Thornton Lindsay, Duke of Penborne has become a recluse since being injured in the war. When a friend tells him a beautiful stranger has told London Society she is his lover, he decides to confront her. 

Caroline Anstretton is on the run and desperate after the death of her mother, and decides to hide behind the Duke’s name. When an obnoxious and elderly Earl demands her body, to pay for her twin brother’s gambling debts, she refuses.  Without forethought she tells him. “Thornton Lindsay, Duke of Penborne, was my lover once and after him there is no way on earth I would sleep with you.” Society was shocked by her outburst and Caroline is shocked when Thornton is due to appear at a ball. 

“Was I a good lover,’ he asks, and she realizes she has taken on more than she’d anticipated, but she begins to admire his courage. When it seems he is willing to become her protector despite her brothers protests.  

Ms. James has written an interesting tale with a twist in its tail. The gutsy heroine seems to get herself into trouble with every word she utters. The hero is filled with an inner strength that is hard to define, but this reviewer found him absolutely fascinating. The plot is a rich tapestry of the time, filled with unscrupulous men who will do almost anything to get their own way. The women of society are also portrayed with all their inconsistencies. The conflicts were believable and pulled the plot along in an interesting way. The love scenes were well written and showed the tender side of the hero when he learnt the story of what had happened to Caroline. 

Dialogue was clear, although using ‘just’ out of context meant it was not always true to the time frame. There were some well crafted secondary characters, making extra layers in the plot. The many layers of Caroline’s character made this a fun tale in parts as she became a different person while in disguise. This is truly a book to enjoy.

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