Romance

This starts off really well, but it's slow, boring and the hero although you can see his POV he is horrid. The ballroom bit when she advises him on mistresses was just ridiculous. I ended up skipping bits.
Such a shame. ( )

Good book that I read in one sitting. After three duels between Robert Whitworth and Dominic Wolfe, the Prince Regent has had enough. He orders that Robert's sister Brooke marry Dominic, expecting that will end the feud. If either party refuses the marriage, that family will lose their lands and titles. Neither Brooke's father nor her brother have any good feelings about her and are more than happy to send her off to the wilds of Yorkshire to marry Dominic. They are certain he'll refuse her, therefore losing his lands. Neither of them has any idea how happy she is to get away from them, and how determined she is to make the marriage work.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Brooke and Dominic. He's as determined as Robert to prevent the marriage from happening and plans to do everything he can to drive Brooke away. When Brooke arrives, Dominic still suffers from the wound he received in the last duel, which has made him even grumpier than usual. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Brooke stand up to him, especially when it came to treating his injury. There is also a spark of attraction underneath the antagonism. This is extra motivation for Brooke, as she sees it as a hopeful sign. Dominic is not happy about being attracted to his enemy's sister and works hard to resist it. But he finds himself admiring her spunk and determination, which makes it harder for him to push her away. I liked how Brooke took every opportunity to spend time with Dominic and show him what they could have together. Her persistence begins to pay off as Dominic accepts that the marriage will happen. A couple of nights alone under unusual circumstances brings the attraction to a head and a lift to Brooke's heart.

But fate sends Brooke and Dominic back to London before the marriage takes place. Brooke has realized the depth of her feelings for Dominic and wants him to be happy. The bargain that she offers him will give him what she thinks he wants. Dominic hasn't quite accepted his feelings for her but does know that what she offers isn't what he wants. I enjoyed the ball scene with all its complexity. Brooke's meeting with her mother was fraught with awkwardness, mostly caused by Brooke, but showed that things aren't always what they seem. I laughed at Brooke's attempts to direct things the way she thinks they ought to go as they somewhat backfire on her. The dances with Brooke and Dominic were terrific and showed the fire that burns between them. I liked how he realized that he didn't want the bargain she offered, and his method of playing along was pretty funny. There's unexpected interference at the end that pulls them apart. I ached for Brooke, who only wanted Dominic. I wanted to shake him because it seemed that he was letting the past keep him from admitting his feelings for Brooke. But he won me over in the end with the reasons he stayed away. I loved his big moment at the end.

The story of the feud between Dominic and Robert was good. I completely understood Dominic's anger and determination to make Robert pay. I ached for Dominic and his pain over the loss of the sister he loved. His grief affected him so deeply. I liked seeing hints of the old Dominic come out during his time with Brooke. I loved the way that Brooke wanted to ease his grief and the lengths she went to do so. There were some very interesting twists and turns as Brooke uncovered the story of Ella's death.

Although the book kept me hooked from beginning to end, it didn't have the intensity of some of her other works. The Malory books, especially the earlier ones, were more exciting. I liked their conflicts of personalities. The conflicts in this one were not as strong and seemed to be more easily resolved. ( )

Another great story from Johanna Lindsey. I love the historical aspects of her books as well as the great characters she brings to life. I am as always eager to read whatever she writes next. ( )

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