A Hotly Contested Claim

A bastard by birth, James Devlin lives on his own terms—until a twist of fate reveals that he is the true Duke of Blackwood. Though the brooding bachelor swears to hold on to his freedom, he does intend to take back his childhood home. But once at Wyndmoor Manor, he discovers an arresting adversary in Bella Sinclair. Her hot-blooded claim to his home is amusing…and arousing. Which is why he isn’t leaving until he takes possession of everything—starting with the bewitching Bella…

A Sensual Surrender

Bella is furious when the Duke barges into her home, declaring it rightfully his! The willful widow is not about to give up her haven without a fight, no matter how determined the Duke is—or how sensual the battlefield. But once she’s sharing a house with the beguiling barrister, she is in danger of losing everything—one deep, slow kiss at a time…

Review

The second book in The Barrister series by Tina Gabrielle takes the reader on an adventure from the English country side to London.

James Devlin is a bastard…at least that’s what he has thought his whole life. He has made a good life for himself as a barrister and doesn’t miss the money or prestige that would have come with being a legitimate son of a duke. Then everything changes for James. He finds out that he is in fact the heir to the Duke of Blackwood and now that his father has passed he is to take control of the estates and everything else that he is entitled to as the new Duke. There is just one thing he really wants…Wyndmoor Manor. I really liked this character. His life is turned upside down, but he manages to move on and deal with everything with dignity. I loved how quickly and fiercely he comes to protect Bella and how his feelings for her change throughout the story. He really comes into his true self and in the course finds true love.

Bella Sinclair is a widow. After a terrible marriage she is finally free from her husband, Roger. She believes that everything is going to be better now that he is gone. After passing through and falling in love with the property she purchases Wyndmoor and plans to make it her forever home. She is shocked with the Duke of Blackwood comes knocking at her door and claiming to be the rightful owner of Wyndmoor. She knows that she will do whatever necessary to protect herself and her new home – even if that means taking on a duke. I loved Bella’s spirit. She had let a man control and hurt her in the past, but won’t again. She doesn’t give into James and makes him fight for the property just as she is willing to fight.

These two characters have a lot of chemistry and are drawn to each other instantly. I loved the pull they feel for each other even as they are frustrated about the Manor and what is happening around them. When accidents start happening around the manor they both work to protect the other one, even though something happening to one or the other would mean the Manor would be free of one owner.

I loved the writing. The scenes move smoothly and the plot is well paced. Nothing feels rushed or too slow. I also loved the relationships – Bella and James, James and his barrister friends, Bella and her elderly servant Harriet, and Bella and Evelyn. Each of these relationships helps move the story along while giving insight into the characters and their motivation.

Ms. Gabrielle is a rising talent in the historical romance genre. I’m looking forward to reading more by her in the future. 

Reviewed by Carrie

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