Why I read it: I listened to My Sweet Folly recently and that put me in the mood for a rich and lush historical. I thought this one from my giant TBR pile might be just the ticket.
What it’s about: (from Goodreads) By candlelight she lures him…
Glittering court socialites and underworld cutpurses alike know that Adrian Ferrers, Earl of Rivenham, is the most dangerous man in London. Rivenham will let nothing—not the deepening shadow of war, nor the growing darkness within him—interfere with his ambition to restore his family to its former glory. But when tasked by the king to uncover a traitor, he discovers instead a conspiracy—and a woman whose courage awakens terrible temptations. To save her is to risk everything. To love her might cost his life.
At swordpoint she defies him…
Lady Leonora knows that Rivenham is the devil in beautiful disguise— and that the irresistible tension between them is as unpredictable as the dilemma in which Nora finds herself: held hostage on her own estate by Rivenham and the king’s men. But when war breaks out, Nora has no choice but to place her trust in her dearest enemy—and pray that love does not become the weapon that destroys them both.
What worked for me (and what didn’t): The central conflict of the story is widowed Nora being torn by the love she has for her brother, David, who is a Jacobite rebel and her love for Adrian, Earl of Rivenham – who is a man loyal to the King. For much of the book, I wondered how on earth the story could end happily. Nora has a choice to make – she cannot support both her brother and Adrian. She tries hard to walk a middle line but it is impossible. If she chooses David, she will lose her love (and he might lose his life), if she chooses Adrian, she will most likely watch his execution.
