Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Review -- Barely A Lady

Barely A Lady
Book One: Drake's Rakes Series
By Eileen Dreyer
Publisher: Grand Central
Release Date: June 29, 2010









HE CAN'T REMEMBER...
Olivia Grace has every reason to despise Jack Wyndham, Earl of Gracechurch, who scandalously married and then divorced her, ruining her completely. Yet when she finds an injured Jack on a battlefield wearing the enemy's uniform, she can't resist saving him. He might have broken her heart, but can he truly be a traitor?


WHAT SHE'LL NEVER FORGET...

When Jack awakes he is shocked to discover that he has lost Olivia's love---and much of his memory. Did he really destroy their marriage? And what do his dreams of blood-soaked French uniforms and revenge mean? As the noose of danger tightens around them, Jack and Olivia must determine which is most frightening: the threat of the hangman, their own tempestuous history, or the passion that flares between them once again.



Bestselling romantic suspense author Eileen Dreyer brings her talent to historical romance with her first book in her Drake's Rakes Series. Brimming with sensuality, intrigue and luscious prose, Barely A Lady will leave readers sighing with satisfaction and breathless with anticipation for the next book.

Olivia is in Brussels, acting a chaperone for a perfectly odious family. But since her divorce left her persona non grata as far as the ton is concerned, she must make due no matter how disagreeable the circumstances may be. Lucky for her---though she does not think so at the time---her employers leave her behind, and Olivia is taken in by the lovely (and slightly scandalous) Lady Kate, Dowager Duchess of Murther and her companions, Lady Bea and Grace Fairchild. Fearing that Lady Kate will find out her true identity and put her out, Olivia is torn between keeping the secret or revealing the truth and accepting the consequences. But when she finds her ex-husband wounded on the battlefields of Waterloo wearing a French uniform, she fears that things have gone from bad to worse. But when Jack awakens with no memory of the past five years, Olivia has no idea how to handle the situation.

Jack has no idea why he is injured, but when he sees Olivia he is overjoyed. In his mind, they have only been apart a short while---a cooling off period after a spat---but he is overcome with love and desire for his 'Livvie.' Olivia can't help but respond to his passion, but she pulls away as memories of the pain she has endured over the past five years overwhelms her. Jack doesn't understand her behavior, and Olivia can't tell him what has happened; the doctor has diagnosed Jack with amnesia and cautions everyone not to tell him about events he doesn't remember for fear it may kill him. Jack must remember it all on his own. While he struggles with his memory, his love and desire for Olivia remain constant and he continues to woo her. Olivia remembers why she fell in love with Jack, even as she struggles with the pain of his betrayal.



She missed him. Sweet God, she missed him, and she hadn't allowed herself to admit that for years. She shouldn't allow it now, because it would make it so much harder later when he left again. But it was as if her body had been waiting for his hands to waken it. For his mouth to bless it. For his body to meet it.


The reason behind Olivia and Jack's divorce is not made known immediately, so while I felt sorry for all Olivia had endured, I was moved by Jack and his amnesia, enjoying watching them rediscover one another. But when Jack finally recovers his memory and becomes righteous with indignant anger toward Olivia, I wanted to jump through the pages and throttle him!! His cousin, Gervaise, is in the thick of it, and he continues to feed the fire of Jack's anger. Jack has some serious making up to do in order to redeem himself for Olivia (and me!). And he most certainly does, in such a way that my eyes welled with tears at the love and trust that finally shone through.


Jack turned to Livvie then and, smiling, gently closed her gaping mouth with a finger beneath her chin. "I know, my love. You have no reason to believe me. But I've remembered some lessons I learned in the last years. One was that you were, indeed, as Sergeant Harper said, the truest lass I've ever known. I'm just sad I didn't remember that lesson sooner. The other is that trust is based on faith. Not evidence. And, oh, Livvie, how could I ever have mislaid my faith in you?"


