"Five berries equal the five separate kisses I
challenge you to steal."
Notorious rake Henry "Hal" Stuart, Earl of
Redbridge, is certain he'll win his Christmas bet -- until he learns he'll be
stealing Lady Elizabeth Wilding's kisses. A woman who refuses to be charmed!
Once jilted, Lizzie must guard her heart, because the ton
is unaware of her scandalous secret -- her son! Despite their increasing
attraction, she can't risk the persistent Hal bringing down her defenses. But
when her former fiancé returns, Lizzie realizes that perhaps Hal's the one man
she can trust -- with her heart and her son…
This was a fun book to read and kept me hooked from
beginning to end. It opens with a prologue describing Lizzie's excitement at
marrying the man she loves, despite others' warnings that he isn't to be
trusted. That fact becomes all too clear when her fiancé fails to appear for
the wedding, having eloped with a richer girl instead. Devastated and pregnant,
Lizzie relies on her family's support. She has her baby, and with their help,
raises him in secrecy.
Five years later, her father is determined to find Lizzie
a husband, while she is equally determined to remain single. Forced back into
society regularly to endure her father's attempts, she swears this will be the
last time. She has her own plans for her future, starting the day after Twelfth
Night. In the meantime, she must endure her father's parade of eligible
"dullards."
Hal Stuart is confused and troubled. He spent most of his
adult life indulging in every rakish vice he could find and avoiding all
responsibilities, reveling in angering his cold, controlling father. In the
year since inheriting the title, Hal discovered that he likes estate
management, testing his mettle in the financial markets, and even listening to
the debates in the House of Lords. Even worse, he seems to have lost all
interest in sowing the wild oats he's sure he still has in him. He also has no
interest in falling victim to the hordes of debutantes determined to snag his
very eligible self. In an effort to cheer him up, Hal's brother-in-law
challenges him to The Mistletoe Wager. Hal must get five separate kisses, in
five different locations from a woman of Aaron's choosing. Supremely confident
in his abilities, Hal accepts. Then he learns that his target is
"Sullen" Lizzie Wilding.
In the first pages, I wasn't sure I was going to like
Hal. The bet, and his overwhelming confidence that he would win, put me off a
little bit. But I also had the feeling that there was more to him than it
appeared, simply because of how he already left his rakish ways behind him. I
loved the first meeting between Hal and Lizzie. She was doing her best to hide
from her persistent suitors when Hal joined her. I loved how she had no trouble
informing him that he was wasting his time if he was trying to flirt with her. Hal
quickly realized his original plan wasn't going to work, switched tactics by
telling her that he was also hiding, and using her as a shield against
"the baying hordes." Hal was immediately intrigued by her wit and
beauty, and I loved their banter as she tried to drive him away. I enjoyed his
proposition that they team up and protect each other during the upcoming month
of Christmas festivities.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Hal
and Lizzie. Though she first rejected his idea, she quickly came to realize
that it would have its benefits. Over the next week, they sought each other out
at various functions, becoming fast friends as they talked about anything and
everything. I loved seeing Lizzie go from tarring Hal with the same brush as her
ex-fiancé to realizing that there was much more to him. Meanwhile, Hal found
himself more and more fascinated by Lizzie, seeing the intelligent and fun
woman beneath the standoffish exterior. There were some terrific scenes of
their growing friendship. My favorite was the one at Hambly's toy store. I
loved watching Hal help Lizzie pick out a veritable army of toy soldiers for
her son, even though he didn't know it at the time. Lizzie returned the favor
after a hilarious conversation about his efforts as the "naughty uncle"
buying for his nieces.
I loved watching the trust between Lizzie and Hal
blossom. Lizzie doesn't trust easily after her ex-fiancé's betrayal. That trust
was critical, as Lizzie called upon Hal's vow to be there for her if she needed
him. The first instance was when her father sprung a dinner party on her; one
that included three of his "dullard" choices as suitors for her. A
panicked note to Hal inviting him to the same dinner brought him running. That
dinner was fantastic as Hal showed those men up as what they were, both subtly
and bluntly.
That trust became even more vital when one of Lizzie's
suitors enlists her ex-fiancé in a scheme to blackmail her into marrying him. Ockendon
knows more than Lizzie realizes, and his threats against her, her son, and her
father plunge her into despair. I loved seeing Hal's protectiveness and support
even before he found out about her son. That discovery provided a small bump in
their relationship, though Hal recovered quickly and came through it like a
champ. He realized that "Lizzie was his friend. She was in trouble. An
innocent little boy was in trouble, too."
I loved watching the amiable and charming Hal as he
transformed from a lovable scoundrel to a warrior protecting his woman. There
was no doubt in my mind that he would succeed in finding a way to protect the
woman he loved. His efforts were thorough and determined, and he refused to
give up. His actions were vividly described, and I was on the edge of my seat
as each step was revealed. The final confrontation was tremendous and I loved
how Hal pulled it off. I ached for Lizzie, who by this time knew that she had
fallen in love with Hal, but was also convinced that she was not worthy of him
because of her past. The ending was fantastic with an unexpected solution that
warmed my heart and made me love Hal even more.
No comments:
Post a Comment