Monday, April 25, 2011

NEVER A GENTLEMAN by Eileen Dreyer

Book two in the Drake’s Rakes Series
Publisher: Hachette Book Group/Forever
Date Published: March 29th, 2011
ISBN 978-0-446-54206-7
Regency/Historical Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


Grace Fairchild knows she isn’t the belle of any ball. A soldier’s daughter, she is a plain woman who spent her days learning useful things, instead of the ways of the ton. When she wakes up in bed with the notorious rake, Diccan Hilliard next to her, and the ton running through the bedroom door, Grace finds her life will be more complicated than she’d ever thought. Diccan Hilliard doesn’t know why someone wants him and Grace married and in disgrace. He has no clue who Grace is or what makes her tick, but with a simmering passion flaring between them, Diccan knows it will take more than passion to fuel their marriage. He knows he must also tell Grace the truth of who he is and what he does, because if she finds out before he can come clean, Diccan can lose the one woman who has stolen his heart.

I’ve got to admit I enjoyed this latest story from a “new to me” author, Eileen Dreyer. The writing was tight, the setting lush and the storyline quite intriguing. I haven’t read the first book, BARELY A LADY, but after reading this one, I look forward to grabbing it in the future.

NEVER A GENTLEMAN has a combination of mystery, romance and passion that will appeal to the reader as they try to figure out whom and what want Grace and Diccan in disgrace, or even dead.

Meet Grace Fairchild, an army brat who has been with her father as he serves all over the world for the royal army. Plain, independent and having a loyal contingent of soldiers, Grace is a woman determined to live her life on her terms and not on the pettiness of the ton. I loved Grace. She was a breath of fresh air as she wasn’t the petty, shallow heroine who always needed rescuing. She was strong-like iron cased in a silk cover.

Diccan was a little bit harder to understand. He had secrets deep within him, that he was afraid to tell Grace about, but after awhile he finds Grace to be the woman meant for him. Diccan is a man that once I got past his walls, I found I could enjoy immensely. He was the perfect hero for Grace and one I fell a little bit in love with as well. The characters are well written and very enjoyable. Plus the secondary characters kept the story flowing smoothly and there were a few who had me intrigued to see if they showed up in the first book.

NEVER A GENTLEMAN is a wonderful & engrossing read that will leave you anxiously wanting more. I highly enjoyed Ms. Dreyer’s latest book in her Drake’s Rakes series and am eager to see what and who is in the next one. If you are looking for a well written, highly enjoyable story, then grab NEVER A GENTLEMAN and settle in for a few hours of reading enjoyment.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

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