Barely A Lady is a gem of a book that will have readers cheering for the hero and heroine, booing the villain, and smiling through tears as they reach the end. I now have a new favorite on my keeper shelves! And I suspect that Book 2, Never A Gentleman, will be joining it when it's released. Brava, Ms. Dreyer!


~ Gannon




17 comments:

  1. Love your review, Gannon!

    This is another book that I'm eagerly awaiting. Eileen Dreyer is a wonderful writer. I've enjoyed her mysteries, and I loved her books written as Kathleen Korbel. Three of those--A Rose for Maggie, A Soldier's Heart, and Some Men's Dreams--are on my list of all-time favorite romances. I've been excited about the new books ever since I first read she was writing a trilogy of hostorical romances.

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  2. Thank you, Janga! I thoroughly enjoyed this story---just gobbled it right up! :-) Eileen is, indeed, a wonderful writer. I have a feeling you'll be adding this one to your "favorites."

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  3. Gannon, I agree with Janga, that this is a super review. You, and the other Dishes, really know how to tell about a book without giving away too many details. I've read about this book and was hesitant to put it on my TBB list because it seemed like a different premise for a Regency. But, after your review and recommendation, I am going to get it.

    Thanks, Janga, for listing some of her other books. She is a new-to-me-author under both names.

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  4. Gannon, I agree with Janga, that this is a super review. You, and the other Dishes, really know how to tell about a book without giving away too many details.

    Deb, what a lovely compliment. Thank you! You must let me know what you think when you finally read the book.

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  5. Wow, Gannon, this one sounds really good! I've not read any of her books before (under either name), but will add this one to my list for next Tuesday. Thanks for the great review!

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  6. Deb said: You, and the other Dishes, really know how to tell about a book without giving away too many details.

    Awww, thanks so much, Deb! That really means a lot. :)

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  7. Great review Gannon

    Love the sound of this one I have put it on the must have list

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  8. Thanks, Andrea! This is really worth adding to your list. Enjoy!

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  9. Helen, I'm glad I gave you another book to add to your "must have" list. If your list is anything like mine, it's looooong! LOL

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  10. Gannon - I actually just got this book and I sort of put it in the corner because, well, as you know, we all have mountains of books to be read. I just took stock of the books I have in my house that I've yet to read and I have to say it put me into a bit of a tail spin. WHEN will I find the time to read them all? But I digress... I'm thinking since you've recommended this one, and the review really caught hold of my imagination, I'm going to have to move this one closer to the top of the pile. But you need to quit recommending books to me or I'm going to have to quit my job and spend my days and nights reading! Wait... that might not be such a bad idea.

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  11. I'm going to have to quit my job and spend my days and nights reading! Wait... that might not be such a bad idea.

    Marisa, wouldn't that be fabulous?? Even better if we could get paid big money to do it! *g*

    I hear you on the mountains of books. I could stop buying books for quite awhile (the horror!) and I don't think I'd run out of books to read for a very long time!

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  12. I want it, I want it, I want it. This sounds like such a good story. The excerpts, short as they are, show a style of writing I like.
    Thanks for the review and introducing me to a book and author I was not aware of.

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  13. Thanks for the review and introducing me to a book and author I was not aware of.

    Librarypat, that's one of my favorite parts of doing these reviews. And sometimes I discover a new author myself. :-) I know you'll love this book!

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  14. Brimming with sensuality, intrigue and luscious prose

    Ooh, Gannon, this sound fabulous! I haven't read her stuff YET, but that is going to change thanks to you!!

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  15. Gannon, thank you!! If he weren't so expensive, I'd ship you my firstborn. As everyone said, you wrote a beautiful synopsis(and didn't give away the secrets I worked to hard to hide). I can't tell you how delighted I am that you like my first foray into historical romance. I like it here so much, I hope I can stay.

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  16. As everyone said, you wrote a beautiful synopsis(and didn't give away the secrets I worked to hard to hide).

    Eileen, I'm beyond flattered! I, too, hope you have many more years writing historicals. You are off to a grand start!

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  17. Buffie, girl, this one is a story you will thoroughly enjoy!

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