Avon Books Presents: Lady Derring Takes A Lover

A mistress. A mountain of debt. A mysterious wreck of a building.
Delilah Swanpoole, Countess of Derring, learns the hard way that her husband, “Dear Dull Derring,” is a lot more interesting—and perfidious—dead than alive. It’s a devil of an inheritance, but in the grand ruins of the one building Derring left her, are the seeds of her liberation. And she vows never again to place herself at the mercy of a man.

But battle-hardened Captain Tristan Hardy is nothing if not merciless. When the charismatic naval hero tracks a notorious smuggler to a London boarding house known as the Rogue’s Palace, seducing the beautiful, blue-blooded proprietress to get his man seems like a small sacrifice.
They both believe love is a myth. But a desire beyond reason threatens to destroy the armor around their hearts. Now a shattering decision looms: Will Tristan betray his own code of honor…or choose a love that might be the truest thing he’s ever known?

Please enjoy this EXCERPT from
Lady Derring Takes A Lover


EXCERPT
She’d taken two steps when he said, his voice raised only a little, “Lady Derring . . . something
puzzles me.”

She halted.

Closed her eyes.

Took a shuddering breath for courage.

Turned back to him. From the relatively safe distance of three feet, she said, “Surely not. We’ve established you know everything.”

His smile was small and patient. “You seem to excel at so very much here at The Grand Palace on the Thames. Yet you can’t seem to disguise how much you want me.”


My Thoughts

When Delilah Swanpool, Countess of Derring finds herself short one husband.  But very long on debt incurred without her knowledge. And now the very real bane of her dwindling existence at his unexpected death.
Left with only her determination, the friendship of his mistress, one Angelique Breedlove, and a dilapidated building down by the docks of the Thames.
Delilah decides that she will never again love her life at the mercy of another man.
At any cost.
Just as it seems that Delilah and her new friend seem to have a handle on their burgeoning futures.
Turning the once shabby Palace of Rogues into a very respectful boarding house.  Now called The Palace On The Thames.

But what these ladies have no way of knowing is that the man that they both loved left a lurid legacy behind.
Filled with secrets that could cost them their hard won freedom, their business, and even their lives.

Lady Derring Takes A Lover is a wonderful story of strength, perseverance, and quirky friendships.  As per Angelique.
With other elements of the story ranging from a rather tedious study in "spot and dodge".  In the case of the mystery surrounding her late husband.  And his ties to Delilah's business.
Or...
" Oh baby let's fall into a whirlwind romance that makes no sense. "
In the case of the  "wtf romance between Tristan and Delilah.
Which only serves to distract one from what would have been a very good mystery.
There also seemed to be far less overall action than a plot of this direction requires.



About Julie Anne
USA Today bestselling author Julie Anne Long originally set out to be a rock star when she grew up (and she has the guitars and fringed clothing stuffed in the back of her closet to prove it), but writing was always her first love. Since hanging up her guitar for the computer keyboard, her books frequently top reader and critic polls and have been nominated for numerous awards, including the Rita, Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice, and The Quills, and reviewers have been known to use words like “dazzling,” “brilliant,” and “impossible to put down” when describing them. Julie lives in Northern California.




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