I KISSED A ROGUE is the third book in Covent Garden series by Shana Galen and can read by its own. Lady Lillian-Anne Lennox, daughter of the Duke of Lennox, has grown up a spoiled beauty who enjoyed playing with young gentlemen's heart and made her rival debutantes jealous by showing off her love-sick suitors. But everything changed after she lost her mother and her father remarried. After being kidnapped and witnessing a murder, her life is in danger and her father seeks the help of Sir Brook Derring, a man who hates her and doesn't want anything to do with this family.
As Sir Brook Derring is the best investigator in England. Brook has been dealing with roughest criminals, but to see his first love again Lila, the girl who broke his heart is not an easy task. This is the third book I have read by Shana Galen, and I must say she is a talented author who keeps you captivated with the thrill of danger and passion. I like that the story started with Lila already being kidnapped and how Brook saves her. The first part of the book is mostly the adventures, and I really enjoyed it and couldn't put it down. The middle of it had a slower pace with hero and heroine bickering all the times. I had mixed feelings about Brook, mostly because I didn't like how he treated Lila and it wasn't mentioned until later in the story of how Lila broke his heart years ago. Still I KISSED A ROGUE is a steamy historical romance with danger and adventures that is entertaining and enjoyable.
Once she spurned the man... When the
Duke of Lennox hires Sir Brook Derring, England's best
investigator, to find his daughter, Brook intends only to
rescue the lady and return to his solitary life. He deals
with London's roughest criminals every day of the week;
surely he should be able to endure seeing his first love
again-the perfect girl who broke his
heart...
Now her life depends on
him Lady Lillian-Anne Lennox has always done
her
best to live up to her father's standards of perfection-
at
the cost of following her heart. When she's kidnapped and
her perfect life is shattered, Lila has another chance.
Together, Lila and Brook navigate not only the dark and
deadly side of London, but the chasm of pride and
prejudice
that divides them.
EXCERPT
The church was all but empty. Brookโs mother and her
husband sat with his sister and Dorrington on one side,
while the Duke of Lennox and the Earl of Granbury sat on
the other. Behind them, one of the Kingโs attendants took
a seat. Brook supposed he was there to ensure the Kingโs
wishes were followed precisely.
There hadnโt been time for Dane and his wife to come in
from the country. If his older brother had been present,
Brook would have asked him to stand beside him. As it
was, Lila had no attendants, so perhaps it was for the
best Brook stood before the bishop alone as well.
The bishop, a jowly man with white hair and a ruddy face,
cleared his throat and began. For the first time since
her father had brought her in, Lila looked up at him. Her
warm brown eyes looked too big against her pale skin,
which was as white as the silk gown she wore. The gown
had a leaf design in silver netting, and she had a small
silver leaf ornamenting her hair. Pearls circled her
throat and danced at her ears, and with her hair piled
high in a coil of ebony, she looked every inch the dukeโs
daughter.
The bishop had droned onโsomething about Godโs will and
not entering into marriage unadvisedly; clearly the
bishop did not know about the Kingโs will and adviceโbut
now the officiate paused and cleared his throat again.
โInto this holy union Sir Brook Erasmus Derring and Lady
Lillian-Anne Pevensy now come to be joined. If any of you
can show just cause why they may not lawfully be married,
speak now.โ
The bishop paused at this, looking first at Lila then
Brook.
โOr else forever hold your peace.โ
Brook ground his teeth together and glared at Lila. She
lowered her gaze again.
โI require and charge you bothโโ the bishop began.
โMay I have one moment with myโer, betrothed?โ Lila said.
She had spoken to the bishop, but her gaze was on Brook.
He raised a brow.
โYou can speak to him after the ceremony,โ the duke said
from the pew.
โJust for one moment, Father,โ she said.
โMy Lord,โ the duke said to the bishop. โPlease
continue.โ
โI am sorry, Your Grace, but I cannot. Lady Lillian-Anne
must come to this union of her own free will.โ He glanced
at Lila. โIf you need a moment, my lady, you may use the
sacristy.โ
She nodded and gave Brook an imploring look. With a shrug
directed at his mother, whose face was the picture of
disapproval, he followed Lila to the side chamber. The
room was full of books and vestments, all in order, and
in the middle were a small altar and a sacrarium, where
the bishop washed his hands.
Lila stood before the altar, like a sacrificial lamb.
Brook stood just inside the door, keeping it open for
propriety.
โDelaying the inevitable?โ he asked.
โI had to make certain you knew this was not my doing,โ
she said, her voice breathless. โI never told my father
to go to the King. I did not want to force you into
marriage.โ
Brook leaned a shoulder against the doorjamb. โI must
admit, your previous refusal was quite definitive and
robust. This sudden change of heart surprised me.โ
โOh, stop speaking so formally! I am trying to tell you I
have no more choice in this than you.โ
โThe bishop will ask for your consent in a few moments.
All you need say is I wonโt.โ
โAnd then my father will disown me, and Vile Valencia
will make certain I am shipped off to Cheapside to live
with my motherโs great-aunt, who is so poor she can ill
afford to feed herself much less me.โ
โBeezle will find you inside a week there.โ
She closed her eyes, seeming to summon patience. He
couldnโt blame her. He was being an arse.
โYou must be the one to say you wonโt have me.โ
โOh, no.โ He pushed away from the jamb. โAnd have the
King throw me in the Tower? Not bloody likely.โ
โHe wonโt throw you in the Tower.โ She folded her arms
under the square neck of the gown, pushing her breasts up
until they swelled at the bodice.
โIโm not taking that chance.โ
โThen we have no choice but to marry.โ
โI assumed that was the reason we were both in the church
at half eight in the morningโyou in your bridal silk and
me in this stiff-necked cravat Hunt tied far too
tightly.โ
โBut you donโt want to marry me!โ
โI want to be thrown into the Tower even less.โ
โNice to know I rank above imprisonment.โ
โBarely,โ he said, pointing a finger at her. โBesides,
the King mentioned annulment. Iโm to keep you safe and
capture the man who killed Fitzsimmons and abducted you,
and the King will see the union annulled.โ
โOn what grounds?โ
โHow the devil do I know? On whatever grounds His Majesty
fabricates.โ
โBut what if you donโt capture this Beezle, or whoever it
was?โ
โI will.โ
โAnd whatโs to happen to me after the marriage is
annulled?โ
โI donโt know, and I donโt care.โ He glanced behind him
and into the sanctuary. Lennox had risen and was looking
pointedly in his direction. The Kingโs attendant was
scribbling something on a sheet of vellum. โLetโs finish
this.โ
He turned to exit the sacristy, but her hand on his upper
arm made him pause. He looked down at the gloved fingers,
so white against his dark blue coat, and then at her pale
face.
โBrook, I donโtโI just donโt want you to hate me for
this.โ
โItโs far too late for that.โ
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