Loretta Chase

By Loretta Chase

This was my second book by Loretta Chase and it does measure up to Lord of Scoundrels. I listened to it on audible read by the very talented Kate Reading who has a voice perfectly matched to both of the dynamic couples in the books. I wearied of Historical Romances quite some time ago, but Loretta Chase reminds me of why I used to gobble them up. When I finished the first novel, I was hoping that it wouldn’t be the last I saw of the unforgettable Lord and Lady Dain so I was very pleased to see them again in this, and not just in passing. Not to mention the large and very surprising role the dutchess’s hapless silly brother Bertie has in it!

In 1820s London Lydia Grenville is a crusading journalist who also writes best-selling serials in secret. She meets our bad boy hero Vere Mallory, Lord Ainsworth, after practically running him down in her carriage while in hot pursuit of a bawd who has kidnapped still another young innocent country girl for nefarious purposes. He follows her with mayhem in mind and they face off in a dark alley which ends with the Amazonian Lydia, as always accompanied by her mastiff Susan, knocking him down in the mud. In full public view. Coralie temporarily escapes Lydia’s wrath but the rescued country girl, genteel and well-educated Tamsin, becomes Lydia’s girl Friday. There are many subplots in this which makes the book a bit episodic. It is very action-packed. Lydia continues to pursue and outwit Coralie, the infamous and evil madam, steals back Tamsin’s stolen rubies, rescues a pitiful new mother from prison, participates in a dangerous and exciting carriage race, and foils a kidnapping. Somehow Ainsworth always seems to be around to either lend a hand or to complicate matters, to Lydia’s frustration. It is a passionate battle of wills and they are evenly matched. They fall in lust, then love, quarreling and fighting every inch of the way right up to the altar (she lost a bet). Meanwhile, we learn about their tragic backstories and uncover the mystery of Lydia’s parentage. Tamsin is no slouch either and has her own story and romance as well.

It’s a wild ride and very entertaining with lots of caustic and amusing banter, comedy, adventure, and drama. Social conditions and women’s issues are given due attention. To top it off, the passionate and satisfying romance was free from silly misunderstandings, deceptions, and stupidity. They were made for each other for many reasons, but mostly because they both hide hearts of gold.

By Loretta Chase

“I love these pet names,” she said, gazing soulfully up into his eyes, “Nitwit. Sap skull. Termagant. How they make my heart flutter!”

“We’ve been wed more than a month. Since it appears you mean to stay, I might as well give you leave to call me by my christian name. It is preferable, at any rate, to ‘clodpole.”

Lord of Scoundrels has been on my TBR list for more than 20 years. It is probably on more “best” lists than any other traditional historical romance. It is considered by many as one of the best ever written. I was very happy that from the first chapter, it lived up to its press. What a refreshing turn of events!

And this is despite the Marquess of Dain being one of my least favorite types of heroes. But we are given enough of a glimpse into his childhood to make his current personality sort of understandable. He is still over the top with his alpha powerful maleness and bad behavior, but it is caused by a lack of self-esteem and body dysmorphia. His self-loathing gets a little tedious, but it is more than balanced by our heroine, Jessica Trent. She is a force of nature, full stop. She is never intimidated by him, not the least little bit. She has his number from the very beginning and he doesn’t stand a chance. When they cross swords, she always comes out the winner. He is playing Go Fish, and she is playing Chess. Yet somehow, he is worthy of her. He is intelligent, witty, usually fair-minded, not to mention all of the other physical attributes alpha romantic heroes possess. In one noteworthy scene Jessica walks into an orgy Dain is participating in and shoots him. The bullet hits his arm, and he is paralyzed there for almost the rest of the whole book. He doesn’t have a temper tantrum or sulk about it, plot revenge, or, indeed, blame her in the slightest. He just gets on with it, and it is hardly referred to. Their interactions were exciting, dramatic, fun, and funny throughout.

I listened to it on Audio, and the narration of Kate Reading really brought out both of their personalities. I wish there were more books that would bring back this couple, especially a sequel about Dominic or future offspring. There appear to be more in the series, but they seem to be unrelated. In any event, on the next occasion, I have a hankering for a historical romance, 5 will get you 10 it will be another book by Loretta Chase.**4 1/2 stars**

September 19, 2021

Rebekah's Readings and Watchings

Mostly Happy Stuff, Mysterious Stuff, and Guilty Pleasures

The Last Hellion

Lord of Scoundrels