Alicia Thomas’s review of To Have and to Hold (Wyckerley Trilogy Book 2) by Patricia Gaffney
Historical romance republished 4 Mar 2003 (orig. 1995) by NAL Trade
Blurb:
Suave, cynical, and too handsome for his own good, Sebastian Verlaine never expects to become a magistrate judging the petty crimes of his tenants and neighbors. Nor can the new Viscount D’Aubrey foresee that when a fallen woman appears before him, he’ll find himself beguiled against all reason to alter her terrible fate…
Rachel Wade has served time in prison for her husband’s violent death, but she soon discovers that freedom has its own price. For no one will offer her a second chance but a jaded viscount who needs a housekeeper. Scorned by the townspeople of Wyckerley as D’Aubrey’s mistress, tempted beyond her will by the devilish lord, Rachel risks all she had to claim a life of her own…and a love that will last for all time.
To Have and to Hold is my first book by Patricia Gaffney. I didn’t read it on recommendation. I didn’t even notice it is the second in a trilogy until after I had read it. (It stands alone just fine, by the way.) I picked it up because it is a paperback and I’m trying to clear out space. I’m buying, almost exclusively, ebooks. I got a pleasant surprise, though the book itself wasn’t always a pleasant experience.
Rachel was eighteen years old when she was married to an older, abusive man. After one week he was murdered. At the beginning of this book she has been out of prison for a little while and has been picked up for vagrancy because no one will give her a job.
Sebastian Verlaine is a bored aristocrat who has spent his entire life in self centered pursuit of entertainment. He decides to take Rachel as his housekeeper, couching it in the guise of helping her but he only wants to seduce her. From the beginning, it is clear between them that this is his intent, although it isn’t said.
Sebastian isn’t a nice guy. He isn’t pushing her in order to break her free of her fear. When he finds out she’s been sexually abused, he’s intrigued and curious about what happened to her. Her fear of him alternately entices and repulses him. He is the darkest hero I’ve ever read (beating all of the Anne Stuart heroes I’ve read, hands down). He’s been a spoiled bully all of his life and doesn’t intend to stop now.
The book is so painful to read, for such a long time, that I often wondered, “Why am I still reading this?” But I’m glad I pressed on. I won’t give any spoilers, here, but Gaffney pulls off the redemption of Sebastian. I’ll answer spoiler questions in the comments if anyone wants.
Grade: B
There has been so much controversary about this book because of Rachel’s past and what a jerk Sebastian is to her from the beginning. That one scene comes to mind where Sebastian makes her have sex with him- the old forced seduction scene or for some, rape. But Gaffney has a way of totally redeeming him and the romance between him and Rachel becomes so beautiful.
Too bad Gaffney is no longer writing historicals 🙁
I totally have to read this book now. It’s like a dare. Just how dark and terrible is he??!
This book is a love/hate book. I’m one of those who love it. Sebastian makes an incredible transformations. And Rachel has that strength of character that makes me believe that a man will want to become a better man to be worthy of her.
Carrie – me too! Putting it on my TBB list now. Thank goodness for Amazon.com’s saved items ability.
He is dark and terrible more in character/motivations than in what he actually does, though that is certainly bad enough.
I loved this one too. Also To Love and to Cherish.
Carrie, he’s really bad. It isn’t even a forced seduction… he knows she doesn’t want to… it is totally, “do this or out on the street you go”. I believed he was redeemed by the end but I totally understand those who can’t forgive him. Be prepared to want to toss it several times before he turns around.
ITA about her not doing historicals anymore. Of course, this is my first of hers, so I may hate her other books, who knows? I seriously doubt it, though. He writing is good.