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Tuesday, July 2, 2013
LORD OF WICKED INTENTIONS*, Lorraine Heath
I loved the premise of this trilogy, which was a bit like the princes in the tower (Richard III who locked up his nephews and did away with them so he could rule), but with a happier ending--a friend--a magnificent heroine (of 12)--frees the boys and the boys take off to find places in the world until they are old enough not to be locked away and killed by their uncle.
LORD OF WICKED INTENTIONS* rights the happy ending needed for the youngest brother, Rafe Easton, who was sent to the workhouse by his brothers. Although the older brothers have returned and righted the past (i.e. got rid of the uncle), old wounds take time to heal, and it's five years after the return of the brothers that Rafe is still not really on speaking terms with his brothers. Partly he was ticked off they left him in a workhouse, which was a horrible existence to say the least, and partly because he feels he's done such horrible things to survive, he doesn't deserve to be with them any longer.
Oh, those poor souls seeking redemption. How I do adore you in romances!
So that's the backstory. The story actually starts out by meeting a perfectly charming young lady named Evelyn, who is the apple of her father's eye, and her father is on his deathbed, asking her older brother to take care of her. Seems legit. The brother promises; the father dies; and the brother reveals himself to be a ogre. Not a real stretch for him. He remains a tool beginning to end, basically.
The brother brings over a selection of men to the house and makes Evelyn talk and mingle with them, implying he's going to have one of these men marry her. No. See, she's illegitimate and Brother Dearest hasn't forgiven Evelyn for making his mother cry when his father brought her home and made her raise the daughter as one of the family. What he has planned is to sell her to the highest bidder as a mistress and pay down his debts. (He's really such a tool.)
Rafe Easton isn't one of the men the brother had in mind. He's actually the guy the brother owes all the money to, but being Rafe is our reluctant hero, he meets Evelyn and despite the fact he doesn't have a kind or compassionate bone in his body, he can't bear to see her sold to one of these loobies and he tells the brother, he'll take her. The end.
Clearly this is the beginning because Evelyn still hasn't been told she's auditioning for a mistress role yet...and that little dastardly info is left to Rafe to inform her because her brother--see: TOOL--doesn't want to bother himself with the details. She'll figure it out. I mean, really, how could she have possibly thought she was WORTH marriage, when her mother was such a whore?
By now, I'm sure you think I've told you 9/10th of the book, but we have just begun. As has the drama. (I know, right? The drama has just begun? Are you serious? Yes, I am.)
So now we have two people living together with very different expectations; and Rafe who loves nobody and doesn't want to complicate his life finds himself falling for her. And she who can't stand this jerk who bought her for sex is in a very similar predicament.
Now don't forget there's still this whole "reconciling him with his brothers" that I thought would take another half dozen books to accomplish because this guy is really the limit in avoiding his brothers. But Evelyn challenges him and he can't resist doing things to please her. Yes, despite his best efforts, Rafe is hero material.
You should really read to see how they work it out. It's really quite beautiful. A definite keeper; and a wonderful ending to the trilogy. I can't wait to see what Ms. Heath has next for us!
Has anyone else read this series? Anyone else a Lorraine Heath fan?
*Correction: LORD OF TEMPTATION and LORD OF WICKED INTENTIONS are two books in the same series. Rafe's book, the one I'm talking about today, is LORD OF WICKED INTENTIONS. Mea culpa. Though I doubt I'm cool enough to bandy around that word.
LORD OF WICKED INTENTIONS* rights the happy ending needed for the youngest brother, Rafe Easton, who was sent to the workhouse by his brothers. Although the older brothers have returned and righted the past (i.e. got rid of the uncle), old wounds take time to heal, and it's five years after the return of the brothers that Rafe is still not really on speaking terms with his brothers. Partly he was ticked off they left him in a workhouse, which was a horrible existence to say the least, and partly because he feels he's done such horrible things to survive, he doesn't deserve to be with them any longer.
Oh, those poor souls seeking redemption. How I do adore you in romances!
So that's the backstory. The story actually starts out by meeting a perfectly charming young lady named Evelyn, who is the apple of her father's eye, and her father is on his deathbed, asking her older brother to take care of her. Seems legit. The brother promises; the father dies; and the brother reveals himself to be a ogre. Not a real stretch for him. He remains a tool beginning to end, basically.
The brother brings over a selection of men to the house and makes Evelyn talk and mingle with them, implying he's going to have one of these men marry her. No. See, she's illegitimate and Brother Dearest hasn't forgiven Evelyn for making his mother cry when his father brought her home and made her raise the daughter as one of the family. What he has planned is to sell her to the highest bidder as a mistress and pay down his debts. (He's really such a tool.)
Rafe Easton isn't one of the men the brother had in mind. He's actually the guy the brother owes all the money to, but being Rafe is our reluctant hero, he meets Evelyn and despite the fact he doesn't have a kind or compassionate bone in his body, he can't bear to see her sold to one of these loobies and he tells the brother, he'll take her. The end.
