I'VE GOT MY DUKE TO KEEP ME WARM by debut author Kelly Bowen is a nominee for the RT 2014 First Historical Romance award, and I think that it should win, hands down. It is a fabulous Regency romance, with a touch of suspense and outstandingly vibrant, three dimensional characters. It is book one in the Lords of Worth series.
Gisele Whitby faked her own death and that of her stepdaughter four years ago in order to escape a wildly abusive aristocratic husband. She absconded with a massive diamond necklace which has funded her underground railroad to save other women from abusive partners. Now, she must risk everything, including herself, to save another innocent from the clutches of her previous husband, who is poised to marry an unsuspecting heiress. Gisele is determined that no one else will be at the mercy of her depraved husband, but she needs a daring and honorable man for her new scheme to save the girl. Gisele is a phenomenal heroine. She's compassionate, smart, and independent, and I loved her so much!
Jamie Montcrief was a hero on the battlefield at Waterloo. Crushed by guilt about his brother's death next to him on the battlefield, Jamie has descended into drunkenness, getting by just by the skin of his teeth, working at an inn to fund his drinking habit in order to dull his pain. Gisele sees his innate chivalry, and offers him a chance to work in her scheme to rescue the girl. Jamie just gets more and more wonderful as the story unfolds, and his honor and courage make him so incredibly appealing to me. Yet he never feels too good to be true, he simply seems like a fine upstanding man that any woman would be incredibly lucky to call her own.
As Jamie and Gisele work closely together (along with their companions, whom I also really enjoyed) to save the hapless fiancΓ©, they fall rapidly in love, despite Gisele's determination to remain single and uninvolved. Jamie's heroism, with his determination to protect Gisele from a truly evil man, clash with Gisele's independent streak and her determination to save everyone around her. The slow revelations about each, along with the unfolding mystery, drew me in quickly and did not release their hold on me until I turned the last page. I'VE GOT MY DUKE TO KEEP ME WARM is a fantastic read, and I intend to grab up A Good Rogue is Hard to Find, book two in the series, the moment it is available.
WHERE SECRETS SMOLDER . . .
Calm. Cool. Collected. Gisele Whitby has perfected the
art
of illusion-her survival, after all, has depended upon
it.
Years ago, to escape an abusive husband, Gisele
"disappeared." Now she must risk revealing her new
identity
to save another innocent girl from the same fate. But she
needs a daring man for her scheme, and the rogue in
question
shows a remarkable talent . . . for shattering Gisele's
carefully constructed facade and igniting her deepest
desires.
. . . PASSION IGNITES
This isn't the first time Jamie Montcrief has awakened
naked
and confused from a night of drinking. It is, however,
the
first time a stunningly beautiful woman offers him
payment
afterward. Gisele has a business proposition for him, a
mission involving cunning thievery and a brazen rescue.
How
can he say no to a plot this dangerous . . . and a woman
this delectable?
Well, shit. He deserved that. βWho are you?β
She smiled at him, the first genuine smile he had seen,
and it did strange things to his chest.
βI amβ¦ just Gisele.β
That was helpful. He knew nothing more about her than he
knew last night. Annoyance bubbled up again. βVery well
then Just-Gisele, since you wonβt tell me anything useful
about yourself, would you be so kind as to enlighten me
as to what it is youβd like me to do should I accept your
generous offer of employment?β
Her smile turned brittle. βNot yet.β
βNot yet?β Jamieβs eyebrows shot up to his hairline.
βHow the hell am I supposed to make a decision based on
not yet?β
The ice queen shrugged. βYouβll have to trust me.β
Jamie closed his eyes, fighting for patience. βWill I
need to steal something?β
βUnlikely.β
βKill someone?β
βHopefully not.β
βBlow something up?β
βYouβre familiar with explosives?β
His eyes popped open at the undisguised interest in her
last question. What the hell kind of woman used the
word explosives the way most used the word marmalade? Or
teapot?
βYes?β He was afraid of his answer. Truth be told, he
was a little afraid of her at the moment.
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