Stevie‘s review of Dauntless (The Shaws, Book 2) by Lynne Connolly
Historical Romance published by Lyrical Press 26 Jun 18
I utterly adored Lynne Connolly’s Emperors of London series, with its grand political intrigues, but I’m growing to love the spin-off series about the Emperors’ cousins, the Shaws, almost as much, even if the politics are often more domestic in nature. This time the focus turns to the middle Shaw daughter, Drusilla, a singleton in a family of twins, and her somewhat thwarted plans to make her own way in the world. Of course, those plans end up being thwarted in the best possible way for a romance novel, but there’s plenty of intrigue and danger along the way before Dru gets her happy ending and her Duke.
Dru never seems to attract the right sort of eligible bachelor during the Season, but she doesn’t really mind since she has enough money of her own from an inheritance to live quite comfortably once her family decide she’s off the marriage market, and the novels she enjoys writing keep her busy, even if she has no plans to ever share their plots with anyone else. All that changes when she trips – quite literally – over Oliver, the Duke of Mountsorrel.
Oliver has no love of society. He’d much prefer to stay on his country estate with his reclusive younger brother – disabled in a carriage accident for which Oliver blames himself – but every duke needs an heir, and thinking his brother is unsuited to the job, Oliver is on the hunt for a bride. While Dru doesn’t meet all Oliver’s requirements, she does intrigue him against his better judgement. Until a chance teasing remark hits Oliver harder than Dru intended, and their very public parting midway through a dance threatens to ruin Dru’s reputation for good.
Oliver tries to repair the damage, but one catastrophe leads to another, ending with the publication – against Dru’s wishes or knowledge – of Dru’s latest novel, in which several characters and events are based heavily on Oliver’s family and their history. Seeking to end the scandal, but also to punish Dru, Oliver declares that they should marry, but that she is to act as companion to his brother as well as begetting the heir and spare he so greatly requires.
Dru goes along with the plan: she’s fallen heavily for Oliver after all, but suspects they have an enemy who is determined not just to ruin her, but now wants to do away with her altogether. She might be just another Catherine Morland of Northanger Abbey fame, or she might well be right – and in grave danger.
In the end, the villain of the piece was rather predictable, but I did like the fact that their motivations stretched back far beyond the obvious turning point in their life. I was also very taken with Oliver’s mother, who survived a loveless first marriage to find happiness later in life with her second husband. Not my favourite book in the series so far, but a very worthwhile addition nonetheless.
Grade: B
Summary:
The Shaws are one of Britain’s most influential, dynamic families, but one Shaw prefers to keep a low profile. Unfortunately, the limelight can shine behind-the-scenes…Lady Drusilla Shaw may be a bit introverted, yet she has the observant mind of a writer, capturing all of society’s quirks and scandals. But when the novel she’s been working on disappears from her room, that is just the beginning of her problems. Confident, magnetic Oliver, Duke of Mountsorrel, has taken an interest in Dru, and when he proposes, she is both thrilled and anxious. Her book depicts a ruinous family story that is uncannily similar to Oliver’s real-life, not to mention libelous. The manuscript could surface at any moment—and eventually it does, in published form, for all to read…
Oliver is bewildered by his new wife and her blasted book. Worst of all, how can he love a woman he no longer trusts? But when it becomes obvious that someone is taking their cues from the book in a series of attacks, he has no choice but to stick close to her. Their explosive connection in bed should take care of the heir-making, but for that to happen, Drusilla has to stay alive—and so does Oliver.
No excerpt available.
Other books in this series:
