Series:
Lyon's Den (Book 41)
Can two people who have learned how to fight for all they
want and win push pride aside to save their love and their marriage?
Miss Priscilla Taunton has little to commend her. No
looks, no titled family, no savoir-faire. But her fortune can buy her a husband
if she's brave enough to use it.
Cilla has struggled to make a new life for herself. Years
of ridicule and suppression at the hands of her parents mean she has had to
live down the scurrilous reputation her elders cast upon her. But after
creating herself anew, Cilla needs a husband of good cheer and spotless
reputation. To make that a reality, she'll use her money, all of it, if
necessary, to hire Mrs. Dove-Lyon—and ask for herself only one special reward.
Captain Valerian Anderleigh has always won every battle.
Hailed by his superiors as honorable, revered by his men as heroic, he is a
legend.
When Val returns home from the wars to assume his family's
title, he meets challenges for which no battlefield prepared him. His estate is
flooded. His stepmother and her two daughters spend every penny. His younger
brother runs wild.
Val will do anything to resurrect his family's pride.
Even enter the Lyon's Den and assume a terrible burden. Surprisingly, marrying
a lovely, lonely woman becomes not a challenge but a greater joy than he
anticipated.
Losing the love of his life in defeat is not an option.
I enjoyed this story of how two strong-willed people
learned that a little compromise can open a world of unexpected love. The story
begins with a prologue introducing Priscilla. After a miserable childhood where
two stepmothers physically and emotionally abused her, Cilla has reached the
age where she has complete control of her inheritance from her father. After
learning a little about what she'd been through, I loved seeing her take
control of her life. She has big plans for changing her future.
Six years later, we are introduced to Val, Viscount
Mannington de Broke, home from the war and newly come into the title. His late
father and now deceased older brother beggared the estate with their
spendthrift ways, his stepmother and her two daughters continue to do so, and
his younger brother, Tom, not only burned through his yearly allowance by
March, he also lost a considerable amount of money gambling at the Lyon's Den.
Val is furious to learn that young Tom is expected to marry Mrs. Dove-Lyon's
choice of a woman to clear his debt. As a man protective of his family and
family name, Val rushes off to confront Mrs. Dove-Lyon and ends up as the
bridegroom-to-be. His reaction to the identity of his bride-to-be was telling -
he remembered her as a child and resolved to help her change and blossom.
The initial meeting between Val and Cilla did not go as
either expected. I enjoyed the back-and-forth between them as each jockeyed for
their requirements. I liked their honesty with each other and the sense of
humor that was also evident. Both traits bode well for their marriage.
One of the things I liked about Val is his sensitivity to
Cilla and what she's been through. His respect for her is evident in how he
treats her. He has the patience to wait for her to get to know him rather than
pushing for everything at once. His main failing is pride, which makes it
difficult for him to accept more than the bare minimum of the funds she makes
available. Cilla likes, admires, and respects Val, but her insecurities make it
difficult for her to believe he would be interested in anything more than their
initial agreement. I liked their time together for their honeymoon as they got
to know each other. Their attraction was evident, and the passion they shared
brought them closer.
But their marriage has its growing pains. Cilla's desire
to help her new family runs up against Val's pride and drives a wedge between
them. Each must decide if their marriage is worth fighting for and if they can
find a way to meet in the middle. I liked the self-reflection that showed neither
was blameless in their difficulties and that if they wanted that elusive
happiness, each must make some changes. I liked the ending, especially catching
up with them a few years later.
The secondary characters added extra depth to the
complications of their marriage. As usual, though unconventional, Mrs.
Dove-Lyon's talent for making matches remains unchallenged. I liked the
firmness she used in her dealings with Val. The brief appearance of Cilla's
second stepmother at the beginning of the book gives a brief glimpse of Cilla's
treatment at her hands. Val's younger brother, Tom, is young and foolish, which
is exactly what Mrs. Dove-Lyons needed to accomplish her plan. Cilla's
influence on Val helped him handle Tom with more patience and understanding.
Val's stepmother and stepsisters could have been a thorn in everyone's sides,
but Cilla's experience enabled her to be the bridge between them and Val. I
liked the secondary story involving Natalia.
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