Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Title: Duke of Sin
Author: Elizabeth Hoyt
Series: Maiden Lane, #10
Pages: 364
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Date: May 31, 2016
Summary:
A MAN OF SIN
Devastatingly handsome. Vain. Unscrupulous. Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery, is the man London whispers about in boudoirs and back alleys. A notorious rake and blackmailer, Montgomery has returned from exile, intent on seeking revenge on those who have wronged him. But what he finds in his own bedroom may lay waste to all his plans.
A WOMAN OF HONOR
Born a bastard, housekeeper Bridget Crumb is clever, bold, and fiercely loyal. When her aristocratic mother becomes the target of extortion, Bridget joins the Duke of Montgomery’s household to search for the incriminating evidence-and uncovers something far more dangerous.
A SECRET THAT THREATENS TO DESTROY THEM BOTH
Astonished by the deceptively prim-and surprisingly witty-domestic spy in his chambers, Montgomery is intrigued. And try as she might, Bridget can’t resist the slyly charming duke. Now as the two begin their treacherous game of cat and mouse, they soon realize that they both have secrets-and neither may be as nefarious-or as innocent-as they appear . . .
Review:
I went into this book thinking there was no way the author was going to make Valentine a believable hero . . . and she didn’t. He is not a hero, nor does he want to be. What he is is a man who suffered an abusive childhood and turned out no better than can be expected.
And I came to love him.
If ever there was a case of a “man saved by the love of a good woman,” that man is Valentine. Bridget Crumb, his housekeeper, has secrets of her own, but the sparks fly between them. I did have a hard time with a duke developing a serious relationship with a housekeeper, but Valentine has never followed society’s rules. I think Bridget was more bothered by the discrepancy in their stations than he was.
Although this book is set firmly in the world of Maiden Lane, there is no mention of the Ghost of St. Giles until the very end. Of course, as I recall, the stories have gotten away from that plotline in the last few books. There is every indication that is about to change. The next full book looks like it is going to focus on “the Ghost” once again.
And that is a striking point about this book. As much as I enjoyed Bridget’s and Valentine’s story, it is the secondary characters that were introduced that I am most interested in. In other words, I cannot wait for the next few books.
Which says a lot about how wonderful this series is to me.
This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Elaine Reads . . . constantly! 