Series: Lady Charlotte's Society of Angels, #2
Traits & Tropes: class difference; wrong side of the tracks hero; mystery; childhood acquaintance; scarred hero; illegitimate hero
Publication Date: 09.09.21
Genre/Setting: Historical; Victorian; London, England, 1849
Heat Level: 6
Rating: 4/5
Narration Rating: 5/5
With her marriage cut short by tragedy, Pippa, now the widowed Countess of Longmere, wants nothing to do with love again. Now she’s finally determined to live on her own terms and that means throwing herself into her work with Lady Charlotte Fayne’s investigative agency. But her latest mission sees Pippa crossing paths with a man she once knew when they were both children, one who reawakens dreams she thought long abandoned.
Timothy Cullen has pulled himself up from the stews to a position of power as the Prince of Larks, a feared and mysterious leader of London’s seedy underbelly. Cull relies on his mystique to help keep those under his care safe, but beneath his scars he’s always striven to be worthy of the girl he’s admired from a far since they were children.
With enemies from Cull’s past and from Pippa’s current case closing in on them, these two must figure out where their newfound passion can take them and if they’re willing to trust their burgeoning feelings.
This story was full of more mystery and intrigue than I had expected so that came as a pleasant surprise that helped keep me invested. This was a good thing, especially as Pippa was a bit off putting at first, eager to be some sort of martyr and yet quick to blame others for her own mistakes and recklessness. That said, she exhibits a ton of character growth, especially after she’s reunited with Timothy Cullen. She spent quite a bit of time getting in her own way, but her chemistry with Cull was palpable and I loved that he was so open with her about his feelings, which seemed to give her permission to reciprocate with more open communication about hers. I also loved that there was a ton of steam in this one and that it all felt integral to the relationship development and growing closeness and intimacy between Pippa and Cull, rather than just checking a lust-filled box to get the scenes in. It was extremely satisfying to see Pippa learn to trust herself again and be restored to her family and to the true self she had lost in her first marriage. She was finally listening to her heart and meeting Cull as an equal, while he also learned he didn’t have to feel responsible for the decisions of others and hold on to so much guilt for what he saw as his failures as a protector. Pippa and Cull were each other’s safe places and I enjoyed seeing that develop. This was my first read from this author, but it definitely won’t be my last.
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/1167271880
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4158062535
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