If the Viscount Falls - Sabrina Jeffries (Pocket - Feb 2015)

Series: Duke's Men (Book 4)

Dominick Manton once had his heart's desire within reach -- a bright future as a barrister and engagement to Jane Vernon, a wealthy baron's daughter. Then his brother snatched away Dom's inheritance -- and his ability to give Jane a secure future. Brokenhearted, unable to end their engagement himself without destroying Jane's reputation, Dom pretends to betray her to convince her to break their relationship off.

Now he is the Viscount Rathmoor, and when his brother's widow goes missing, a panicked Jane asks him to track down her dear friend. Dom knows his past mistakes may be unforgivable. But now, entangled together in mystery and danger... will they rekindle the passion that was never really lost?

Final book in the series and an excellent wrap up to the trials of the siblings. In the previous books we saw that George, Viscount Rathmoor was a truly nasty piece of work. He managed to disinherit his half siblings, tried to get his half brother hanged, and forced his own brother to give up his inheritance. This made it impossible for Dom to give his fiancee Jane the future they had planned. Stubborn Jane refused to break their engagement, so he tricked her into doing it, breaking both their hearts.

Twelve years later Dom is the head of his own detective agency when Jane shows up at his door asking for his help. Her cousin, who is also his late brother's widow, is missing and she wants Dom to find her. Thanks to his exposure to the seedier side of life, Dom is convinced that Nancy has run off with a lover, but Jane is sure that she's in trouble. Jane is no longer a naive young woman willing to take Dom's word, and makes it clear she'll find out the truth, with or without his help. Having never lost his feelings for her, Dom can't allow her to go on her own, but he's certain that he's right.

Dom and Jane are two extremely stubborn people. All those years ago Dom had made the decision to break things off because he felt that was best. He didn't give her the benefit of believing she could stand by him no matter what. Now he finally has the means to support her, but she has given up on him and gotten engaged to another man. Jane refuses to believe the worst of her cousin and insists on going with Dom as he investigates. The two constantly butt heads over who is right.

Both of them have a lot to learn about each other as they try to work together. Dom is very much a control freak, thanks to the way he was raised. His older brother was the heir, and therefore had their father's attention. His half brother and sister were the children of the woman their father loved, and therefore loved by him. Dom himself was the child whose birth caused his mother's death, making his father feel guilty every time he saw him. Strangely enough, it was his father's second family that showed Dom the most love, and Dom would do anything to protect them. This is what caused the trouble with George. So now Dom has the habit of telling people what to do, rather than discussing options. He's also had things happen in the past that reinforce the idea that things go wrong when he doesn't maintain control. Unfortunately for him, Jane refuses to be dictated to.

Jane has had enough of men who force women to do what they want. Her father was an ill tempered bully who had emotionally abused his wife before killing her in a fit of temper and dying himself. He had also written his will in such a manner to exert control over Jane even after his death. She is still angry over Dom's actions all those years ago, and resists every time he tries to order her around. As they try to work together to find Nancy, Jane discovers that there is more to Dom's actions that she had known before, and begins to understand a little of why he behaves as he does. She still doesn't agree with him, and has no trouble telling him so.

The chemistry between them is still hot, and they have a hard time keeping their hands off each other, in spite of wanting to believe the worst. Their conversations are snappy, intelligent, and frequently fun to witness. I loved seeing Jane push back when Dom would get high handed, and Dom would be left wondering what the heck had just happened. I also loved the fact that he started to realize that maybe he had screwed up all those years ago, and wondering if there was any way that he could win her back. Jane quickly realized she still loved him, but she wasn't going to give in until he showed her the respect she felt she deserved. 

The mystery of the missing woman was very well done. I loved seeing the way that both Dom and Jane could be right in their beliefs, and that they wouldn't know the truth until they managed to catch up with her. There was a lot at stake, including the possibility that Dom could once again end up with nothing. I was definitely rooting for Jane's option, though I was still uncertain all the way to the end.

How the Scoundrel Seduces - Sabrina Jeffries (Pocket - Aug 2014)

Series: Duke's Men (Book 3)

Why is Lady Zoe Keane's father pressing her to marry a cousin she's never met? As Lord and Lady Olivier's only child, spirited Zoe will one day inherit the title of countess and their Yorkshire estate, the land she adores -- but she wants to many for love. Then an unsolved family mystery shatters her world: is it possible Zoe's birth mother was actually a Romany woman named Drina? Desperate to know her true lineage, Zoe hires the Duke's Men to search for the woman who will determine her destiny.

Tristan Bonnaud is the man for the job, and not because the roguish investigator cares about a spoiled aristocrat and her inheritance "problem." To protect himself from his villainous half brother, Tristan needs to track down a Romany friend with information about a decade-old scandal -- and this young beauty's far-fetched case is just the ticket.

But if untangling the past isn't risky enough, the sizzling attraction drawing the scoundrel to the lady is the most dangerously seductive surprise of all....

