Avon Romance December 11 2011
384 pages By Margo Maguire
BLURB ON BACK OF BOOK:
She will give him what he desires. But first, a small favor . . .
Lady Christina Fairhaven is devoted to her adoptive family—and most protective of her wayward brother.
So when battle-scarred and world-weary Captain Gavin Briggs arrives at her cottage bearing shocking news—that she is the granddaughter of an aged, bad-tempered duke— Christina is stunned . . . temporarily.
She will not meet the duke who abandoned her when she was a child; Gavin will not receive his significant—and much needed—reward. However, should the good Captain agree to help her locate and rescue her endangered sibling, then perhaps . . .
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This is the second book in the two book miniseries about a aging Duke's 'lost' granddaughters, the first book was 'Seducing the Governess', which I did enjoy. It is in that book we are first introduced to Captain Gavin Briggs. I was intrigued by him then and was looking forward to his story.
Gavin is the epitome of a Regency hero, tall, handsome, capable in bed and out of it. Hiring himself out as an investigator, he is on the hunt for missing heiresses. Gavin needs the money and soon tracks down Lady Christina.
I will say right up front I didn't care for Lady Christina. To me she was a selfish, scheming minx. She is being blackmailed. Her brother is not really dead and she is also trying to hide information that could damage her family. She bats her eyes at Gavin and he soon agrees to assist her, in exchange for coming with him to her grandfather when it is all over.
So why didn't I care for Christina? She was too high in the in-step, and the trend of these fiery, outspoken historical heroines is starting to get on my nerves. Can't there be a happy balance of accurate demureness with a sprinkle of independence and outspokenness? Also, Christina took every opportunity to let Gavin know she was far above him. As with some other reviewers, it rankled.
Gavin on the other hand, is wonderful and the reason I gave this a higher rating than I was originally going to give it. He is so capable, rugged, honorable and sizzling hot. I loved his protective devotion to his sister.
The passion between the H/H worked, I just wish Gavin had been given a more worthy candidate for his affections and passions.
The action was solid and came to a satisfactory ending with a few twists and turns along the way. As for Christina, while I empathized somewhat with her horrid marriage and other aspects of her back story, she just didn't do it for me on any level. As for Gavin, Captain Briggs can swoop in and rescue me anytime, great hero!
3.25 out of 4
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