Series:
Lyon's Den (Book 95)
Mayflowers might mean love, but if not, persistence,
charm, and a cat will win the day…
Peregrine (Allan) Barrows--the eighth Duke of
Masterson--has lived almost half his life mostly blind, for a fever contracted
at the age of twenty ensured that. Due to the hardship, he wasn't able to enter
the fight against Napoleon and neither has he had luck finding a wife. Not even
the title can attract a lady, for a blind man is useless, right? Needing to do
his duty by his title and estates, he turns to the tables at the Lyon's Den.
There are rumors the owner has some skill in matchmaking.
Widowed Annette Jennings has become something of an
embarrassing problem. Terrified of leaving her home after a horrible murder
stole her husband's life a few years ago, she refuses to have anything to do
with society or the Marriage Mart a second time. With her father dying and her
mother desperate to see Anne settled, the baroness looks up an old friend who
owns a gaming hell. With a promise and the exchange of coin, Mrs. Dove-Lyon
consents to find a husband for Anne.
This was a terrific addition to the Lyon's Den series. I enjoyed
the realism of the two main characters and the slow-burning development of
their relationship.
I loved the hero of this story. Peregrine (Allan) Barrows,
Duke of Masterson, is blind. He lost his sight when he was twenty, and now,
almost forty years old, he has adapted well to his life. He could be a bitter
old grump about it, but he has an active social life and good friends. The only
thing he doesn't have is a wife, and finding one is difficult in his circumstances.
His friends have found their mates thanks to Mrs. Dove-Lyon, so he heads to the
Lyon's Den to try his hand at an arranged wife.
Annette Jennings is a young widow. Her husband died in a
horrible murder. The trauma left her afraid to leave her room, much less her
home, and she has no interest in risking her heart in another marriage. However,
her father is dying, and her parents want to see her securely settled before he
does. Annette's mother is friends with Mrs. Dove-Lyon and appeals to her for
help in matching Annette to a suitable husband.
I enjoyed the development of Allan and Annette's
relationship. They were open and honest with each other from the moment they
met. He accepted Annette's fears and patiently gave her time to adjust to her
new role. I loved how he sat outside her door and talked to her, giving him
time to earn her trust and get to know each other. Day by day, she grew more
comfortable with him. When she finally emerged from her room (thank you, Romeo,
the cat!), it was easier for her to overcome her fears. Both were surprised by
the depth of their connection, and I loved seeing it deepen and grow. I liked
the ending, with an interesting proposition to Mrs. Dove-Lyon.
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