I'm thrilled to have one of my favorite authors visiting today with yet another of her satisfying stories to introduce you to. Keep reading to get a glimpse of No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean along with my impressions of it. You can learn even more about it by visiting the other blogs hosting this tour. Make sure to fill out the form for your chance to win a copy of the first two books in the Rules of Scoundrels series!
He is the Killer Duke, accused of murdering Mara Lowe on the eve of her wedding. With no memory of that fateful night, Temple has reigned over the darkest of London’s corners for twelve years, wealthy and powerful, but beyond redemption. Until one night, Mara resurfaces, offering the one thing he’s dreamed of...absolution.
A lady returned...
Mara planned never to return to the world from which she’d run, but when her brother falls deep into debt at Temple’s exclusive casino, she has no choice but to offer Temple a trade that ends in her returning to society and proving to the world what only she knows...that he is no killer.
A scandal revealed...
It’s a fine trade, until Temple realizes that the lady-and her past-are more than they appear. It will take every bit of his strength to resist the pull of this mysterious, maddening woman who seems willing to risk everything for honor . . . and to keep from putting himself on the line for love.
EXCERPT:
TEMPLE
Whitefawn Abbey, Devonshire
November 1819
He woke with a splitting head and a hard cock.
The situation was not uncommon. He had, after all, woken each day for more than half a decade with one of the items in question, and on more mornings than he could count with both.
William Harrow, Marquess of Chapin and heir to the dukedom of Lamont was wealthy, titled, privileged and` handsome—and a young man blessed with those traits rarely wanted for anything relating to wine or women.
So it was that on this morning, he did not fret. Knowing (as skilled drinkers do) that the splitting head would dissipate by midday, he moved to cure the other affliction and, without opening his eyes, reached for the female no doubt nearby.
Except, she wasn’t.
Instead of a handful of warm, willing flesh, William came up with a handful of unsatisfying pillow.
He opened his eyes, the bright light of the Devonshire sun assaulting his senses and emphasizing the thundering in his head.
He cursed. He draped one forearm over his closed eyes, sunlight burning red behind the lids, and took a deep breath.
Daylight was the fastest way to ruin a morning.
Likely, it was for the best that the woman from the previous evening had disappeared, though the memory of lovely lush breasts, a mane of auburn curls and a mouth made for sin did bring with it a wave of regret.
She had been gorgeous.
And in bed—
In bed she’d been—
He stilled.
He couldn’t remember.
Surely he hadn’t had that much drink. Had he? She’d been tall and full of curves, made just the way he liked his women, a match for the height and breadth that was too often his curse when it came to women. He did not like feeling like he might crush a girl.
And she’d had smile that made him think of innocence and sin all at once. She’d refused to tell him her name . . . refused to hear his . . .
Utter perfection.
And her eyes—he’d never seen eyes like hers, one the blue of the summer sea, and one just on the edge of green. He’d spent too long looking at those eyes, fascinated by them, wide and welcoming.
They’d crept through the kitchens and up the servants’ stairs to his room, she’d poured him a scotch . . .
And that was all he remembered.
Good Lord. He had to stop drinking.
Just as soon as today was over. He would need drink to survive his father’s wedding day—the day William gained his fourth stepmother. Younger than all the others. Younger than him.
And very very rich.
Not that he’d met her, this paragon of brideliness. He’d meet her at the ceremony and not before, just as he’d done the other three. And then, once the familial coffers had been once again filled, he would leave. Back to Oxford, having done his duty and played the role of doting son. Back to the glorious, libidinal life that belonged to the heir to the dukedom, filled with drink and dice and women and not a worry in the world.
Back to the life he adored.
But tonight, he would honor his father and greet his new mother and pretend that he cared for the sake of propriety. And perhaps, after he was done playing the role of heir, he’d seek out the playful young thing from the gardens and do his best to recall the events of the night before.
Thank Heaven for country estates and well-attended nuptials. There wasn’t a female in creation who could resist the sexual lure of a wedding, and because of that, William had a great affinity for holy matrimony.
How lucky that his father had such a knack for it.
He grinned and stretched wide in the bed, throwing one arm wide across the cool linen sheets.
Cold linen sheets.
Cold wet linen sheets.
What in hell?
His eyes flew open.
It was only then that he realized it wasn’t his room.
It wasn’t his bed.
And the red wash across the bedsheets, dampening his fingers with its sticky residue, was not his blood.
Before he could speak, or move, or understand, the door to the strange bedchamber opened and a maid appeared, fresh-faced and eager.
There were a dozen different things that could have gone through his mind at that moment . . . a hundred of them. And yet, in the fleeting seconds between the young maid’s entrance and her notice of him, William thought of only one thing—that he was about to ruin the poor girl’s life.
He knew, without doubt, that she would never again casually open a door, or spread sheets across a bed, or bask in the rare, bright sunlight of a Devonshire winter morning without remembering this moment.
