Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Review - - Scoundrel of My Heart

Scoundrel of My Heart
by Lorraine Heath
Once Upon a Dukedom - Book 1
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: March 30, 2021
Reviewed by PJ




She is desperate to wed a duke…
Lady Kathryn Lambert must marry a titled gentleman to claim her inheritance and has finally gained the attention of a duke. Yet she is unable to forget the scandalous second son who aided in her achievement—or his betrayal.
He wants what he can never possess…
Lord Griffith Stanwick is tormented by the bitter truth that as a “spare,” he will never be able to give Kathryn what she yearns to possess. But when his father is found guilty of treason, Griff detours into the dark and dangerous corners of London, haunted by memories of the woman lost to him forever.
Love not to be denied…
As the duke’s courtship intensifies, Kathryn discovers Griff has become a man to be reckoned with. When old passions flare and new desires ignite, she must decide if sacrificing her legacy is worth a lifetime shared with the scoundrel of her heart.

PJ's Thoughts:

If you follow my reviews you know how much I loved Lorraine Heath's Sins for All Seasons series, especially the final book, Beauty Tempts the Beast. I was intrigued by the glimpse readers were given of heroine Althea's brothers, Griff and Marcus, in that book and happy to hear Heath planned to write stories for them but, to be honest, I doubted she would be able to surpass my love for Beast and Althea. Boy, was I wrong.

This book is about as close to a perfect read as I could want. I wouldn't change a thing about it. Exquisitely written, beautifully nuanced, each word, look, and gesture conveys depth, intent, and a full range of emotions. Griff and Kathryn showed me anger, devotion, joy, retribution, love, hopelessness, and yearning - oh my gosh, the yearning - so clearly and so deeply that I couldn't help but feel their emotions to my core. Heath gives us fully developed, multi-layered characters who continually evolve throughout their journey. I adored them. I want to be friends with Kathryn. I want to dance with her on the beach and bask in the glow of her joy. And Griff. There are so many scenes I'd like to quote to highlight the ways in which he captures Kathryn's heart - and mine - but each reader should have the opportunity to discover those on their own. Suffice it to say, he's set the new standard for my book boyfriends. 

And then there's the duke, the character who most surprised me in this book. I was prepared to heap my full disdain upon his head. I mean, really, the man actually placed a notice in the paper inviting women to submit applications detailing why they should be chosen for the position of his duchess. Plus, he was standing between Griff and Kathryn. But, the Duke of Kingsland holds his cards close to his chest and I was very pleased with the twists his character arc took, especially as pertains to my favorite couple. He's up next as the hero of book two and I cannot wait to discover what Heath has in store for our single-minded, workaholic duke and his uber-efficient secretary, Penelope Pettypeace. The Duchess Hunt will release September 28, 2021. I already have it on pre-order. 

If you enjoy historical romance, Scoundrel of My Heart is a book you won't want to miss. Both Griff and the book are in the running for my favorites of 2021. 

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Have you read Lorraine Heath's books yet? Do you have a favorite book or series?

Kathryn loves to start her day with a joyful dance on the beach. How do you start your day? 

One randomly chosen person posting a comment before 11:00 PM, March 31 will receive a print copy of Scoundrel of My Heart. 

*Must be 18
*U.S. only



15 comments:

  1. She Tempts the Duke was my favorite of the 30-or-so Lorraine Heath books I've read. So poignant!

    Susan in AZ

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  2. It has been a long time since I read a Lorraine Heath book. This one sounds awesome. Thanks for the recommendation.

    I wish I had the energy to start the day by dancing on the beach! I start my day with a cup of coffee and the computer to check news and emails.

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  3. I love her books! Her writing makes me think "old school".

    I start my day checking my emails and social media to see what I missed overnight...which is not the best way to start my day. :(

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  4. I enjoyed her Lost Lords of Pembroke series.
    I start my day slowly - a dance on the beach sounds like a great way to start the day.

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  5. I've read loads of Lorraine's books and also all of the Sins for All Seasons" series. Like you, I loved Beast's story......swoon.

    I start my day by having at least three cups of tea, checking out the UK news and also my emails.

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  6. I have read several Lorraine Heath books but don't have a favorite. I love the idea of starting the day by dancing on the beach but the truth is that I start my day by hitting the snooze button.

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  7. I loved her last series and read most of those.

    Star my day with tea.

    denise

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  8. I finally started her Sins for All Seasons series and just finished Beyond Scandal and Desire. I loved it of course! I am going to take a quick break from Ms Heath so I can read Wilde Child. Then on to a Sins binge. 😄

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  9. I've been reading her stories for along time. I started with her stories about English royals moving to Texas: A Rogue in Texas and Never Love a Cowboy.
    I also enjoyed her Lost Lords series.

    I've always liked her books.
    I'd love to read Scandal of My Heart!

    I used to start my day with a swim now I read and check the news.

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  10. I've enjoyed her books but have not read these. I always start my day with a large mug of coffee lol.

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  11. If I am vertical and can arise from my bed, I have started my day well.

    I have enjoyed quite a few of Ms Heath's books and I have Beauty Tempts the Beast on my kindle.

    Thanks for the review. As always, you have made me want another book.

    I hope everyone is taking care and staying well.

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  12. I love me some Lorraine Heath . She’s one of my faves, always hitting the right notes for this romance loving soul . I am so looking forward to this read . Perhaps I need to read on a Friday night knowing I will not want to put down the book .

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  13. I enjoyed the appearance of Marcus & Griff in Beauty Tames the Beast, so I look forward to reading this book. My favorite Lorraine Heath novel is The Duke and the Lady in Red.

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  14. I love Lorainne Heath's books. I read some of her early books when I first started reading romance and still have some on my TBR shelf.
    I start my day by getting out of bed. An auto immune disease and spinal issues have slowed me down lately, but new medication and PT should hopefully help. I look forward to the warmer weather so I can sit out on the porch and enjoy my morning coffee and a good book.

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  15. I have enjoyed Lorraine Heath's novels. When I get up I have my tea and then start my day.

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