Review: Loved it!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 3, 2014
London 1786-Linnet St. Clare has gone to Sir Anthony Tait to ask for his help in taking Dominic Hunter into his household. Dominic, an orphaned butcher's son, was taken in by the Queen in hopes that he would give her sons a greater empathy with England's lower class. In fact, the opposite occurs and they tease and cruelly pick on him. Linnet sits down with Anthony and explains what has occurred and why she needs his help.She comes upon Chloe Steel, the Reverend Steel's daughter, right after the fact of her being seduced by Prince Ernest in the gardens. Dominic comes upon them seconds later and they start to brawl with Dominic soundly trouncing the Prince. Linnet throws a bucket of water on the Prince to break them up and she boxes the Prince's ears telling him that if he speaks of this to anyone she will beat him within an inch of his life. Dominic and Chloe are best friends and he feels such guilt for not protecting her properly. With Anthony being the liaison for the Court and the Home Office, Linnet feels he can step in and get Dominic released from the Court and into his guardianship. Anthony agrees to help.Anthony has had his eye on Linnet for some while now and wants to take her as a wife but Linnet stands firm in her wishes to remain a spinster. Her mother works for the Crown and Linnet takes care of her brother and sister while her mother is away. The attraction builds and she tries to deny it at every turn until a chance encounter in a study while they are both at a house party in the country. She finally gives in to her feelings and when Anthony begins to tell her their future plans, she gets enraged that he cannot even ask for her hand, but just expects it, and she storms out.Weeks pass and they don't speak when suddenly in the middle of the night he hears banging on his front door. Linnet tells him that Chloe is pregnant and that her and Dominic have run off together. They leave to track them down and find them at an inn. Linnet and Anthony talk to them about the dangers of what they've done. Dominic would not be able to provide for them even if they made it to America and talk them into coming back home. Chloe's father is sending her to her uncle until the baby is born. Linnet and Anthony begin talking about marriage again when she tells him she can't marry because of her responsibilities and he makes it clear they will bring Amelia and Peter to live with them until her mother decides she's ready to leave her service to the Queen and come home.The story ends with letters exchanged between Chloe and Dominic that sets the story up for the new four book series that follows, The Renegade Royals. Dominic Hunter's story continues in this series and I look forward to following him on his journey.I loved the way all the characters interacted. I enjoyed watching Anthony on the prowl for what he wanted and smiled as he became truly frustrated at times with Linnet. I'm sure he wanted to go all caveman on her but held back for decency's sake. She, on the other hand fought her own self over her feelings. She couldn't get around him without blushing and felt she wasn't good enough for him. When these two finally came together, it was like taking a deep breath and releasing a happy sigh. This novella did not feel rushed at all and kept a pace that kept me happily in the story and eagerly awaiting the next book, Secrets For Seducing a Royal Bodyguard!