Review: a must read series for fans of historic romance:
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 17, 2014
The second in the series and the second I have read by this author, and this series is just getting better!  What’s not to love from a group of men, nicknamed the Libertine Scholars: each of the men has a difficult family history and other issues to overcome, although most have struggled for years to prove themselves different from their fathers.  The women in this series are all, bar one, the exact woman each man needs at this time in his life.  None of their women are typical missish romance heroines: strong willed, determined, loyal and laden with their own past issues to overcome; these are interesting pairings that feel appropriate.In this story, Sebastian Hawkestone, Lord Coldhurst has returned to London after obtaining a pardon for a dueling death.  Met at the docks by the deceased young man’s sister and a dock full of lightskirts and women of ill repute, a pushing match tosses Beatrice Hennessey into the Thames, where death seems imminent.  Fished out of the water by her quarry, Beatrice plays upon Coldhurst’s guilt over the death of her brother to make a proposition: he marry this firmly on-the-shelf spinster in return for an heir and her family being saved from the poorhouse.Sebastian’s young life was full of the rage and jealous acts perpetrated by his parents: arguments, infidelities and acts certain to wound and demean the other.  He believed his parents in love: so much so that the emotion itself is dangerous and he has forbidden it for himself.  Finding Beatrice’s proposition to his taste: respect, friendship and duty  will be paramount and not interrupted by love, or the messiness of the emotions that it brings.Slowly but surely, this is a clever dissembling of all these two believed, aided by the fact that Doogie, Bea’s brother, was shot in the back, NOT by Sebastian as originally thought.  The dangers have increased for the men from the Libertiine Society:  Sebastian was set up for the murder of the young man, and they are working to get proof and unmask the culprit behind the plots against them.But, even with the gradual development of the affections and understanding between Seb and Bea, not all is smooth. Bea did have another offer, a particularly distasteful one, that could have solved her family’s money issues. And that particular man is not happy about taking no for an answer, or allowing Bea to keep her other secret hidden: much to Seb’s dismay.Well-developed characters and a relationship that feels present and real with plenty of emotional points to connect to, this is a wonderful installment in a great and fun series.  We also get to check in with the characters from the first book, and the connection between Bea and Serena, as well as the relationship between Bea and Sebastian’s sister Marisa is wonderful.  Bea is sweet and determined: her unwillingness to settle for a life half-lived without love freely offered and given is a courageous decision, and Sebastian is fortunate to have this woman on his side.This is a must read series for fans of historic romance: and the puzzle of who is threatening the Libertine Scholars is a wonderful one with several elements and dangers to add to the mix. You won’t be disappointed in this series at all!I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review with Tasty Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.