Series:
Gilded Age Heiresses (Book 4)
Despite her illustrious title, Camille, Duchess of
Hereford, remains what she has always been -- a pariah. Though her title means
she's technically accepted by London Society, the rebellious widow with her
burgeoning interest in the suffrage movement and her American ways isn't
exactly high on every hostess's guest list. But Camille starts to wonder if
being an outcast is not without its perks when the tantalizing answer to her
secret fear appears in the shape of Jacob Thorne, the illegitimate son of an earl
and co-owner of London's infamous Montague Club.
Jacob is used to making deals with his club members --
he's just not accustomed to them being beautiful women. Nor have the terms ever
been so sweetly seductive as Camille's shocking proposition. To finally buy his
own club and gain the crucial backing of investors, Camille offers Jacob the
respectability of a fake engagement with a duchess. In return, the tempting
widow has one condition: she wants Jacob to show her if it's possible for her
to experience pleasure in bed.
The lure of such a bargain proves too delicious to
resist, drawing the enterprising rogue and the wallflower duchess into a
scandalous game and an even more dangerous gamble of the heart.
Good conclusion to the series. We have seen Camille in
the earlier books as a friend to the other heroines. She is trapped in a
miserable marriage to the titled older man her social-climbing parents chose
for her. When he dies, it releases her from the prison he kept her in with his
disdain and emotional abuse. She's ready to spread her wings and search for the
pleasure she's never experienced. Her chosen instructor is Jacob Thorne, the
illegitimate son of an earl and one of the owners of the Montague Club.
Jacob is surprised at the proposition he receives from
Camille. He is ready to deny her request until she offers to help him attain
the project he's been working on. She offers him a fake engagement that will
enable him to convince the investors he needs for a new club that he is ready
to settle down and leave his womanizing ways behind him.
The development of their relationship is a slow burn as
Camille has a lot of trauma to overcome. I loved Jacob's patience and
understanding as he eased her way into the pleasures of the bedchamber. His
sensitivity once he understood everything she'd been through was outstanding. I
loved how his support helped her develop the courage to take control of her
life. There is a period when Camille and Jacob pull away from each other,
disturbed by their growing feelings for each other, but when Camille is in
danger, Jacob comes through to rescue her. I liked seeing them embrace a new
and exciting future together.
I also enjoyed seeing Camille use her experience to get
involved in the Suffrage movement. Her work with them opened her eyes to the
abuse she suffered and motivated her to make changes. I loved seeing her wrest
control of her finances from her husband's equally obnoxious and controlling
heir. I was also moved by how she put her experiences in writing as a release
for her and to share with the broader world. I especially liked the effect it
had on her mother.
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