A lady and courtesan… After the man she loves is forced to marry another, Lady Sarrafinna Lennox remakes herself into the most famous courtesan in England. If she cannot have love, she will have freedom. But freedom alone cannot fill an empty heart. When fate puts her in the path of her greatest regret, will rekindled passion offer a second chance?
A hero and a spy…
After his wife’s death, … spy…
After his wife’s death, diplomat to the crown, Lord Kendrick Chase returns to London to be closer to his daughter. But when a friend taps his expertise to help smuggle a rebel into Denmark, a simple favor may be Kendrick’s end. Now, hunted by his own government and running out of options, fate drives him to the doorstep of the one woman he wants most to avoid. The woman he still loves, even as she offers herself to everyone else.
With the fate of a nation in their hands…
Love binds them. Passion pulls them closer. Will deception, secrets and murder drive them apart again… and destroy the future of a nation?
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Courtesan’s Wicked Desire
Improper Wives for Proper Lords Series #4
Clair Brett
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorClairBrett/
Release date 09/10/2020
Publisher CB Publishing
Blurb
A lady and courtesan…
After the man she loves is forced to marry another, Lady Sarrafinna Lennox remakes herself into the most famous courtesan in England. If she cannot have love, she will have freedom. But freedom alone cannot fill an empty heart. When fate puts her in the path of her greatest regret, will rekindled passion offer a second chance?
A hero and a spy…
After his wife’s death, diplomat to the crown, Lord Kendrick Chase returns to London to be closer to his daughter. But when a friend taps his expertise to help smuggle a rebel into Denmark, a simple favor may be Kendrick’s end. Now, hunted by his own government and running out of options, fate drives him to the doorstep of the one woman he wants most to avoid. The woman he still loves, even as she offers herself to everyone else.
With the fate of a nation in their hands…
Love binds them. Passion pulls them closer. Will deception, secrets and murder drive them apart again… and destroy the future of a nation?
My review
Is there still a future possible for them together …
I discovered Mrs Brett writing in a historical romance bundle and I loved what I read. So when this advance copy opportunity came despite the summary, I am not found of courtesan/prostitute tale as they often are loaded with pain and hurt, I did it a go.
But here, the heroine chose her path, it became her line of work in her own resolve.
As explained but by bit along the page, she was seduced by the appearance of freedom the ladies bordering the edges of the ton let suggest. But it is not an easy path to be at the mercy of her clients, she might had felt like she had the upper hand in being able to select her next protector but she was also at the whim of his willingness to act fair with her, after all she is only a tart.
She made her name for herself but she is a walking scandal, as while not disowned by her family, she in some way hurt them, whatever it is by her profession or rejecting them.
Now decades have passed, it is the time for her to retire.
Kendrick to save an other woman’s reputation, lost the one love of his life. He made do, and built a successful carrier under his new title. Now after twenty years, he is back in his own country. And when his next assignment bring him in close contact with the woman he left behind, the one he never was able to forget, what path will he decide when she herself altered her own possible future after his defection.
Mrs Brett narrates a tale of second chance for two older characters, two entities who have learned the price of loss, the cost of one’s decision and the weight one must live with it.
Finna believes there is no redeeming for her choosing, she just wants to protect those she loves, nothing else so when Kendrick reenters her life, she can’t imagine a happy outcome for them when he is doubtful about rekindling their relationship, soon hopes for a possible future together, if only she can come to trust him, enough to open herself to him again.
This is a complex tale with betrayal, secrets, deceit but also a love stronger than steel, a love beyond the confines of society, a love forgiving everything.
Outside the main characters, Finna and Kendrick are surrounded by a group of fun and disparate personalities, each having its role in the castle of cards slowly revealing the true culprit behind their hardships.
5 stars
I was granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/posts/698011987454642/?extid=hXgDoOPkQYyhAL4m&d=n
Wow, what a story! Kendrick and Sarrafinna’s love story was interrupted twenty years ago, and unusual circumstances have brought them back together. Both have been requested to aide in the smuggling of a foreign refugee from London the Belgium. Along the way, Sarrafinna discovers that many of her beliefs regarding her choices and other people’s reactions to them, are inaccurate. The characters in this book are fabulous and diverse, but all are well described and easily imaginable. This story has many twists and turns and several revelations come out of left field. There is no getting bored reading this book, as duplicity reigns and danger lurks around each corner.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really loved this book. The characters were great and I loved how they interacted with each other and supported one another. The romance had very high stakes and was a wonderful second chance romance and totally swoon-worthy even though there was much danger. The book had a great plot and there was much danger and intrigue. I love a good historical romance with a plot to it, and this book was just that. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys their second chance historical romance with high stakes, a good plot, and some danger. Read this soon!
