Lydia Slaughter understands the games men play—both in and out of the bedroom. Not afraid to bend the rules to suit her needs, she fleeces Will Blackshear outright. The Waterloo hero had his own daring agenda for the gaming tables of London’s gentlemen’s clubs. But now he antes up for a wager of wits and desire with Lydia, the streetwise temptress who keeps him at arm’s length.

A kept woman in desperate straits, Lydia has a sharp mind and a head for numbers. She gambles on the sly, hoping to win enough to claim her independence. An alliance with Will at the tables may be a winning proposition for them both. But the arrangement involves dicey odds with rising stakes, sweetened with unspoken promise of fleshly delights. And any sleight of hand could find their hearts betting on something neither can afford to risk: love.

Review

Consistency is the ticket for any author and Grant has it in spades.

A Gentleman Undone is a perfect example of how a good historical can fall outside of traditional tropes. The characters are not the usual nobility or even the typical gentry. We have the mistress on one end and the mere 3rd son of a baronet recently returned from the war. Two unlikely connections, coming together for mutual benefit and so much more.

Miss Lydia Slaughter is the ideal mistress—attentive, sensual, open to possibilities, and barren. What more could a man ask for in a paid companion. Yet Lydia knows that a mistress doesn’t have a long shelf life, and it won’t be long until she’s replaced. Behind the façade she hides a keen mind.

Will Blackshear has obligations. He’s guilty of dozens of sins and determined to be a gentleman more than ever. When he meets Lydia those decorous thoughts are more important than anything else, especially since he wants her more than any other women he’s ever encountered. When their relationship moves from casual acquaintances to partners in business the close quarters will make keeping the respectful distance between each other near impossible.  

 This book is one hot mess! From the sensual tension to the innocuous interactions during spectacular rounds of vingt-et-un Will and Lydia sparked a desire in me to see them together. The only problem was I didn’t think it would be possible. Both of these characters have enough emotional baggage to fill a jumbo jet! What Grant does spectacularly is allow war and social class to do the damage in such a wonderful way. I get that damage isn’t supposed to be wonderful, but when two people who are completely brought down by their own decisions somehow find ways to heal each other than yes… it’s a wonderful thing.  Even more wonderful the internal and external conflict essentially makes these two antagonists to each other.

The devil is in the details. One thing I loved about Grant’s first book, A Lady Awakened, is her eye for the detail in the setting, the literature and the physical actions taken by characters. Gentleman Undone is definitely a step up. Grant provides a detailed look at numbers, and the game vingt-et-un displaying her familiarity with the game and her thorough research.  One of my favorite scenes, surprisingly, is when I was alerted to the heroine’s unique nature.

With all the insolence she swallowed, it was a wonder her corsets still laced. Retort after rejoinder after sharp-edged remark: Why do you address me? What can I possibly have to say to a man who would split a pair of fives? Be quiet. Go to sleep. Go away . Come back when you have another erection… Lydia slid from the bed. Silently—she took her dressing gown from a nearby chair, pulled it on, and padded across the carpet to the candle Edward had not, after all, put out… by the window were a chair and table on the back of the chair was a shawl that had seen her through many such long chilly nights. And in a drawer, alongside the hundred eighty pounds she’d deftly extracted from her corset, sat four decks of playing cards, sans jokers.

What heroine spends her time telling off men in her internal thoughts, and whisking away from the bedroom to her decks of play cards? This heroine, and she is a strong tower against temptation—even Will, until the moment strikes her. I love her strength, and her ability to survive while possessing a skill underappreciated during the time period because of her gender and rank. Lydia is definitely an enjoyable character to get to know, as are all the characters.

One other thing to note—Grant’s writing style is infectious, and different than other books I’ve read. My personal opinion is I like it! I want different, but well thought out and plotted. Grant meets these requirements and whatever she’s doing works.

Overall, this should be on every must read list! If you’re a historical fan, and want to see a romance that involves a few more hoops to jump through and not-so-perfect sex then there’s no doubt you should purchase Gentleman Undone.

For those with a love for Courtney Milan and Sherry Thomas.

Reviewed by Landra

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