At Your Pleasure
Meredith Duran


ISBN-10:
1451606958
ISBN-13: 978-1451606959
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Line: Pocket Books
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Pages: 400
Retail Price: 7.99




Genre: Historical
Heat Level: Hot
Rating:

BY CANDLELIGHT, SHE LURES HIM . . .

Glittering court socialites and underworld cutpurses alike know that Adrian Ferrers, Earl of Rivenham, is the most dangerous man in London. Rivenham will let nothing—not the deepening shadow of war, nor the growing darkness within him—interfere with his ambition to restore his family to its former glory. But when tasked by the king to uncover a traitor, he discovers instead a conspiracy—and a woman whose courage awakens terrible temptations. To save her is to risk everything. To love her might cost his life.

AT SWORDPOINT SHE DEFIES HIM . . .

Lady Leonora knows that Rivenham is the devil in beautiful disguise—and that the irresistible tension between them is as unpredictable as the dilemma in which Nora finds herself: held hostage on her own estate by Rivenham and the king’s men. But when war breaks out, Nora has no choice but to place her trust in her dearest enemy—and pray that love does not become the weapon that destroys them both. . . .

Review

In the past Duran has sated our appetites with Regency romps. This round we move into the early Georgian period, where political allegiance and religious affiliation play a major role in everyday life.

For Lady Leonora, political allegiance and implied beliefs have cost her family everything. With her father exiled to France and her brother plotting some other sort of madness the only thing this young widow can count on is her family’s estate. She’s enjoyed taking back the reins of managing a household she knows well, even if that reign will be short lived with her brother’s promise that she will be wed again in the near future. Her feigned happiness is suddenly tossed aside when the King’s agent, Adrian Ferrers, arrives searching for her brother.
Instead of moving onward, Adrian is determined to wait out the missing brother at the family home. These two, Leonora and Adrian have a shaky past with more skeletons and pain then a single evening together will solve. Week’s together will only bring about more pain or release a desire that they’ve been fighting off for years. Both hero and heroine have more at stake than just losing their hearts—lives are on the line. The only question is will love win out over family loyalties?

Leonora is the self-sacrificing martyr. She’s strong and has suffered horrible things at the hands of her family, but still stands by them no matter the ignorance of their decisions. This loyal trait of Nora’s drove me crazy. I honestly wanted to beat her a couple of times, and was surprised Adrian didn’t. Personally I wasn’t a big Nora fan. Adrian is similarly devoted to his own family, so I believed he was able to give Nora a break because he understood what family meant to her. I loved Adrian’s character and he’s very alpha male, not full on but just about there. These two butt heads repeatedly, but regardless of what the insane sacrifices that Nora is willing to make Adrian refuses to leave her.

The conflict in this story is incredibly strong and there were multiple moments where I believed Nora and Adrian were doomed; without hope of an HEA. Amazingly, as she always does, Duran provided a resolution realistic to her characters and her story. Overall if you looking for a book with deep emotional ties and an opportunity to see love and loyalty in action At Your Pleasure is a definite must buy.

Reviewed by Landra


READERS COMMENTS