Series:
The Duke's Guard (Book 3)
Harriet Mayfield does not like being told what to do!
She's been keeping their tenant farm afloat with the help of her 14-year-old
son, the image of his dead father, her strength, and her wits. The last thing
she needs is a too-handsome-for-his-own-good member of The Duke's Guard to ride
to the rescue when a group of men arrive in the middle of the night to trample
their crops and set fire to their barn!
With a hand to her side, she admits that he did arrive in
time to prevent that behemoth from crushing her. What are a few broken ribs
when they could have lost their farm? Maybe she could ask O'Malley to let her
borrow his cousin's .50 Kentucky long rifle.
Michael O'Malley is drawn to the feisty widow from the
first. It may have started with her sunset hair and mist-laden eyes, but any
Irishman worth his salt appreciates the strength of a woman who is not afraid
to keep going even after the loss of her husband. Harry is the first woman he's
met since setting foot on English soil who calls to his heart while she's
butting heads with him.
When an enemy of Viscount Chattsworth threatens to ruin
him, it is up to the Duke of Wyndmere's guard stationed at Chattsworth Manor to
protect the viscount and everything he holds dear.
Danger stalks in the night, but it will have to penetrate
The Duke's Shield before he will let them harm those he has sworn to protect
with his strength, his heart, and his honor.
This series is linked to the Lords of Vice series before
this one. Those books were about the Duke of Wyndmere and his family members,
with the O'Malleys and their cousins as secondary characters providing
security. In this series, the main characters are the guards, their work for
their employers, and the love they find along the way. I loved looking at
events from the commoner's point of view.
This book centers on Michael O'Malley, the head of the Guards
assigned to protect William, Viscount Chattsworth, and his family. Michael is
an O'Malley through and through - tall, handsome, quick-tempered, loyal, and
protective of all. He also has one of the family "curses" - the gift
of sight, visions of the future that could come to pass if something isn't done
to change it. The book opens as Michael experiences a vision of two men during
a duel. He can't tell who they are, leaving him struggling for the ability to
prevent it.
Next, we meet Harriet "Harry" Mayfield and her
son Bart. Harry is a widow trying to keep their farm going after the death of
her husband. She is beautiful, stubborn, and independent to a fault, refusing
to ask for help. But she's first to respond when someone else needs help, and
we see her and Bart race to help a neighbor who has been attacked. When a
second attack occurs the next night, Michael and others arrive to investigate.
Michael and Harry are drawn to each other from the start,
but it isn't an easy connection. Michael's protective instincts are aroused
when her farm is attacked, but Harry doesn't react well to being told what to
do. I had to laugh at many of their encounters as he would state his expectations,
and she would counter with her own. Seeing the smitten Michael deal with his
feelings was amusing, especially when his cousin Garahan teased him about them.
Michael's protectiveness ramps up even further when Harry is injured during one
attack. The sparks between them are undeniable, but Harry's stubborn
independence seems impossible to overcome. There were times I wanted to shake
her because she couldn't see how her attitude affected the people around her,
especially her son. I felt a little sorry for her at the end when her
intransigence caused Michael to be very blunt with her about her attitude. It
was quite a wake-up call for her, and I was happy to see her learn from it. The
ending was great, as another Duke's Guard finds what he didn't know he was
looking for.
The action and suspense of the story were excellent. The
Duke has many enemies, and they frequently attempt to use his family members to
get back at him, which is why he has spread his Guard among his relations. In
this case, Chattsworth is a cousin who falls under the duke's family umbrella. When
the attacks on Chattsworth's tenant farms begin, the first questions are why
and who. The identity of the person behind the attacks is discovered early in
the book, but sufficient proof must be obtained. The attacks on the farms are
intense and violent, leaving the viscount furious and determined to protect his
people. I loved following the plans for that protection and seeing Michael's
talents as the head guard. I also liked seeing the tenants' roles in their
defense and security. As the final confrontation drew closer, I could feel the
tension build. When it came, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see how
it would all work out.
I enjoyed the variety of secondary characters. The tenant
farmers and family members were unique characters with their own personalities,
and I liked how they banded together for support. My favorites were the sons,
Bart, Robbie, and Matthew, who were still young (mid-teens) but also mature
enough to be essential parts of their families and the story. I especially
liked Bart, who had a close relationship with his mother. He was at the age
where he constantly fought against her tendency to still treat him as a child,
even though he was doing the work of a man. I loved the connection and
developing relationship between Bart and Michael.
I loved getting to know more of the Duke's Guard. Michael
is definitely an O'Malley, as I could see the similarities in looks and
attitudes with Patrick (
The Duke's Sword) and Sean (
The Duke's Protector). I
also enjoyed seeing more of James Garahan, who knows what buttons to push to
wind Michael up. A few times, their head-butting gets them in trouble with
their boss, but they are always ready when needed. No matter how much trash
talk goes on, there is also great love and respect among them.
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