Series: Raven Club, #2
Tropes & Traits: titled hero; enemies to lovers
Genre/Setting: Historical; London, England, 1825
Publication Date: 06.10.19
Heat Level: 4/5
Rating: 4/5 stars
Belle of the Beau Monde, Lady Ellie Swift quietly aspires to take over the running of her brother's well-known gambling den, the Raven Club, as the earl steps back to be with his wife and soon-to-be arriving child. Everything is going smoothly until the lost love who broke her heart then left for the army five years ago arrives on scene with the intention of buying the Raven.Rakish second son Hugh Vere never wanted or expected to become the Marquess of Deveril, but has left the army to assume his responsibilities. He's a topnotch boxer with a mind for business and a determination to have what he wants. Sparks fly between Hugh and Ellie immediately, even before her brother declares his intentions with regards to the club's future: Hugh and Ellie will compete for it and whoever proves to be the best manager after a month will win the club.
Ellie is furious at this betrayal by her own brother. She must retain her position at the club in order to continue helping battered women with no one else to turn to. She's certainly not risking her heart ever again either. Unfortunately, she can't control her body's reaction to Hugh, as much as she'd like to, especially when he makes known his intentions of keeping close to his competition.
Hugh craves order and control after his time as an officer and wants the club as something he can have for himself, apart from the marquesate. But Ellie has always been special and somehow he feels he must protect her, just as he tried to protect her years ago by letting her go, even if it was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. Now there is no one to stand between them and Hugh decides he wants more than just the Raven Club. He wants Ellie.
There may be some spoilers and/or ranting ahead: consider yourself warned.
These second chance stories always make me a bit sad because all I can think of is all the time they lost when they could've been together, but I suppose that's life. However, these two were very young when they first fell in love, so it was likely good that they had some time to grow and mature independently. Hugh's way of ending things in the first place was tactless but to be expected of a young man and he certainly grew up as a military officer while Ellie found her own purpose helping battered women. Unfortunately, they both keep making the same mistakes. They're both trying to stick to their present goals without letting their pasts get in the way, but there's too much history and latent feelings between them for that. These two fight their rekindling feelings very hard, Ellie because she won't have her life dictated for her and Hugh because he seeks to protect Ellie and do what he thinks best for her, even if he fails to consult her first. This consistent high-handedness is what drove me nuts about Hugh, along with the fact that he supposedly never got over Ellie, but had this long string of lovers in his wake. Don't get me wrong, I loved his interactions with Ellie, even when he was screwing things up royally, but this little issue was always in the back of my head nagging me.
Nevertheless and complaints aside, despite all the angst this one had a likable hero and heroine. The plot had some ongoing threat in the form of angry husbands and the heroine's motivations for wanting her independence were sensible rather than shallow. I couldn't put this book down and really enjoyed it overall.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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