Clearly this is the beginning because Evelyn still hasn't been told she's auditioning for a mistress role yet...and that little dastardly info is left to Rafe to inform her because her brother--see: TOOL--doesn't want to bother himself with the details. She'll figure it out. I mean, really, how could she have possibly thought she was WORTH marriage, when her mother was such a whore?
By now, I'm sure you think I've told you 9/10th of the book, but we have just begun. As has the drama. (I know, right? The drama has just begun? Are you serious? Yes, I am.)
So now we have two people living together with very different expectations; and Rafe who loves nobody and doesn't want to complicate his life finds himself falling for her. And she who can't stand this jerk who bought her for sex is in a very similar predicament.
Now don't forget there's still this whole "reconciling him with his brothers" that I thought would take another half dozen books to accomplish because this guy is really the limit in avoiding his brothers. But Evelyn challenges him and he can't resist doing things to please her. Yes, despite his best efforts, Rafe is hero material.
You should really read to see how they work it out. It's really quite beautiful. A definite keeper; and a wonderful ending to the trilogy. I can't wait to see what Ms. Heath has next for us!
Has anyone else read this series? Anyone else a Lorraine Heath fan?
*Correction: LORD OF TEMPTATION and LORD OF WICKED INTENTIONS are two books in the same series. Rafe's book, the one I'm talking about today, is LORD OF WICKED INTENTIONS. Mea culpa. Though I doubt I'm cool enough to bandy around that word.
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11 comments:
I have Lorraine Heath on my TBB, especially the Texas Series.
But 'Lost Lords' sounds fabulous and 2 of the series are available in audio so I may give it a whirl first. Does this one work as a stand alone?
On Amazon it costs £3.99 compared to Maureen's 'Red Seaun' at £3.40. Sounds like a bargain!
The drama has just begun? Are you serious? Yes, I am
I heard John McEnroe commenting on Wimbledon the other day, where he is always being reminded of his tempestuous playing days.
You cannot be serious Lady! LOL
I've never read Heath. I hear good things but I haven't picked her up. I think I'll see if I can find her in the library.
I've been a little wary of historical authors the past year or so. I've just been disappointed a lot. There have been some massive successes (Sherry Thomas and Jo Bourne). But I've had a few not so happy reads. I've decided to try them at the library first. Or try out their free reads first.
Alright now. I have this little thing called a deadline and a conference to deal with and making my house presentable for company (nigh impossible) so stop making me want to read more books!
I read Heath years ago. She's soooooo good. And this hero sounds so damn delicious. Bah!
Quantum, yes, I think you could read this on its own without hassle. There are other books where this would be more difficult (the Highland Guard series by Monica McCarty), but this one, this one works alone. Though I recommend all of them--I thought this was a very lovely series.
Marnee, understand--and in honesty disclosure, THIS was a library book BUT I do normally buy her books. This was one where I went, "This is out? Why don't I know things?" and I'll be looking for my own copy soon.
Hmm, I think we might have differing enjoyments as far as historicals go. I'm like one of the few who doesn't get into Sherry Thomas and Jo Bourne--I mean, really, HOW can I not get into Jo Bourne? I don't know; I don't though. As far as tone goes, Heath is more...serious, dramatic, bigger stakes to lose. Sexy as hell. (I'm reading Tessa Dare's latest and cackling at every page--it's so different from Heath's, but I would recommend both with the same highest rank, just depending on what you were in the mood to read.)
You're having company?? Who? Is he cute?
Just put it in your TBR pile. I knows yers busy. *LOL* You haven't read the first two either, I'm sure...so you might as well have a slog. Hey, you can put them on your Kindle and read them on the plane to Atlanta! or in the airport, which is far more likely.
My dad is kind of cute. I guess. My family is coming to house/pet sit while I'm in Atlanta. Their yearly trek to the beach.
I've afraid to even look and see how many are waiting on my kindle already.
I do find it ironic that your family visits you when you're OUT OF TOWN. But good for the doggie. And no, no, you can't look at the herd of other unread books on your kindle. You MUST buy this one. It's awesome. The others can wait. Heath cannot. You know you want to...
I've read the Lost Lords of Pembrook trilogy, but clearly I need to reread it. I thought Lord of Temptation was Tristan's book and Lord of Wicked Intentions was Rafe's book. Whatever the titles, I thought this was a series that got stronger with each book. I was kind of meh about the first one, liked the second one, and really liked Rafe's book.
I rarely miss a Heath book, but nothing else she's written has ever topped her Texas Trilogy IMO. I love those books. They belong to that select group that just talking about them makes me want to reread them. But today I'm reading Anna Campbell's new novella. :)
DAMNIT. *head thunk*
Janga, thank you for being the gracious, kind person you are and not saying, "Dumbass, you got the titles wrong" but instead, for the sake of a sheer improbability, you might have been wrong instead. Yeesh. And this is why I hate Avon titles. You can't keep any of them straight and they all sound the freaking same.
That rant aside, I'd recommend the actual LORD OF TEMPTATION as much as LORD OF WICKED INTENTIONS. I would agree I liked Rafe's book BEST of the three, but I did enjoy all of them.
Have corrected blog in case people actually are paying attention to the titles I'm going on about as if I know what I'm talking about. Yeesh.
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