Series: The Duke Hunt, #2
Traits & Tropes: heroine in trouble; self-made hero
Publication Date: 02.22.22
Genre/Setting: Historical; Regency; London/Shropshire, England
Heat Level: 3
Rating: 5/5
Silas Masters has become one of the most powerful men in London as the owner of one of the most successful gambling dens in the city. He’s both revered and feared by men and seen as an object of desire by women, but Mercy Kittinger doesn’t see him that way at all. The dastardly man has won her family home in a game of cards against her useless brother and now it’s up to Mercy to sneak into his rooms and steal back the vowel. But of course, her plan goes awry when Silas returns to his rooms just as Mercy is trying to slip away. With no excuse for being where she definitely should not be, Mercy seduces Silas into a night of passion, thereby distracting him and then leaving before sunrise with the vowel securely in her possession.
Mercy returns to her quiet country life and resumes her normal routine, and though she burns at the memory of the night she spent with an unexpectedly compelling man, she’s thankful that she’ll never have to cross paths with him again.
Silas Masters does not take kindly to thieves, even beautiful, seductive ones. He notices the missing vowel, deduces what happened, and sets off in pursuit to give Mercy a taste of her own medicine.
The first book in this series was a bit blah for me so I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one and I was therefore shocked by how much I loved it. Mercy and Silas were just fabulous together. I loved how she roused his protective instincts and yet was so independent and it was ultimately her who had to be strong and declare herself to him. I found it quite interesting that in this case it was the hero who was insecure and afraid of rejection. Mercy and Silas were an excellent match, and both needed each other more than I think either even realized at first. Their chemistry was explosive from the beginning, and I greatly enjoyed that much of the time Mercy was the aggressor and Silas was just bowled over by her and by his unexpected reaction to her. It was utterly charming to see Silas just completely mind blown and flummoxed by Mercy, only to wake without her and find himself setting off in pursuit of her despite all his other responsibilities. Silas and Mercy were both flawed, real, relatable characters and I loved that they grew together and brought out the best in each other. Neither of them had really ever had someone they could rely on, and it was nice to see them develop that dynamic over the course of Silas’ time in the country without them realizing it was even happening. The chemistry between Mercy and Silas just leapt off the pages anytime they were in proximity to one another in such a way that it made this book really special. Call me old fashioned but I’m a sucker for a hero who defends his lady and we got that here along with a capable and sexually aggressive heroine and I couldn’t have been more on board with it and how well done it was in this book. I loved this story, and I can’t wait for Gwen’s book now.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4088792308
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/4225243497
Comments
Post a Comment