Review: Novel plot concept !
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 21, 2013
Arc provided by NetGalley and Random House/ Loveswept Historicals for an honest reviewThis historical romance takes a different approach than most, instead of your typical Rake , Rogue or veteran of the Napoleonic wars your hero in this novel Alasdair Thornham! Marquess Datchworth is a opium addicted war veteran whom has suffered so much loss that the lure of death by opium overdose is a consideration.Your heroine Mary Smith a single 24 year old daughter of a country vicar, who after her farthers death finds herself at the mercy of her unscrupulous half brother Matthias.Matthias, has gambled away what little his father has left them for an inheritance, which leads to Mary meeting Alasdair.Alasdair first look at Mary is at a country pub were her brother and his cohort have pulled Mary on top of a table and with this announcement garner the whole pubs attention."She's a virgin, Gentleman. And she'll be sold to the highest bidder!"Alasdair may be drunk and under the influence of opium but he has enough clarity to recognize that Mary's drugged and obviously not truly a willing participant in this auction.Suprising himself Alasdair chooses to come to her rescue , if anything he is honorable so he proceeds to out bid the other men . Mary, has lucked out in that Alasdair may have purchased her but his initial intentions are honorable ; while waiting on Mary to come out of her drug induced stupor he decides he can save her from her brother, by marrying her then, set her up in his unentailed property and then finally succumb to his addiction.Through the course of the remainder of the book you are taken along their journey to Scotland and back to London , while being pursued by Alasdairs cousin, who wishes to help Alasdair into an early grave, and Mary's reprobate of a half brother .Alasdair along the way trades his addiction of opium for a new one , that being Mary; his new addiction , leads to some steamy love scences and for Mary she has traded out men with addictions  and her heart ,but in the end is still far better off.I enjoyed this book, characters were different and the plot concept I though novel . Would recommend to historical romance readers , anyone looking for something a little different t read.