Series: Bow Street Runners, #3
Traits & Tropes: tortured hero; law enforcement; marriage of convenience; heroine in hiding
Publication Date: 05.26.15
Genre/Setting: Historical; Victorian; London, England, 1842
Heat Level: 7
Rating: 5 stars
Bow Street Runner Nick Gentry is well known for his skills as a thief-taker so when he’s hired to find Miss Charlotte Howard, he thinks this assignment will be a piece of cake. But when he meets the runaway bride, his perception changes as he realizes she’s hiding for good reason and there’s no way he can give her over to his client. Surprising even himself, Nick decides to offer her the best protection he can, marrying him instead.
Nick is very upfront from the first that their marriage will not merely be a convenient union in name only and Lottie agrees, despite her nervousness. Nick senses that she’ll be able to match him in every way and he’s surprised by just how true that is, and equally surprised by how much he wants more than just passion from her.
If you follow my reviews at all then you’ll know I’m a complete sucker for a tortured hero, especially if he’s protective of his heroine. Bonus points if she introduces him to love. This book ticked all those boxes for me, and I loved it. Nick is supposed to be collecting Lottie and returning her to the intended fiance she’s been running from for two years, but when Nick sees her, he has to have her for himself. Swoon. Especially when he explains his actions to her later on in the book. Nick had a very tough life and expected the absolute worst from everyone. I loved Lottie’s patience with him while also pushing him out of his comfort zone little by little. We also see Sophia and Ross from the previous book doing the same and I loved them becoming a real family. Nick’s transformation was enormous, but also gradual enough to be believable and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing him realign his priorities as he grew to realize just what Lottie really meant to him. I loved that he wanted more from Lottie and wasn’t quite sure how to go about getting it or making his wishes known and she perceived that and was able to help guide him along. She didn’t cow to him or back down and I loved that. He had his entire world turned upside down and she was there for him every step of the way, showing him a love he never expected to find and giving him a safe space to be vulnerable, just as he did for her. This book was a winner for me, it’s going on the keeper shelf, and I’m super glad I grabbed it as the next up in my physical TBR reading.
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/3906061652
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2375590069
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