4 of 5 starsThis is a delightful sweet story of one man's determination not to let anyone keep him from the woman he loves. Sam Wortham, Viscount Ellery meets the shy Gemma Desmond when she and her aunt, the Dowager Duchess of Vale, stop for a picnic on Ellery's estate. Sam is drawn to Gemma, but she's not willing to share her last name with him because of her criminal father. She's been shunned by the ton for the sins of her father and Gemma just wants this sweet interaction not to marred by the scandal. When Sam invites her and her aunt to a house party, she finds that the scandal follows her to Surrey and she's forced to tell Sam of her scandalous past before one of his house guests reveal it.
The more Gemma pulls away so as not to hurt Sam, the more he pursues her. So goes the back and forth of these two. Ms. Lorret takes the reader on the ups and downs of trying to protect a loved one as their mutual attraction grows. I loved Sam's determination to get to know Gemma without letting anything dissuade him from garnering Gemma's good opinion of him. While the happily ever after ending was a foregone conclusion, the journey to that end was quite enjoyable. Fans of Regency romance will definitely enjoy this book.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Excerpt:
“Well, I know my aunt is fond of you.”
Ellery angled toward her, his boots shifting to the outer edges of her
slippers. The lapels of his coat were only a breath away from the rise and fall
of her breasts. Lifting his hand to her cheek, his fingers glided along the
slope of her jaw to her chin and tilted her face up to his. “And what of her
niece?” The rapid beat of her heart made it difficult to release a breath. It
was locked inside of her like so many recent hopes and dreams. Her lips
tingled, plumping under his dark, searching scrutiny. And when the tip of her
tongue darted out to wet them, his head dipped toward hers, close enough that
she caught the clean, spicy scent of his shaving soap and felt the heat of his
breath.
Gemma’s eyes drifted shut of their own volition. “I have it under good
authority that she likes you. Very much, indeed.”
His other hand released hers, his fingertips skimming up the length of
her bare arm, setting off a shower of tingles. Cupping her face, he drew
closer, his nose nuzzling beside hers. His lips brushed one corner of her mouth
and then the other. “Enough to permit me to kiss her?”
A soft laugh escaped her. “I believe you already are.”
And it was heaven, these slow, searching nibbles at her lips, the feel
of his warm breath against her skin.
“Not yet,” he said with more sampling tastes of the corners of her mouth
and a sly sweep along the center. Cradling her face in his hands, he went
still, waiting for her answer.
Restraint emanated from him in the small vibrations through his
fingertips and in each shuddered breath between her parted lips. He would take
only what she was willing to give. He was not selfish. His honor and decency
were not merely for show. These qualities were part of him and in his every
action.
And she loved him all the more for it.
But this was not the time for hesitation. They’d been patient for long
enough. Ages and ages. She wanted him to know that he didn’t need to hold back.
Not with her.
Slanting her head, she whispered against his lips, “Then show me.”
BLURB:
As the
toast of the ton, Samuel Wortham, Viscount Ellery, should have no trouble
finding a wife. Yet each lady he pursues ends up married to another. As a last
hope, Sam plans a house party, intending to choose a bride from one of his
guests. But when he encounters a raven-haired beauty by his estate’s pond, he’s
captivated by her charm and desperate to see her again.
A quiet
trip to the country is just what Gemma Desmond needs to take her mind off
marriage. After all, as the daughter of a notorious criminal, her prospects
seem quite grim. The last thing she expects is a chance meeting with a handsome
lord and an invitation to his lavish house party. Ellery is everything she
hoped for in a husband. But can she ever escape the stigma of her father’s
misdeeds? When a pair of conniving debutantes frame her for theft, Gemma has
her answer. Unwilling to let her scandalous reputation taint the kind,
honorable man she adores, she flees. Yet Ellery isn’t about to give her up. He
might be just another viscount in love, but he refuses to let this potential
bride slip through his fingers…
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
USA Today bestselling author,
VIVIENNE LORRET transforms copious amounts of tea into words. She is an Avon
author of works including: The Wallflower Wedding Series, The Rakes of Fallow
Hall Series, The Season’s Original Series, and the upcoming Emma Identity
Series. For more information on her books, sign up for her newsletter at www.vivlorret.net.
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