Series: Goode Girls, #4
Traits & Tropes: scarred hero; virgin hero; hidden identity; bodyguard
Publication Date: 05.11.21
Genre/Setting: Historical; Victorian; London, England
Heat Level: 3
Rating: 4.5/5
Disfigured by time spent in fighting pits when he was a young boy, Gabriel Sauvageau has never known an affectionate touch in his life. He’s been the mastermind and enforcer behind one of London’s most notorious and ruthless smuggling outfits. Though he and his brother are working to leave that life behind and have changed their names and identities in an effort to start anew, Gabriel knows he still doesn’t deserve shy, innocent Felicity Goode. But he can’t stop himself from watching her, ensuring her safety, fantasizing about the soothing effects of her gentle nature on his tortured soul.
Felicity spends much of her time escaping the world in the pages of romance novels to find respite from her crippling anxiety and shyness, but she never plans to marry. She can scarcely even bring herself to form coherent sentences around men, but her father’s will stipulates she must marry into the aristocracy to inherit his vast wealth and successful shipping company. It’s the last thing she wants, and it makes her the target of many money-hungry suitors and several alarming threats on her life.
Felicity decides she must hire a bodyguard and when she literally runs into an obscenely large, rough-looking man on her stoop, she immediately knows he’s perfect for the job. Yet, paradoxically, the nerves she feels in his presence have nothing to do with fear.
There was so much going on in this book and it’s the first one I’ve read that has truly pulled me in for quite some time. I’m always a sucker for a virgin hero and this was even better as both Felicity and Gabriel were virgins who had to learn together. Neither was all that familiar with love or affection, especially Gabriel, who had only ever experienced pain and had only his brother to love. That learning here was lovely. Gabriel’s constant insistence on deifying Felicity did get a bit old but I loved that Felicity reminded him she had human flaws too and that they could be equal partners while bolstering one another’s weaker areas. The reunion of the family at the end and Gabriel’s outpouring of his feelings, and his realization that he now had a large family too, was heart wrenching in the best way. The undercurrent of suspense was just right and kept up a satisfactory tension in the story to temper the immense sweetness of the relationship developing between Felicity and Gabriel. I loved that Felicity was never afraid of Gabriel, even after seeing what he was capable of, and instead found her strength with and from him all the while slowly elevating his own sense of self-worth. I was so proud of her for going for what she wanted and refusing to let Gabriel push her away because he believed himself unworthy. My only complaint here is that the villain’s plan/reasoning really made no sense but I’m thinking this was intentional and meant to further illustrate madness. I adored the plot twist at the end but I’ll say no more about that, other than to recommend this series be read in order, as I merely bask in the warmth of two anxious people learning to conquer their fear with love.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/425976507
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3399304224
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