Sandy M’s review of Lord of Wicked Intentions (Lost Lords of Pembrook, Book 3) by Lorraine Heath
Historical Romance published by Avon 30 Apr 13

Besides the fact I wait for every next Lorraine Heath book, it’s always anxious anticipation for the last story in one of her trilogies that won’t leave me be. I’ve been waiting for Rafe’s story for what seems like forever, wanting to know what happened to the boy his siblings had to leave behind for all of them to survive, as well as waiting for that final reunion when they’re truly brothers once again and Rafe has more love than he knows what to do with.

Evelyn’s father has just passed away, and she expects her half brother to take care of her, just as he promised their father. But her fate goes from the hands of a man who sheltered her too much to a man who wants only what coin he can get for her. Amid a room full of men who don’t want her for their own as she believes they do, it’s Rafe Easton who surprises the hell out of himself by taking her from the vultures who will eventually break her. Though Rafe considers himself a man who cares for nothing or no one, Eve finds generosity and kindness in and around the edges of his bluntness and roughness.

Though Rafe means to take Eve as his mistress, he gives her time to become comfortable with him. During this time he goes back and forth between liking Eve, wanting to buy her gowns and jewels, just being with her, and a number of other things he’s not wanted with or from a woman ever. Just when he begins to see a different life for himself, a life he’s never let himself dream of, he snaps out of such fantasies to continue his cold, lonely existence, needing no one and caring about no one. It breaks my heart every time he goes through this self-denial, all stemming back to his being left at a workhouse when the brothers’ lives were at stake all those years ago.

Whether he knows it or not, Eve is exactly what Rafe needs. Slowly she begins to see the gentle, loving man behind his facade of disregard for others. And just as slowly Rafe begins to confide in Eve, telling her of the horrors that befell him as he grew up in a world that was foreign and cruel. Also as slowly comes Rafe’s unexpected perceptions that give him a bit of insight as to what his brothers went through when making decisions no teenager ever needs to make. Through all of this, Eve also has some eye-opening perceptions of her own, mostly that her father may have loved her, despite her birth on the wrong side of the blanket, but that love was one-sided at best. He never strolled with her through the park, danced with her at a ball, none of those exceptional experiences that society lives day by day.

But Eve learns fast. Learns everything Rafe has been teaching her, whether he’s conscious of that fact or not. She also adapts quite well, especially since she’s not really given a choice. I think any red-blooded woman would if they had a man like Rafe Easton warming their bed. Rafe isn’t embarrassed to be seen in the park with her, waltzing with her at Sebastian’s ball, or sailing with her on Tristan’s yacht. He begins to see what a family they still are, even after his siblings learn everything he’s done to survive in the years they were apart.

As usual, Lorraine Heath packs this book full of emotion, romance, intensity, and love that endures the worst. Each time Rafe lets a smidgen of emotion come over him at interacting with one of this brothers and each time he squelches that emotion, my soul cried for him. When he finally realizes that he will be loved no matter what, my soul then cried tears of happiness for him. This is how I’ve come to expect Ms. Heath to make me feel when reading her words, and she’s never once let me down.

Grade: A+

Summary:

Three young heirs, imprisoned by an unscrupulous uncle, escaped—to the sea,to the streets, to faraway battle—awaiting the day when they would return to reclaim their birthright . . .

Lord Rafe Easton may be of noble blood, but survival taught him to rely only on himself and to love no one. Yet when he sets eyes on Miss Evelyn Chambers, an earl’s illegitimate daughter, he is determined to have her, if only as his mistress . . .

After her father’s death, Evelyn Chambers never imagined she would be sold to the highest bidder, yet circumstances give her little choice but to accept the lord’s indecent proposal. Rafe is wealthy, as well as ruthless. Yet his coldness belies deep passion and deeper secrets. If she must be his,Evelyn intends to lay bare everything the Lord of Pembrook is hiding. But dark discoveries threaten to destroy them both until unexpected love leads the last lost lord home . . .

 

No excerpt available.

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