A moment he could not change.
He did not speak when she noticed him, nor when she froze in place, nor when she went deathly pale and her brown eyes—funny that he noticed their color—went wide with first recognition and then horror.
Nor did he speak when she opened her mouth and screamed. No doubt he would have done the same, had he been in her position.
It was only when she was through with that first, ear-shattering shriek—the one that brought footmen and maids and wedding guests and his father running—that he spoke, taking the quiet moment before the coming storm to ask, “Where am I?”
The maid simply stared, dumbstruck.
He made to move from the bed, the sheets falling to his waist, stopping short as he realized his clothes were nowhere in sight.
He was naked. In a bed that was not his own.
And he was covered in blood.
He met the maid’s horrified gaze again, and when he spoke, the words came out young and full of something he would later identify as fear. “Whose bed is this?”
Remarkably, she found her answer without stuttering. “Miss Lowe.”
Miss Mara Lowe, daughter of a wealthy financier, with a dowry large enough to catch a duke.
Miss Mara Lowe, soon-to-be the Duchess of Lamont.
His future stepmother.
BUY LINKS: AMAZON | BN | BAM | INDIE BOUND
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
With each successive book in The Rules of Scoundrels series I am left more in awe of Sarah MacLean's talent. That talent is clearly on display in this story where she manages to transform a rather unlikable and unrepentant heroine into someone you can't help but admire. Paired with this unexpected heroine is a man who has wallowed in the pits of anger, guilt, and self-retribution over a lie beyond his control for the last twelve years. When these two meet, after that fateful event from twelve years ago, the sparks fly in a sensual battle of wills to bring these two lost souls back to life.
Temple was once the carefree Duke of Lamont, easy to smile and quick to enjoy the frivolities of life. At least he was until the night he was accused of killing his soon-to-be stepmother. From that moment on his life took a dark turn. He was disowned and he's treated as a pariah and a dangerous animal who's put on display every time he enters the boxing ring. Anger fuels his sparring, anger at those who put themselves in debt to enter the ring and anger at himself for where life has led him. I ached for the man fate made him become. Rage bubbling below the surface is his constant companion and I was waiting for the event to unleash that rage. Seeing a ghost from his past throws his life into disarray. He's now forced into interacting with the woman who ruined his life but he finds himself drawn to her and the verbal sparring that is a large part of their relationship. He's gone from a solitary existence to the chaos of children and the woman who angers him and excites him too. I enjoyed seeing Temple find someone to care for him and help him regain what he thought he lost. After being put through the emotional ringer he deserves a HEA.
The event that completely transforms Temple's life once again is the return of Mara Lowe, the woman he was accused of killing. One would expect her to feel guilty over the damage she caused, but that's not he case. She's a strong-willed woman who's unrepentant and unapologetic. Her reasons for coming back aren't to wholy help Temple but more to help herself. As a smart woman capable of taking care of herself she proposes a trade where he returns the money her brother squandered so she can fund her orphanage and she helps him regain his place in society by reentering the land of the living in a cleverly planned out series of events. Mara appears cold and uncaring at first but slowly thaws the longer she's around Temple. As we get glimpses into the abusive childhood that led her to running away that fateful night to the loving care she now takes of those who have no one the woman who emerges is an immensely likable one. She's now the one taking care of Temple, being his defender in many subtle ways, and I found myself rooting for her.
The relationship between these two is intensely sensual. Sexual tension is their constant companion resulting in lots of hot and heavy foreplay that had me greatly anticipating one fiery final culmination. Along with their intense sexual attraction comes biting verbal banter that made for many entertaining moments showing them to be a perfect match. Surrounding these two compelling main characters is a cast of colorful secondary characters. From Lavender the pig to the children in the orphanage to Mara's brother each of these characters added a unique element to the story binding Temple and Mara closer together. As the third book in The Rules of Scoundrels series we get to revisit past protagonists and see where life has led them. We also get a glimpse into the next installment with a twist that promises big ramifications for The Fallen Angels that leaves me very excited. From start to finish I was enthralled by this intensely emotional read and its damaged characters fighting for happiness. Ms. MacLean once again proves why she's fast becoming my go-to author for historical reads and why I wholeheartedly recommend each and every one of her books!
My rating for this is an A.
*I received this book from Edelweiss for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
My rating for this is an A.
*I received this book from Edelweiss for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
Sarah MacLean grew up in Rhode Island, obsessed with historical romance and bemoaning the fact that she was born far too late for her own season. Her love of all things historical helped to earn her degrees from Smith College and Harvard University before she finally set pen to paper and wrote her first book.
Sarah now lives in New York City with her husband, their dog, and a ridiculously large collection of romance novels. She loves to hear from readers.
WEBSITE: http://macleanspace.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/
**********GIVEAWAY**********
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you for hosting!!
ReplyDelete