Hugo Marshall earned the nickname "the Wolf of
Clermont" for his ruthless ambition--a characteristic that has served him
well, elevating the coal miner's son to the right-hand man of a duke. When he's
ordered to get rid of a pestering governess by fair means or foul, it's just
another day at work. But after everything Miss Serena Barton has been through
at the hands of his employer, she is determined to make him pay. She won't let
anyone stop her--not even the man that all of London fears. They might call Hugo
Marshall the Wolf of Clermont, but even wolves can be brought to heel...
Good book. This is the first book I've read by this
author, and it won't be the last. It is the prequel to the Brothers Sinister
series and did precisely what it was supposed to do - whet my appetite for the
rest of the series.
Serena was a governess let go from her position after the
Duke of Clermont was seen leaving her room. In the three months since then, she
discovered she was pregnant. Serena refuses to be a victim and determines to
make him pay. She knows that the duke recently married a wealthy woman and is
dependent on her goodwill to maintain his lifestyle, so she plans to shame him
into doing the right thing.
Unfortunately for Serena, the duke has no morals.
Instead, he orders Hugo, his man of business, to deal with the problem without
telling him the whole story. Hugo, known for his ruthlessness, looks at it as
just one more in a long line of problems to take care of. That is until he
meets Serena.
I loved watching the fireworks between Serena and Hugo.
Their first meeting was okay because she didn't know who he was, much to his
surprise. He sounds her out on what the problem is and believes it will be an
easy fix. Serena disabuses him of that notion when she flatly refuses his first
offer and is unimpressed when she learns his identity. Hugo does his best to
convince her that he is not a good person and that she won't win against him. But
Serena is tougher and more determined than he knows. During the following days,
Serena stands up to everything Hugo throws at her, refusing to give in. I loved
their interchanges, witty and polite, yet blunt, leaving no doubt where each
stood.
It isn't long before Hugo's frustration turns to
fascination. Despite his reputation, Hugo is an honorable man. The more he
learns of Serena's situation, the more he wants to help her. I liked his
solution and the unexpected effect it had on him. I ached for Serena as he
followed through on his promise while she hoped for more. The ending hit all
the right spots as Hugo finally acknowledged his feelings, confronted the duke,
and then went after what he wanted. But it was the epilogue that capped the
story and made me want to read the rest of the series.
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