Her mysterious midnight visitor?
The duke!
Hearing herself described as "a lady as dull as her
name" is the final straw in Prudence Clifford's disastrous season, so she
decides to stay with her aunt in Bath. But Pru's new life is anything but dull
when one night she finds an uninvited, devastatingly handsome duke at her
kitchen table! Pru will never forget the emotional connection they shared. But
it's their unexpected reunion three months later that will prove truly
unforgettable…
Terrific book with a very unusual beginning. The book
opens as Pru reminisces about how she became her aunt's companion. Tall and
shy, her Season in London did not go well. After hearing herself described as
"dull as her name," Pru offered to become Aunt Minerva's companion, allowing
her younger, prettier, and livelier sisters to make suitable matches. In the
four years since then, Pru has been happy with her aunt and working in various
charitable organizations. On this night, she is up late reading when she hears
a sound from the kitchen and discovers a handsome and inebriated man at her
kitchen table.
Garrick, Duke of Harland, has spent the day drinking,
working up the courage to fulfill his obligation to propose to a lady promised
to him since they were children. Garrick has spent the last ten years out of
the country after a scandalous duel sent him fleeing to the continent. His
mother told him to stay away, even after his father's death, but recently
called him home. Garrick is so drunk that he mistakes Pru's house for one a few
doors down, run by a woman of questionable virtue.
I liked the first encounter between Pru and Garrick. Pru
is understandably shocked and wary at first, but her caring nature emerges once
she realizes he is no threat. I loved watching her fix him food, encourage him
to eat, and listen to his troubles. Having someone listen to him makes a huge
difference, and he finally leaves her kitchen in a better frame of mind. But
this is not the end of their acquaintance.
They meet again a few months later in London. Pru and her
aunt are staying with a friend, and Pru is again facing societal events that
she dislikes. Garrick went to London after his erstwhile fiancée rejected him,
but the rumor mill claims that he jilted her, labeling him a rogue. Other
unsavory rumors are circulating about him, and Pru is told to keep away from
him. But those rumors contradict what she knows of him, and her sense of
fairness is outraged. When she overhears the person spreading the rumors, she insists
on telling Garrick about it. The perpetrator is no surprise to him, but he
plans to leave London until it all dies down. Unfortunately for his plans, Pru
is determined to fight those rumors, and Garrick feels he must remain in London
to protect her from herself.
I enjoyed seeing Pru's investigative attempts as she tried
to find a way to clear Garrick's name. She unearths some helpful information,
but Garrick is determined to keep her out of scandal's way. With the time they
spend together, it's no surprise that the connection they felt at their first
meeting grows stronger. Though Pru has fallen hard for Garrick, she is
convinced she is too far below him for anything to come of it. Meanwhile,
Garrick realizes he wants Pru in his life, but his attempts to make her see
that are awkward at best.
When Garrick's attempt to follow up on some of Pru's
information results in him being badly beaten, Pru is the one who steps in to
nurse him. She has no care for her reputation, only that Garrick recovers. I
ached for her fears for him and her belief that he only wanted her out of
gratitude. It takes some interference from an unexpected source for Pru to
believe him when he tells her of his feelings.
The story behind the rumors about Garrick is one of jealousy
and revenge, with his misspent youth coming back to haunt him. I loved Pru's
instinctive distrust of that couple when she met them and her determination to
foil their plans. There were also further rumors about his actions on the
continent, fed from the same source. I was unsurprised by the truth, as it was
a far better fit for Garrick's personality. Pru's actions put her in danger,
and that confrontation kept me glued to the pages until it was resolved.
My favorite secondary characters were Garrick's friend,
Jack, and his valet, Stow. Jack knows Garrick well and becomes a critical ally
in clearing Garrick's name. I especially enjoyed seeing Jack and Pru stand
together against Garrick's stubbornness, and I would love to see Jack get his
own story. I loved how Stow immediately took to Pru and conspired with her to
help Garrick. They made a terrific team when Garrick was injured.
The only thing that might have improved the book was an
epilogue to show how they are doing later.
No comments:
Post a Comment