Sandy M’s review of You Can’t Always Get the Marquess You Want (Masters of Seduction, Book 2) by Alexandra Hawkins
Historical Romance published by St. Martin’s Paperbacks 05 Apr 16
It’s been twenty-two years since the Marquess of Norgrave perpetuated his evil to get revenge on his best friend, the Duke of Blackbern, in the most tragic and twisted of ways. I’m happy to say the punishment meted out by Blackbern at the time is not all the man had coming to him, though no one would have ever guessed what the future had in store for all of them. Except Alexandra Hawkins, of course. I can just see her sitting at the computer with a villainous look in her eye, hands rubbing together and then fingers flexing before maniacally pounding out a story so bittersweet and romantic out of the events from the previous book.
Mathias Rooke, Marquess of Fairlamb – Chance to his friends – is the typical handsome scoundrel who loves the ladies and the ladies love him. Tempest is beautiful and lively and looking for love, though her father is determined to marry her off to his best advantage. The two have never met because their families are enemies, thus even the children think the worst of each other without knowing the whys and wherefores of what happened so many years ago to cause such animosity. I enjoyed Chance’s and Tempest’s first meeting, out of the blue and a bit scandalous. And you could feel the spark between them. They have no idea who the other is, and as they continue to cross paths, you can see the carriage wreck that is waiting to happen.
But even once they learn each other’s identity, they can’t deny nor leave behind the attraction that’s sizzling just below the surface. They both waffle on whether or not to keep meeting, being disloyal to their families. Their hearts, however, won’t leave them alone. Even with other family members about, as well as other suitors of Tempest’s, the two get creative in ways to meet and disappear for a while to enjoy each other. Once they consummate the relationship, their need for each other grows even more, and I thoroughly enjoyed their illicit coupling during the fireworks show where their group of respective friends and family await them.
Eventually, of course, their parents become involved as they learn about the impending explosion now that their children’s lives have intersected. I really like the subtle differences between the family dynamics – Chance’s family is close knit and loving, all being handed down by the Duke and Duchess and how they overcame the horrible past that marked their beginning, compared to Norgrave and his wife, who’s only another possession to him, one he doesn’t care for, but his children are close and love one another despite the odds being against them. When all looks bleak for Chance and Tempest near the end, it is his parents who step up to the plate to finally bring the truth to the forefront so their love can blossom and endure. My only nitpick here is I wish when the truth is finally revealed it had been done in stronger and more forthright language. I guess call a spade a spade, since we lived through the darkness of it all in the first book.
I enjoyed all of the secondary characters, my favorite being St. Lyon and his mysterious past. I’m hoping he gets his own book in the future. Same for Tempest’s sister, Arabella. I also really like to see the Duke and Duchess of Blackbern still so in love and unable to keep their hands to themselves. Another juxtaposition of the families and how the respective children have turned out as they have. I’m wondering if Marcroft, Tempest’s older brother, is up for a redeeming in future books. That might be a really good story with the right heroine.
I’ve seen references to Romeo and Juliet when talking about this book, but I have to say that story never crossed my mind in the reading of this one. We know from the beginning there will be trials amid the triumphs for this pair, plenty they’ll have to overcome, but they’re never doomed, even when all does look lost. Love in this story does conquer all.
Grade: A
Summary:
A MOST FORBIDDEN LOVE
They call him Chance, though in truth the Marquess of Fairlamb feels bitterly cursed: A long-ago family feud is standing in the way of his heart’s desire. Lady Tempest is the daughter of his father’s sworn enemy, the Marquess of Norgrave. She is beautiful, innocent, and utterly untouchable. But some seductions are just too good to resist…
Tempest is a woman of her own mind—and a true romantic who will overcome every obstacle to be with the man of her dreams. But the odds are against the handsome, wickedly charming Chance if he intends to win Tempest as his bride. Will he choose loyalty to his family—or risk everything he has for the woman he yearns for?
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
