It was only a photograph, a captivating image, yet one the
handsome and burly Patrick O'Rourke could not get out of
his mind or his heart. He was going to win this beautiful
woman in marriage - no matter the cost! It was not usual
for Rourke, the wealthy Scottish baron of the railway
business, to be so reflective and so committed. He was a
man of action and a fighter, especially after a fortunate
twist of fate allowed him a fortuitous escape from the
gallows and going slow was not his style.
With the support of Hadrian, Gavin and Daisy, his best
friends from childhood, he had fought and clawed his way up
from a life of destitution to the top of the success
ladder. The four of them, the founding and only members
of the "Roxbury House Orphan Club" had a lifelong bond and
were closer than family, especially as Rourke's only
memories of family were of a mean and abusive alcoholic
father. Fortunately, the photograph was in the shop of his
friend, Hadrian St. Claire, and it was easy enough to put
the pressure on Hadrian to allow him to meet the woman of
his dreams, the lovely Lady Katherine Lindsey.
Rourke, this gallant man who wanted to play the knight and
rescue her from some boring nobles while stepping on her
toes, bemused Kate and he caught her fancy. But, before
she could ever think about romance, she had to rescue her
father again. Ever since he had gambled away her beloved
pony, "Princess", she had to be the capable and dependable
one to keep the family going, squeeze the farthings, and
hold unto enough semblance of respectability to get her
baby sister, Bea, married off in good form.
Sometimes photographs don't always capture the essence of
the person, yet Hadrian had and when Rourke met his Kate,
the attraction was real, very real. But how to win her
heart? Was Ralph, his friend and manservant's advice
really sound when he recommended Shakespeare's "The Taming
of the Shrew" as a potential marriage manual?
Hope Tarr has done an outstanding job in letting us see
into the heart of the feisty, yet vulnerable alpha male!
Patrick O'Rourke is a real heart winner as a strong hero
who follows his own rules while Kate, for her part, gives
him the battle royale he deserves. This captivating and
suspenseful romance is a real page turner as these two
fighters would rather draw blood than let their pride, the
protective shield they both use as armour against the
world, give way to love.
This is a fun read that is wonderful on its own, but now
that I have read it, I also want to read the other stories
in this trilogy: "Enslaved" and "Vanquished". As an
author, Hope Tarr has a wonderful sense of knowing just how
to pull her readers into the historical past, yet with a
delightfully sly way of making her characters sassy enough
to seem contemporary. Now, for my part, I still want to
know how Ralph makes his move on his heart's desire. I do
hope there is another one coming after this!
Patrick O'Rourke is a rough and ready Scotsman, as well
as a successful businessman, while Lady Katherine Lindsey is
a beautiful English spinster, a gentlewoman. But when she
finds herself blackmailed into accepting a marriage of
convenience with the handsome Scot, she lets Rourke see
another side of her. Following a hasty wedding, Rourke
sweeps a seething Lady Katherine from the elegant and
refined drawing rooms of west London to his crumbling castle
in the Scottish Highlands. The only guide Rourke has to
wooing and bedding the reluctant spitfire he's taken to wife
is a copy of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. But
as passion sparks between them, Rourke finds he may well be
the one in danger of being tamed.
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