The Rake to Redeem Her - Julia Justiss (HH #1133 - Apr 2013)

Series: Ransleigh Rogues (Book 2)

ONLY A TRUE RAKE CAN OFFER HER REDEMPTION

Will Ransleigh, illegitimate nephew of the Earl of Swynford, has the tall, aristocratic bearing of nobility-and the resourceful cunning of a streetwise rogue. To clear his cousin's name he is on a mission that will take him across the Continent into a world of international intrigue-and the arms of Elodie Lefevre, the society hostess who brought shame to his family.

Is she seductress, spy, or damsel in distress? In the haze of the sensual spell she casts, Will has to keep his wits about him and uncover the true nature of this mysterious Madame.... 

Good book.  Will has gone to Vienna to find the woman behind his cousin's scandal (The Rake to Ruin Her).  He is determined to take her back to England to face what she has done.  When he tracks her down she is not at all what he expected to find.  Instead of a hardened seductress living it up she appears to be a virtual prisoner in a couple of rooms.  When he tells her what happened to Max because of her actions she agrees to go to England with him as long as they stop in Paris first.  Over the several weeks it takes them to make the trip he is impressed by her ability to maintain the deceptions they use and her cleverness in assisting him in finding solutions to problems they encounter along the way.  He does not expect to be attracted to her and is not pleased with it.  As they journey he begins to learn more about her and why she participated in the plot.  Soon he is torn between wanting to clear Max's name and keeping Elodie safe and with him.  I really enjoyed seeing Will do all his disguises and strategies.  Hearing about his start in life and the debt he felt he owed Max went a long way in showing the kind of man he was.  In spite of his initial anger with her Will soon began to respect her abilities and enjoy her company.  The attraction between them also grew and became explosive when they finally gave in to it.  This only added to the feelings that Will was developing for her.  I loved his kindness and care of her when they left Paris.  By the time they got to England he knew that he didn't want to turn her over to the authorities.  I loved his long discussion with Max and the decisions he made afterward.  

Elodie was a terrific heroine.  In the first book she was definitely made out to be one of the bad guys and not a sympathetic character at all.  From the beginning of this one she is obviously a victim of circumstances and someone to root for.  I loved the way that she handled her first meeting with Will and the way she stood up for herself.  She made sure that he knew she would only cooperate if he consented to help her also.  She had an amazing mind and was a perfect fit for Will with the way that her experiences matched his.  She also didn't expect the attraction between them and wasn't sure what to do about it.  As they proceeded on their journey to Paris she was very good at protecting her secrets until she was reasonably sure that she could trust him.  Even then she didn't tell him everything but did share information on her childhood that showed him why she was so good at keeping pace with him and his machinations.  Upon their arrival in Paris and her attempt to get away from him her final secret came out.  Her heartbreak there was so hard to see but her strength in doing was she felt was right was wonderful.  She also began to realize that what she felt for Will was more than just attraction but knew there was no future in it.  I loved her confusion on seeing Max again and the way that he and Caro treated her.  She didn't know what to make of it and found she was allowing herself to think she might have a future after all.  I loved the ending and the way that Will worked to make her dreams come true.

Both Elodie and Will had overcome many obstacles to become the people they were now.  It was wonderful to see how those obstacles created a bond between them that made them two halves of a whole.  I am really looking forward to the next two books and wish that it wasn't so long until they are available.

Playing for Keeps - Catherine Mann (HD #2221 - Apr 2013)

Series: Alpha Brotherhood (Book 3)

It's been eighteen years...and he still wants her

In high school, Malcolm Douglas was a bad boy who stole the heart of small-town girl Celia Patel-as well as her virginity. But life pulled them apart...and just as well, for he'd already broken her heart.

Now Malcolm is a world-famous billionaire dedicated to atoning for his sins. When he swoops back into Celia's life, he tells himself he only wants to protect her from recent threats. But the desire between them leaves them as breathless as teenagers. Will Celia ever forgive him? Maybe. If he can make today's pleasure erase yesterday's pain.

Very good book.  I liked both Celia and Malcolm.  When they were teenagers Celia was the daughter of a local judge and Malcolm was the boy from the wrong side of the tracks.  But they were in love and that was all that mattered to them.  When Celia got pregnant Malcolm started working any job he could find to earn enough money so they could get married.  He ended up getting caught in a drug raid and even though he was innocent he was sent to a reform school.  He and Celia ended up giving up the baby for adoption and they drifted apart.  When she became the target of a stalker Malcolm used his connections and swooped in to protect her.  They have a lot to overcome and none of it is easy.

Celia has been trying for eighteen years to get over Malcolm.  After the birth of the baby she suffered from depression and panic attacks and has mostly recovered though she still has the occasional panic attack.  When she is threatened she blows it off especially when Malcolm appears.  She really doesn't want to risk her heart again.  But he convinces her that coming along on his European tour is the perfect way to be protected.  I really liked the way that she had gotten her life back together after making the incredibly hard decision to give up her baby.  Her reaction to Malcolm's appearance showed her that she was still attracted to him and probably always would be.  I really enjoyed seeing her get to know Malcolm the man and how he had changed from the boy she used to know.  She discovered that she mostly liked him and really enjoyed meeting his friends. She didn't like his cynicism about the existence of love but she kind of understood his feelings.  Her decision to give in to the physical wasn't easy but she didn't regret it.  She was also finally able to let go of the guilt she felt over what she saw as her part in Malcolm being sent away.

Malcolm has spent his adult life performing his music and doing the occasional work for Colonel Salvatore and Interpol.  He sees it as a way to make up for all the stupid things he did when he was younger.  He has kept an eye on Celia from afar, wanting to make sure she is safe in a way he couldn't do when they were younger.  He saw taking her on tour with him as a way to get her back in his bed and maybe get her out of his system, but it didn't work out that way.  It seemed that everything he did just made him want her more and forever.  I loved seeing the other members of the brotherhood come to help him and also the way they tried to make him see the truth about his feelings.  I loved seeing the difference it made to his music when he did.  The ending to the London concert was beautiful.

The resolution to Celia's stalker mystery was quite a surprise.  I liked seeing the other brotherhood members and the wives from the first two books.  It was fun seeing how their changes have continued after the end of those books.  I'm looking forward to getting to know the other members and seeing how they meet their matches.