A second chances, reunion romance short story from a New York Times bestselling author! He taught her to trust. He taught her to love. And then he left her behind without a word. Tonight he’s back. Whether for a moment or forever depends on the turn of a card. Twenty-one to win—or to lose it all. Their future hinges on her dealing him the right card…
All I Want (Dukes of War, #8)
By ericaridley
This was a short story that I would have liked to see be a little longer, but I’ll take what I can get. Lady Matilda Kingsley is forced by her guardian, her cousin Egbert, to play a hand of cards with Major Owen Turner, the man she was best friends with for two years before he left for the army without a word four years ago. Egbert is hoping she’ll win the only thing Owen has left of value, his small cottage. Now that he’s back, she’s hoping for an explanation and he’s hoping for the same thing he was after before he left – after punching her cousin in the nose. There wasn’t a lot of time to explore either character in depth, but I liked what I did see and was happy with the conclusion.
This is a very short novella which is a final offering in Erica Ridley’s well-received Dukes of War series. Owen Turner has returned from the Peninsular wars. Lady Matilda Kingsley is a ward of her uncle. Owen and Matilda were childhood friends and she was in love with him before he left for war. I encourage readers to find out what happens in this free, enjoyable read. I did.
I enjoyed this short love story between Lady Matilda and Owen Turner. Though it was short, it was enough to bring a smile to my face. Ms. Ridley is a talented romantic writer.
Male relatives can be the worst obstacles to romance. Our heroine’s brother certainly was for our hero and heroine. Still for all his posturing and poor sportsmanship and contrived misunderstandings, he did push them into a card game where both ended up winning. The only person who really lost was the brother. Just desserts, I think.
I truly enjoyed reading this Novella.
A chance at winning £ 5,000 or The Lady he Loves or losing a cottage/home everything he has.
Erica Ridley is a Wonderful Author and has been a Wonderful source of Storytelling for me.
Everything you could want in a romance!
This short but very sweet romance was perfectly delightful! Owen and Matilda were childhood sweethearts separated only by class structure. Now, he’s back from fighting on the continent and determined to prove himself worthy of her.
The setup was brilliantly done, utilizing the one person who kept them apart years ago as the unwitting source of their current reconnection. Everything plays out exactly as one hopes, and the final scene certainly made the most of five simple words. Sensuously detailed while keeping it all PG-rated, this exquisite story hits all the right notes.
All I Want, by Erica Ridley, was published in August of 2016. Part of The Dukes Of War series, it’s either book 8 or 9, I saw it both ways. At only 47 pages it’s more of a teaser than a novella. A small gift from the author for her loyal readers. Lady Matilda Kingsley & Major Owen Turner were childhood friends who fell in love. Owen was turned away when he asked for Matilda’s hand, got into a fight with her cousin & took off. 4 years later he’s back & they discover each still longs for the other. Ms Ridley gives us 3 chapters with 1 game of 21, high stakes, & a bet on lasting love.
#EricaRidley #DukesOfWar #AllIWant #AmazonDigitalServices #historical romance
HOLIDAY REUNION is the eighth book in the Dukes of War series. This one stands completely alone, as it has none of the characters from the series.
This is an extremely short and sweet story that had me singing Mariah Carey’s Christmas anthem as I closed the book.
Lady Matilda Kingsley is a woman with ideas far ahead of her time. I only wish there had been a bit more build up to the completion of her reunion with Major Owen Turner.
Note: While I received this book as a gifted ARC, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
Title: ALL I WANT
Series: Dukes of War #8
Category /Genre: Historical Romance, Short story
Recommended for: 18+ due to sexual content
Grammar/editing: A – near perfect
Received from: Erica Ridley (as an ARC gifted copy)
Part of complete dukes of war
Love this series!
Wonderful short romance!