Series:
Lyon's Den (Book 96)
A widow starting anew. A gentleman dodging the noose.
Will their pretense of a marriage turn into a head-over-heels love?
To purchase the publishing house of her dreams,
new-to-London Gwendolyn Barnes must find herself a husband. With no desire to
wed again, the young widow pays an exorbitant fee to the notorious Black Widow
of Whitehall for a husband who, she assures Gwen, is almost certainly dead.
Then her husband, shipping magnate and aloof son of a
duke, Gideon Devereux, walks through the front door.
After reading of his marriage to an unknown bride, the
date of which provides him a handy alibi, Gideon returns to London determined
to discover who framed him for treason. He's content to allow his farce of a
marriage to the beautiful bluestocking to stand. He only sees two problems --
Gwen's stipulation the marriage remain in name only, and an ungovernable hunger
for each other that neither can quell.
Secretly falling for the brooding and seductive Devereux,
a wary Gwen vows to avoid a repeat of her disastrous first marriage. And with
his enemies circling ever closer, Gideon's inner demons whisper that their
white-hot passion can never ignite into a forever love.
Can this made-for-each-other couple discover new heights
of happiness in each other's arms, or will the echoes of their pasts tear them
apart?
I thoroughly enjoyed the addition to the Lyon's Den
series. The characters were believable and easy to relate to.
Gwen is a widow who relocated to London after her
husband's and father's deaths. Her father was a well-known editor, and Gwen worked
with him, eventually taking over many of his activities. She wants to own her
own publishing house, where she can decide what gets printed. Unfortunately, as
a woman, she can't do so on her own. She needs a husband, even though she
doesn't want to marry again. Her friends in the Ladies Literary Society, like
Lady Amelia (
The Lyon Whisperer), take her to Mrs. Dove-Lyon for help. For a
large fee, Mrs. Dove-Lyon provides the paperwork for a husband who she believes
is dead, and therefore unable to protest.
Except - he isn't. Gideon Devereux, shipping magnate, is
surprised to read of his marriage. He's been lying low, as he is accused of
treason. With his "marriage" to Gwen comes an alibi that allows him
to return to London and investigate. Gideon is the illegitimate son of a duke,
but was accepted and loved by his father. His backstory is heartwarming and
heartbreaking, showing how he was treated by various people and the effect it
had on him.
I loved the meeting between the two of them. There is a
humorous aspect to it, as well as an immediate spark of attraction. Both Gwen
and Gideon are practical people, and agree to maintain the deception for mutual
benefit. Gwen gives Gideon the cover he needs to uncover the truth, while
Gideon provides the male relative Gwen needs to finalize her purchase of the
publishing house.
I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Gwen is
already half in love with Gideon before she meets him, thanks to reading the
journals he wrote, but she is still wary of him. Her first marriage left her
with trust issues. Gideon is also wary; his experiences with women have left
him quite cynical. His first marriage ended badly. They have much in common.
Both are intelligent and ambitious, with kind hearts. I loved the respect they
had for each other, which grew as they got to know each other.
Neither could deny the attraction that flared between
them. Giving in to the sparks brought them even closer, though both were slow
to accept the truth of their feelings. They are also protective of each other,
and I enjoyed seeing how they showed their support. It takes a little time, a
little danger, and some self-examination to admit their feelings for each other.
That scene was the icing on the cake for this story.
There were also two mysteries in this book. The first was
who was behind the constant nitpicking of Gwen's attempt to purchase the
publishing house. Her frustration with each new requirement was understandable.
The resolution of this question was not what I expected. The bigger mystery was
who was behind the events that framed Gideon for treason? I loved seeing Gwen put
her logical mind to work helping Gideon uncover the truth. The twists and turns
of their investigation kept me hooked. Though I did have my suspicions early on,
I wasn't positive until near the end. The final confrontation was intense with
an excellent resolution. The book ended with a bit that wrapped things up
perfectly.
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