We first met Tristan in the first book, What the Duke Desires, as co-owner of Manton Investigations with his second half brother and got some of his background. Tristan and his sister are the illegitimate children of the late Viscount of Rathmoor. Tristan's father died when Tristan was seventeen, after writing out a codicil to his will that would ensure that Tristan and his family were taken care of. Unfortunately, immediately after the man breathed his last, Tristan's oldest half brother, the new viscount, threw the codicil into the fire and promised that there would be nothing for them. Tristan, being young and hotheaded, stole the horse he would have inherited and used the money from selling it to get his mother and sister out of England. Over the next years he did whatever he had to in order to support them. For the last several years he has been working as an investigator, but always with a burning need for revenge against his half brother George. He is always looking for something that he can use against George.

Lady Zoe Keane made her first appearance at the end of the second book in the series, When the Rogue Returns, when she nearly blew an investigation Tristan was working on. She and Tristan had a rather antagonistic meeting, and in promising to keep his secret, Zoe extracted the promise of a future favor from the investigators. At the beginning of this book, Zoe has come to claim that favor. She is the only child of Lord Olivier, and thanks to an unusual inheritance circumstance, will inherit her father's lands and the title of countess when he dies. Unfortunately, thanks to something her aunt has said, Zoe believes there is some question about whether she really is her parents' child. She wants the investigators to find out if it is true. Added to that stress is the arrival of her American cousin, who will inherit if Zoe does not. Her father and aunt are encouraging her to marry the man, which would keep her on the lands she loves so much, no matter what happens.

Once again, the meeting between Tristan and Zoe is contentious. Tristan thinks that Zoe is bored and making drama out of nothing. Zoe thinks that Tristan is a womanizer of the worst sort. Much to her dismay, Tristan is the best one to work on her case, as he is experienced with Gypsy culture and speaks the language. Tristan doesn't really think there's any truth to her story, but checking it out will give him the opportunity to find his Gypsy friend who bought the horse, and find out what he knows of Tristan's brother George.  What neither of them counted on was the steamy attraction between them.

I liked Tristan and Zoe, though each of them had their issues. Tristan is, at heart, an honorable man who has done the things he has in order to protect the family he loves. He is also a bit of a scoundrel, in that he has quite a reputation with the ladies. But he keeps things light with them, avoiding any kind of commitment or emotional entanglement. He doesn't believe in love, having seen what havoc that supposed emotion caused in his mother's life. He also looks at the aristocracy with a cynical eye, lumping them all with his brother George. He's not happy about his attraction to Zoe for two reasons. First, it's to strong and tends to make him lose control, not something he's ever done before. Second, nothing can come of it. After all, he's illegitimate with a shady background and she's a future countess. 

Zoe is a woman who has grown up knowing that her father's lands are going to be her responsibility and she doesn't mind at all. She loves the land and the people. She is devastated to learn that there is some question about who she really is and is determined to find out the truth. If she really isn't her father's daughter, she may have no choice but to marry her cousin if she wants to be able to continue to care for her people. She's also stubborn, and isn't going to just sit back and wait for Tristan's report, she plans to be involved every step of the way. But that puts her in his company far too often for her peace of mind. Her attraction to Tristan makes her realize that marriage to another man would be a miserable life.

I loved seeing them together. Tristan is excellent at pushing her buttons and they are constantly in verbal battles with each other. But those battles turn into kisses when the sparks get to be too much. They also get to know each other better and realize that there is more to each other than had been apparent in their initial impressions. I really liked seeing Zoe fall for the man Tristan is now and not letting his past affect her feelings, though she's unsure of his. Tristan realizes that Zoe isn't just a spoiled society miss, and his feelings for her continue to grow. But he's a bit insecure because of their differences, and doesn't know what her feelings for him really are. It takes surviving a dangerous situation for them both to realize that only by risking it all can they have it all.

I really enjoyed the mystery of Zoe's background. As she and Tristan get further into the search for the truth, her search and his begin to follow the same path. There is a very interesting twist to the identity of Zoe's mother and it adds to the building tension. Pursuing information about Zoe's natural father involves Tristan's Gypsy friend, and creates the possibility that a huge scandal could erupt. I loved seeing Zoe's adoptive father get involved, now that the cat is out of the bag, and his presence is vital during the final confrontation. It was quite intense as all the players came together, and I wondered how everything was going to work out. I thought it was pretty realistic, with believable actions on all parts. I enjoyed the reaction of Zoe's cousin at the end, and how everything worked out.

When the Rogue Returns - Sabrina Jeffries (Pocket - Jan 2014)

Series: Duke's Men (Book 2)

Victor Cale never imagined that his sweet, shy bride, Isabella, would use her talent for creating exquisite imitation jewels in a criminal way. But there’s no denying that Isa’s handiwork was used in the brazen heist of the Dutch royal family’s diamonds -- after she disappeared into the night.

Ten years later, still reeling from her betrayal and enraged that her duplicitous side was so undetectable, Victor is sent to Edinburgh to investigate a wealthy baron’s mysterious bride-to-be. Simple enough -- until the “fiancée” proves to be Isa, masquerading as an alluring young widow.

