Series: The Gentleman Courtesans, #4
Traits & Tropes: damaged heroine, widow, wants a baby, hires a courtesan to do it
Genre/Setting: Historical; Regency; London/Lancashire, England, 1819
Publication Date: 07.23.20
Heat Rating: 4.5/5
Rating: 4.5/5
With his love of women and need for funds, working as a courtesan is the perfect solution for David Graham and has never felt much like work. With his father's passing, David has suddenly been saddled with a crumbling estate, unhappy tenants, and his mother and two younger sisters to care for. When he's offered a lucrative contract close to home, it seems like the solution to all his problems, until he learns exactly what the lady wants from him.
Recently widowed Regina Hurst is happy to be out from under the thumb of her cruel husband. Inheriting his entire wealth and vast estate ensures her independence, but she's lonely and longs for a child to love. She has no desire for an affair, so hiring a professional to achieve her goals seems the best option. She's certainly not prepared when her convenient arrangement leaves her questioning everything she ever believed about men and intimacy.
Upon meeting Regina, David finds her cold but soon delves deeper to reveal the pain she hides. The more she tries to keep up her frigid facade, the more David burns it down with his caring and patience. As he earns her trust, David finds himself breaking the number one rule of the Gentleman Courtesans: don't fall in love. Though he's loath to leave her when their arrangement is over, convincing Regina to trust him completely may be too much even for David's substantial charm.
I adored David and Regina together, especially once Regina finally started to give him a real chance. He was so sweet, patient, and gentle, and was just what she needed. My complaint is that I wasn't crazy seeing the hero in bed with another woman in the first scene. I'm not a fan of this and it can be a dealbreaker for me, though I have to say, given David's reputation and occupation, it is rather understandable here and I can overlook it. In fact, despite this being a typical no-go for me, I think here it did lend more gravity to David's depth of feeling when he did fall for Regina. I adored how hard he fell when it happened and I really appreciated how things came together fairly smoothly for these two and with little angst. I loved this book, maybe not quite as much as I wanted to, but it's still a keeper and one of my favorites of the series. I'm definitely looking forward to Darcy Stark's sure to be delicious narration. I'm also super excited for Benedict's book and the stories of the second wave of Gentleman Courtesans as well.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3443969629
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2828736055
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