Series:
Duke's Guard (Book 1)
Gwendolyn guards her bruised and battered heart like a
warrior…Patrick O’Malley has no time for distractions…
The Duke of Wyndmere’s quest to find a nanny for his
newborn twins brings yet another applicant to his door. Widowed Gwendolyn
Alexander's reputation precedes her as one of the most sought-after nannies
among the ton.
Patrick O’Malley, head of the duke’s personal guard,
hopes this latest applicant will meet with the approval of the most difficult
members of the duke’s family…his twin babes. Nothing prepares him for the
physical reaction that slams into him as the petite woman, dressed in drab
peat-brown from head to toe, steps down from the duke’s carriage. Her Irish
whiskey-colored eyes hold him captive, while her voluptuous curves have his
breath snagging in his lungs as unbidden images slam into him of tangled
sheets…flickering firelight, and silky brown tresses spread across the white of
his pillow.
Gwendolyn Alexander anticipates her reputation preceding
her as she alights from the duke’s carriage. She steps down from the carriage
to thank the footman for his assistance, and her gaze collides with an
impossibly handsome, broad-shouldered man, garbed in black from head to toe.
Desire flickers in eyes the color of polished emeralds, reminding her of
Beltane fires, drawing her inexorably toward him.
When Gwendolyn and Patrick find themselves at cross
purposes protecting the little ones from threats of kidnapping, they must learn
to compromise and work together before the kidnapper strikes again!
Will they walk away or face the fire of desire that
threatens to consume them?
Terrific start to the new series. This series is linked
to the
Lords of Vice series that came 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.
The Duke of Wyndmere feels a bit frazzled. He and the
duchess are the new parents of twins and are feeling the stress of taking care
of them. Unlike many of their class, they are hands-on parents. They have been
searching for a suitable nanny, but all applicants have come up short thus far.
The most recent applicant has a stellar reputation, and he has high hopes for a
bit of relief. The duke has also been dealing with a series of threats against
his family. The latest ones involve the kidnapping of his children. He depends
on Patrick O'Malley, the head of the Duke's Guard, and his relations to keep
them all safe.
Patrick is a man who is confident in his abilities. His
brothers and cousins are 100% loyal to him, as we see later in the book. He had
formulated plans to protect the baby before it was born and quickly made
adjustments when it turned out to be twins. Nothing distracts him or comes
between him and his duty to the duke. Until...
Gwendolyn Alexander is a widow who has a tragic loss in
her past. Since then, she has devoted her life to taking care of infants. She
keeps her heart guarded, fearful of growing attached. She never expected the
lightning bolt of attraction to hit her when she first saw Patrick O'Malley.
I loved the first encounter between Gwendolyn and
O'Malley. He is struck motionless and speechless at first sight of her,
something that has never happened to him before. He resists the attraction as
best he can, unwilling to allow anything to distract him from his duties. Gwendolyn
also has no intention of getting involved. While the sparks between them are
undeniable, each has their own ideas on protecting the babies. Gwendolyn is no
shrinking violet and has no problem standing up to O'Malley when she believes
she is right. At the same time, O'Malley isn't about to take any chances with
the safety of his charges.
It was fun to watch Gwendolyn and O'Malley try to resist
the inevitable. Being near O'Malley tends to turn Gwendolyn's mind to mush,
while he is dismayed to find his mind wandering in her direction when he should
be working. A blow-up with the duke over this distraction throws everything into
chaos when he removes O'Malley from command. I laughed out loud at the other
men's attempts to do his job and the women's determination to fix the problem.
It was especially satisfying to see the duchess, who is the duke's equal in
stubbornness, work her wiles to make it happen.
I loved how everyone could see the connection between Gwendolyn
and O'Malley and wanted to see them both happy. I loved watching O'Malley's
brothers and cousins poke at him about his feelings, trying to get him to face
them. When O'Malley is injured during an attack, Gwendolyn finally admits her
feelings to herself, and O'Malley has also seen the truth. But it takes the
efforts of the entire household to get the two stubborn people to see that they
belong together. The scene at the inn was fantastic, and I loved the surprise waiting
for Gwendolyn when they returned to the estate. I was impressed by the duke's
progressive thinking on the private lives of his staff.
The suspense in the story was terrific. While the reader
gets an inside look at who is behind the threats to the babies, our characters
must do the hard work of the investigation. Because they are aware of the
threats, O'Malley and company have plenty of time to make their plans. The
first attack is intense, as the kidnappers get close, not knowing it's a trap.
That isn't the end, and the attacks escalate as the bad guy grows more
desperate. The final confrontation is a nail-biter, especially with O'Malley's
injury. While the threat is vanquished, the resolution is less than
satisfactory, and I wonder if we've seen the end of it.
I enjoyed the variety of characters in this book. This is
a household with great respect and caring among the inhabitants, whether servants
or master. I loved the duchess's easy camaraderie with Gwendolyn and the
servants and her appreciation of the Duke's Guard. Her love for her husband is
undeniable, but she has no problem standing up to him when she thinks he's
wrong. His love for her is also evident, as is his frequent frustration when
they butt heads. I also loved the cook and housekeeper and their ways of
keeping everything running smoothly. But my favorites are the other members of
the Guard. Their love, respect, and support for each other are undeniable, as
is their enjoyment of teasing, arguing, and "discussing" various
matters. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
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