Series: Swanlea Spinsters (Book 4)
She won't let a thief steal her heart ...
It's difficult enough for Lady Clara Stanbourne to run her London home for reformed young pickpockets without having to contend with a criminal in business right next door! The mysterious Morgan Pryce is obviously dealing in stolen property, and she will never allow the handsome scoundrel to lead the children astray! Pryce is very much mistaken if he believes her a delicate rose he can wilt with soft words and passionate, unspoken promises. Now if only Clara could douse the fiery yearning the charming cad ignites inside her ...
This bold, beautiful temptress is indeed a distraction -- and Morgan wishes he could tell the exquisite Clara the truth: that he is working undercover to break up a notorious crime ring. His mind should be on his duty -- not wondering how it would feel to hold Clara in his arms and taste the sweetness of her luscious lips. But now that she has entered into his most dangerous game, Morgan knows he must have her, despite the very real peril to his secret mission ... and to his heart!
Good book. I especially enjoyed a setting outside the usual balls and house parties. Clara runs a home for reformed pickpockets in one of the seedier parts of London. She works hard to show them a better way of life and find them proper employment. She is dismayed and angry when a man who deals in stolen goods moves in so close to her property. She doesn't need him tempting her children, let alone herself! Morgan is there for one reason only - working undercover to catch the leader of a crime ring. The last thing he needs is the distraction posed by the beautiful and passionate Clara. The sooner he can fulfill his mission and get away from her temptation the happier he will be.
I really liked both Clara and Morgan. Clara is determined, spirited, and passionate about her work with the children. She refuses to let the Morgan's arrival undo her hard work and has no trouble charging in to save one of her boys from his evil influence. She is quite stubborn, and when things don't add up she takes matters into her own hands. Morgan is a man who is haunted by his past. Though eventually rescued from a bad childhood, the things he did have influenced the man he is now. Though he gives the impression of being a ruthless criminal, he is actually an honorable man doing what he can to serve his country.
Clara and Morgan struck sparks off each other from the moment they met. I loved watching Clara stand up to his threats. Morgan wasn't sure at times if he wanted to shake her or kiss her, and the kissing usually won out. It was fun to see him do his best to scare her off, especially since her reaction was usually the opposite. It didn't take long for Clara to realize that his words and actions didn't match up, making her even more determined to get at the truth. I enjoyed how she persisted until Morgan had no choice but to tell her what was going on. I found it amusing that in spite of his worry that she wouldn't be able to keep the secret, he was the one who couldn't stay away from her. I also liked the fact that when Morgan proposed marriage to protect her reputation, she refused to settle for what he was offering. She made it plain to him that she deserved more. I loved how well she understood him and wanted him to see the same man that she did. It was an emotional scene when he was finally able to let go of the past and see a bright future. The epilogue was a nice wrap-up for the book.
The part of the book dealing with Morgan's mission to capture the Spectre was pretty good. Morgan's past made him uniquely suited for the mission. I enjoyed Morgan's interactions with Johnny the pickpocket and Samuel the footman, as he tried to maintain his cover without putting them in danger. The first encounter with Spectre was pretty creepy, especially with his disguise. It was easy to feel the threat that he posed to both Morgan and Clara. As the book progressed, I suspected who it might be, but wasn't sure how he pulled it off until the end. The final confrontation was intense and had me on the edge of my seat until it was over.
The secondary characters also added depth to the story. I loved Clara's Aunt Verity and her dogs. It was easy to picture them as I was reading, along with her attempts to fix Clara up with Lord Winthrop. My favorites were Johnny and Samuel. Johnny's struggle with giving up pickpocketing was real. It was easy to see that he wanted to please Clara, but giving up that independence was hard. He had that teenage bravado that tried to hide his vulnerability, and I liked the way that Morgan tried to help him. I also loved Samuel, the reformed pickpocket who is now Clara's footman. I loved his protectiveness toward Clara, and his growth into the position as Morgan took him under his wing. He was really sweet with Lucy, too.
I definitely want to read the other books in the series, especially the one about Juliet and Morgan's brother.
No comments:
Post a Comment