley and because: Company of Rogues. Duh.
What it’s about: (from Goodreads) The man she shouldn’t want. The woman he shouldn’t marry…
David Kerslake, smuggling master from The Dragon’s Bride, is now Earl of Wyvern and must survive the ton as well as the Preventive Officers.
Lucy Potter, daughter of a wealthy merchant, is more interested in trade than in the men after her dowry. When forced to have a London season, she sets out to enjoy herself rather than to find a husband. But once she meets the notorious Earl of Wyvern, her resolve weakens, and when they kiss, it dissolves—even though her instincts warn he’s dangerous.
Wyvern has a dark secret, which means he must win a rich bride. Lucinda Potter seems ideal. Not for her beauty and her lively charm, but because at first meeting she seems unlikely to realize the truth.
As he comes to know her, however, as they spar and kiss, he realizes she’s too clever and honest by far. Marrying Lucy would mean living a lie with the woman he has come to love….
What worked for me (and what didn’t): It’s been 7 years since I read a Rogues book. Not all of the Rogues feature here and most of them aren’t on page very much. Nicholas Delaney does his usual machinations to make things turn out right but once he’s done his deed, he’s out of the story too. It was nice to visit with the Rogues again but I can’t say this book was particularly memorable for me. There wasn’t all that much keeping Lucy and David apart and when they are faced with a problem, acting like the sensible adults they are, they talk about it frankly – and the obstacle is thus quickly resolved. That meant, as much as I appreciated they were grown ups who could communicate, the tension quotient in the story was low.
Fairly late in the piece, Lucy’s father presents a barrier to David’s and Lucy’s match but given that Lucy is of age and independently wealthy, that wasn’t much of a conflict either. I’m sure that kind of thing would, in real life, be the source of angst and tension but in a romance novel it lacked sizzle for me.
I did enjoy reading about The City and the way people who lived there looked down upon the Beau Monde and vice versa and the Author’s Note in the back about the square mile which is actually the City of London was interesting as well.
I liked David and Lucy and I’m happy they’re together. I’m certain they will be (were?) very happy. But that’s the thing really. They were so well suited from the start, with their somewhat unusual backgrounds, (also: insta-love alert) and while each of the barriers keeping them from their HEA seemed like it would be difficult to surmount, what actually happened was that they were knocked down like flimsy nine-pins, one after the other. Things were neatly and quickly resolved.
Lucy couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m only imagining what my father would say to such a sentiment.”
“A hardheaded businessman, I assume,” said Sir Nathaniel and Lucy detected a bit of disapproval.
She ignored it. “He’s had to be, making his way up from nothing.” She saw they didn’t understand, so she told them his history, which changed their attitudes.
See? Problem solved within a couple of sentences. Even the big finale was so quickly over it kind of fizzled for me.
I liked it (it is, after all, both a Jo Beverley book and a Rogues book) but it didn’t wow me.
Grade: C
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I have this in Mount TBR bought as you say; cos JB cos Rogues. Will happily read (cos JB cos Rogues) but it hasn’t grabbed me by the throat as I’ve dipped into pages looking for the book to read right now.
@Merrian: I liked it well enough but it lacked the compelling conflict which drives one to stay up too late reading. I’d recommend it for when you want to read something that’s easy and comfortable with a low angst factor.
You’ve read the Rogues books fairly recently thought haven’t your Merrian? I’ll be curious to see what your take is on Nicholas and Eleanor’s dynamic in this book. My memory may be failing me but I thought the picture was a bit rosier than I had been expecting. But it’s been 7 years since I read a Rogues book and there have been so many books in between that I may well be misremembering.
@Kaetrin: Will read with an eye out for N and E. My last real memory of them is their PTSD appearance after their daughter’s kidnap and recovery. I’ve always found Nicholas about too high handed and manipulative and my memory of his and Eleanor’s early days worries me a bit.
My recollection was that E was resentful of N because her relationship with her daughter had changed but there didn’t seem to be any sniff of it here. I looked quickly through Lady Beware (print so no easy search >.<) and what I could find didn't indicate a problem between them so maybe that particular story (from whatever book) just stood out to me? Nicholas plays his usual manipulative self with the sphinx-like visage. It is somewhat convenient.