Expected Release Date: November 29, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: HQNbooks
Author’s Website: http://kaseymichaels.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 2, Blackthorne Brothers Series
Series Best Read In Order: Works well as a standalone
Steam Level: Steamy
Official Blurb:
Meet the Blackthorn Brothers—three unrepentant scoundrels infamous for being mad, bad and perilous to love.
Handsome as the devil and twice as tempting, Robin “Puck” Blackthorn lives for the pleasures of the moment. His only rule—never dally with an innocent woman. But when an encounter at a masquerade ball leaves him coveting the one woman who refuses to succumb to his charms, Puck realizes hat some rules were made to be broken…
Scandalized to discover that the masked man with whom she’d shared a dance—and a forbidden embrace—is in fact the ton’s most celebrated rake, Regina Hackett vows to keep her distance. Yet when her dear friend vanishes, it is to Puck that Regina must turn. And as they embark on a dangerous journey through London’s darkest alleys, Regina will discover that beneath Puck’s roguish facade lies a man who will stop at nothing to protect her—or to convince her to take a chance on an unrepentant sinner.
Robin Goodfellow “Puck” Blackthorn was named by his actress mother after the mischievous trickster from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Living up to his namesake, Puck lives in the moment and embraces all of the pleasures life has to offer, from parties to women to fine clothes to scheming and adventure. His ridiculous facade hides a clever and wily nature, however, and when he is called upon to rescue a damsel in distress, he cannot resist the drama of it all.
Regina Hackett has lived her entire life knowing that she was nothing more than a commodity for her wealthy merchant father — she’s to be married off in exchange for a title to whomever her father chooses, and she must guard her person and her reputation in order to ensure that nothing could come between her and the “perfect” social match.
When her cousin is kidnapped from a scandalous masquerade ball that neither of them should have been attending, however, she turns to the rakish Puck, with whom she had shared a deliciously forbidden kiss only moments earlier.
Though they both know that it is an impossible fantasy to dream of a happy ending together, Regina and Puck must rely on each other to find her cousin before it is too late, and to deny their passions before they are both ruined.
What Worked For Me:
- Puck. Oh Puck. The author’s foreword tells us that Puck is a favorite of hers, because how can you resist a man who truly loves life? I wholeheartedly agree. While Puck has every reason to be angsty and morose, he instead embraces life for all its beauty and silliness and danger and excitement. He’s incredibly intelligent and cunning, but plays the beautiful dandy to a fault, allowing other peoples’ prejudices and misconceptions to distract them from his artful direction of everyone around him. A master manipulator, having inherited the talent from his actress mother, he knows which servants to keep in his pocket, which palms to grease, and when to allow his flair for melodrama to take the forefront. Puck simply made this book. While the storyline was interesting, and the other characters caught my attention as well, Puck kept things lighthearted when necessary and turned the action serious when needed as well.
- As a fan of the series in general, as always I loved the heartbreaking melodrama that caused the Blackthorne brothers to be illegitimate in the first place. The utter selfishness of both of his parents, but especially his mother, quite literally ruined the lives of Puck and his brothers, for had his parents simply married and then taken on his aunt under his father’s protection, both Puck and his brothers would’ve been born to legitimacy and would not have had to struggle as they did. Even so, I can’t say that I would have it any other way. Their melodramatic mother and unconventional upbringing shaped each of the three brothers into the men that they are today, and frankly, I enjoy them all too much to have them change, even if it would’ve made their lives easier.
- Puck’s frivolity and love of life balanced out the heaviness of the plot. Human trafficking is a horrible, horrible thing, and even though it’s been around for thousands of years, it doesn’t lessen the horror of the people who experience it. The seriousness of this plot would have been enough to drag the entire story down into exhaustion were it not for Puck’s utter joy in everything life had to offer.
- I loved that Regina realized that she’d been spoiled to think that her life was so terrible because she’d been bred as a way for her father to climb the social ladder, and that she was destined to join in a loveless political marriage and be a broodmare to some anonymous lord that her father chose for her. While I couldn’t help but feel bad for her situation, I greatly respected her for being able to realize just how good she had it, all things considered.
- I’m dying to read Jack’s story, and find out just who it was that broke his heart to make him so cynical.
- The chemistry between Jack and Regina was quite delicious, and the main love scene between them was exquisite despite being fairly short. Puck tried so hard to be a gentleman despite society’s expectations of him as a bastard, and Regina absolutely refused to let him play the martyr. Wonderful.
- There was also a wonderful epilogue! I’m such a sucker for a well-written epilogue and this one was lovely. It wrapped up the story nicely, and also gave a sweet bit of sensuality to end with.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
- A character’s behavior in the end didn’t sit quite right with me. It’s a very minor issue, but since it’s a spoiler I can’t really be more specific.
Puck is currently my favorite “non-alpha” hero of historical romance. How can you not love a man who so obviously finds joy in everything? Living up to his nickname, observing Puck is rather like watching a child’s mischievous enjoyment in being naughty and not being able to keep from smiling about it.
Regina was wonderful as well — spoiled, a bit cynical, and prone to self-pity, she’s also surprisingly resourceful, loyal, and clever.
The entire plot with the cousin’s disappearance was both heartbreaking and full of excitement, and I really enjoyed how Regina’s character developed over the course of the novel.
I am, of course, excited for the sequel as well.
Overall, Puck made this story. He’s charming, witty, cunning. and beautiful, and despite circumstances of his existance that would have made most other men bitter and cynical, he truly embraces everything that life has to offer. I utterly and absolutely adored him.
5/5 stars.
1 Comment
This book does sound good with all that it has going on and the idea of such a hero.