No longer the meek and mild girl he once knew, the bold woman vehemently asserts that it was Victor who abandoned her after he helped steal the royal diamonds! Piecing together the truth of the past reawakens their volatile passion, which burns hotter than ever. But with a decade of secrets between them, Victor and Isa must trust each other in order to bring the real thieves to justice -- without getting burned themselves.

Very good second chance/reunion story. Ten years ago Victor and Isa were very much in love and newly married. Victor was working as a guard for a jeweler and Isa was working for the same jeweler. She has a talent for making beautiful imitation jewels. Isa's sister and brother-in-law have forced her to make a fake set of Dutch royal jewels and are planning to switch them for the real thing. Isa has thought of a way to stop them, but is drugged by her sister, and her relatives pull off the switch anyway. The next day, Isa is told by her sister that Victor helped them, then left to throw authorities off the trail, but would join them later. Meanwhile, Victor finds a note from his wife telling him she has left him because he isn't good enough for her, leaving him to take the blame for the theft.

Ten years later, both have moved on. Victor has discovered that he is the cousin of a Duke (What the Duke Desires). He's living in London, but society life isn't for him, he's worked for his living his whole life. So he goes to the Manton Agency and asks if he can work for them. They send him to Edinburgh to investigate a woman who may be trying to dupe a wealthy young baron into marrying her. The description of the woman sounds a lot like his wife, so he's eager to check her out. He's been searching for her the whole time. Meanwhile, after Victor abandoned her, Isa found herself pregnant and desperate to get away from her family, She created a new identity for herself and apprenticed to a jeweler moving to Edinburgh. She now has a successful career and a nine year old daughter she loves dearly.

Isa is stunned to see Victor in Edinburgh. She is certain that he's only there to ask her to make more fakes for him to use to steal more jewels. At the same time, Victor thinks that Isa is after a way to steal the baron's family gems. After several days where Victor tries to get Isa alone, he finally succeeds, and makes his accusations. Isa is stunned by what he says, and has her own accusations to make. When they actually take the time to compare stories, they realize that they were set up by her relatives and have spent ten years hating each other for no reason. Of the two, Victor has the harder time letting go of his anger and seeing that he has blamed Isa for something that she didn't do. Now they have to decide if their marriage is able to be saved.

Isa and Victor had been very young when they married and both had had their own insecurities. Victor's childhood hadn't been good, with a father who had kidnapped another man's son, and later died a syphilitic madman. Victor had become a soldier fighting the French until the war ended. He had been afraid to share his past with Isa, certain she would leave him if she knew about his past. When he was questioned about the jewels' disappearance, the authorities accused him of working with Isa, using his own past against him. He didn't want to believe that she had used him, but her disappearance had him doubting himself, though he still wouldn't confirm their accusations. Isa had been young and innocent and believed in Victor's love. She hadn't told him what her relatives were doing because she thought that she could stop them without him having to know. She had a hard time believing such a brave soldier would be interested in her, and her sister used that against her. When Victor never came after her, she believed her sister had been right. Now that they are older and wiser, they realize that they were both used. 

I liked the fact that the truth about what happened didn't take too long to come out, and that they actually did believe each other as they worked it out. But both of them are still reluctant to trust the other, sensing that there are unrevealed secrets. Victor still wants Isa's relatives brought to justice, but Isa is afraid that exposing the truth could put both her and Victor in danger, and ruin their daughter's life too. Now that their anger with each other is gone, their old feelings are coming back to the surface. I loved seeing them get to know each other again and try to rebuild their marriage.

I loved the way that Isa has matured over the last ten years. She is no longer the quiet girl, content to let others tell her what to do. She has become strong and independent and has no trouble telling Victor when she doesn't like something that he is doing. However, she still has moments when she isn't sure of his motives for doing something. Victor has also gotten more confident in himself and who he is, but like Isa, still has lapses in his belief in her innocence. He wants his revenge, or justice, on Isa's relatives and has to rethink things when she points out the hazards. I liked seeing them realize that they are stronger together, as long as they can maintain their belief in each other. When Isa's relatives make a reappearance after ten years of leaving Isa alone, Isa's daughter is put into danger. They must find a way to put their trust issues behind them for good if they are going to save Amalie and make a go of their marriage.

I really enjoyed the secondary characters also, and the layers they brought to the story. Baron Rupert was one of the best. He is young and rather awkward socially. He is the Regency version of a nerd, and Isa is one of his few friends. He has a crush on her and is pretty sweet because of it. But he is also a very good friend to her and plays a very big part in Amalie's rescue. He also ends up with a pretty sweet romance of his own. I also loved seeing Max and Tristan and Dom from the first book and seeing how they support Victor. They show up just in time to help Victor and Isa. I loved the ingenuity of their plan and how it all came together. I enjoyed the scene with Tristan and Lady Zoe, and what appears to be the set up for the next book in the series.

*copy received in exchange for honest review.