Sparks fly when a runaway heiress bargains with a
devilish rogue to escape a marriage of convenience.
No one would guess that beneath Violet Crenshaw's
ladylike demeanor lies the heart of a rebel. American heiresses looking to
secure English lords must be on their best behavior, but Violet has other
plans. She intends to flee London and the marriage her parents have arranged to
become a published author--if only the wickedly handsome earl who inspired her
most outrageously sinful character didn't insist on coming with her.
Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh, has a scheme of his
own: escort the surprisingly spirited dollar princess north and use every
delicious moment in close quarters to convince Violet to marry him. Christian
needs an heiress to rebuild his Scottish estate but the more time he spends
with Violet, the more he realizes what he really needs is her--by his side,
near his heart, in his bed.
Though Christian's burning glances offer unholy
temptation, Violet has no intention of surrendering herself or her newfound
freedom in a permanent deal with the devil. It's going to take more than pretty
words to prove this fortune hunter's love is true....
Terrific story. Now that her sister has landed a duke,
Violet believes that she is safe from her social-climbing parents'
machinations. Surely she can now pursue her dreams of becoming a published
author. But wait, now her father wants to barter her to another English lord
who has mineral rights that he wants. Nothing Violet says will change his mind,
and Lord Ware will do anything to have her. After barely escaping Ware's attempt
to compromise her, Violet decides running away is her only option.
Christian, the Earl of Leigh, isn't in debt like so many
of his peers, but he doesn't have the funds to refurbish his Scottish property.
After being turned down by Violet's father, Christian concocts a scheme to
convince Violet to marry him. A few hints dropped, and an
"accidental" meeting has Christian escorting Violet on her escape.
With luck, he'll have her married and in his bed before anyone catches up to
them.
I liked Violet. She's all sweetness and obedience on the
surface, but she has sass, determination, and a spine of steel when it comes to
going after what she wants. Her disgust for the nobles who only see her fortune
makes her unwilling to fall in with her parents' plans. She's a little naïve about
her escape plans, which is how Christian manages to insert himself into them.
I like Christian, too. His early life was difficult, with
a cold, uncaring father and an absent mother. After inheriting only debts after
his father died, Christian made a name for himself through bare-knuckle
fighting and starting his own gaming hell. When he sets his sights on Violet
and her fortune, nothing will get in his way.
I loved watching the relationship develop between
Christian and Violet. Sparks flew between them from the start, even though
Violet did not trust him. Christian was the one who warned her about Lord Ware,
positioning himself to be her savior. Suspecting her intention to run, Christian
took steps to make sure he would be the one to help her with her escape. He
intends to hijack her plan and take her to Scotland instead. I loved the
"road trip" romance, as forced proximity allowed them to get to know
each other. It was fun to see Violet's straightforward American ways open Christian's
eyes to the indignities women endure and the privilege that the aristocracy
takes for granted.
The more time they spent together, the more Christian
came to like Violet as a person, not just the means to an end. Violet's
feelings for Christian also began to change. She no longer saw him as just
another nobleman but as a man with his own set of problems. That same proximity
also amplified the attraction that grew between them. As the days of their
journey went on, Christian's conscience began to bother him. When a carriage
accident resulted in Violet being injured, his guilty feelings became
overwhelming. When attraction and growing feelings overtook common sense, it
looked like everything would work out. But Christian still hadn't come clean,
and when Violet's brother Max tracked them down, the truth came out.
Devastated and heartbroken, Violet no longer knew what to
believe. Was anything that Christian said the truth or just manipulation? To
mitigate the scandal, Christian and Violet must marry, but Violet refuses to cave
in entirely. I loved watching her stand up for herself and her needs, forcing Christian
to keep his distance. I ached for Christian, who fell hard for Violet and knows
how badly he messed up. He is down on himself, believing he deserves all the
misery he experiences and promises to give Violet the space she needs. I loved
the advice he received on how to win her back and what he did with it. Violet's
reaction when she learns of his efforts was fantastic. I loved the emotional
ending as Christian redeems himself.
No comments:
Post a Comment