If anyone deserves a happy ending it is Finna.
For king and country what a joke, Finna and Kendrick must have been thinking that. It would appear like before scandal was going to engulf them again. This is a tale about how lives can change due to one event or in this case one person. These characters tried so hard to fight their attraction their love for each other. So many years lost I loved how involved I was able to get with the characters of the book Ms. Brett did an excellent job. The book is so good and not just entertaining but a truly beautiful piece of writing. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
The fourth book in the Improper Wives for Proper Lords series a well written story I was not putting down until I had finished reading it. Famous courtesan Lady Sarrafinna Lennox and diplomat to the crown, Lord Kendrick Chase’s story. There is suspense, drama, danger, secrets, villains, a rebel, and a second chance, I enjoyed reading this story. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Loved this second chance love romance with Lady Serrafinna and Lord Kendrick who have a second chance after twenty years apart but it is not without some complications. It was heartbreaking at times and heartwarming at other times. There is suspense, mystery, murder and romance all tied up in this intriguing book that I could not put down.
After the man she loves is compromised & forced to marry another, Lady Sarrafinna Lennox remakes herself into the most famous courtesan in England. If she cannot have love, she will have freedom.
After his wife’s death, diplomat to the crown, Lord Kendrick Rutland, Marquis of Harwich returns to London to be closer to his daughter who is expecting her first baby. He agrees to one final job before he retires but what he didn’t realise is that Finna is housing the man he’s trying to help escape to the continent.
A well written book that started slowly but the pace increased throughout. I loved that Kendrick & Finna were mature adults who had always been in love. I loved Kendrick who was honourable & caring. I loved Finna but I found it very hard to understand that a Duke’s daughter would become a courtesan. I loved how their history was gradually revealed & how their relationship developed. There were secrets, intrigue, a secondary romance & a love that spanned two decades & once I was about ten percent into the book I was hooked & devoured it in two sittings
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
I read a lot of historical romance, and I think I can count on one hand how many have heroes and heroines who are older. This is one of those few. As such, they bring their complex backstories to the table, making for a much more interesting read. The heroine certainly made hard choices. You can’t help but feel for the hero either as he himself made hard choices in the past and now. You were certainly rooting for them to get together in the end. But, oh, what a road to get there!
I was gifted an e-ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion.
This was a new author for me, but I love strong heroines, and there is no stronger heroine than a woman abandoned by the man she loves who retains her self-confidence, flaunts the ton, and makes a successful life for herself. This is a story of secrets, betrayal, spies, and – most importantly – second chances. After years apart, and other spouses and lovers, Kendrick and Finna have a second change together if they are bold enough and have love and faith enough to take it. I very much enjoyed the depth and personality of these characters.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A Gripping Story!
After twenty years, Finna (Sarrafinna) and Kendrick are finally reunited and find themselves working together.
Many secrets are uncovered as their love rekindles and flares into life.
The story is well written and very gripping and the characters are nicely crafted and of course there is also a really bad guy who would love to get them both out of the way.
I was left with the thought that no matter what one has done in life which might push one away from family and former friends, if you try hard enough and are willing to let something go and reach a compromise, then those in your past will surely be there for you with love and support.
This message came through loud and clear.
I laughed and cried and was very definitely kept captive until the end and then I wished for some more…
I was gifted a copy of this story and my voluntary review is recorded above
This was such an enjoyable read – a love story 20 years in the making. Lady Sarrafinna and Kendrick were once in love but circumstances caused him to marry another and break her heart. They are brought together again under unusual circumstances and now must work together. There is so much drama, danger, and suspense in this story, it doesn’t slow down for one bit. It is quite the page-turner. A well-written storyline, with interesting and diverse characters, I was hooked till the end. This was definitely a story I could not put down. I enjoyed it very much and would definitely recommend!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Lady Sarrafinna Lennox is an independent woman. After losing the only man she’s ever loved to her best friend, she ditched the Ton and became one of England’s most famous courtesans. Wanting to retire to a life of seclusion, she agrees to house a known Italian rebel before he flees to Denmark. The money she will earn will bankroll her retirement. But when she discovers her past lover, Lord Kendrick Chase, is part of the plan, she doubles her price. He’s the last man she needs under her roof. As the stakes rise and she’s forced to ‘pretend’ to be reunited lovers with Kendrick, her heart wonders if fate is giving her a second chance at love. Can she forgive him for what he did years ago and more importantly, can she put her trust in him once more?
Courtesan’s Wicked Desire is a feast for the historical romance reader. An independent woman, a spy returns home, reunited lover, danger, intrigue, murder, and plenty of sizzling romantic tension… a five-star winner. I loved Finna as a heroine. She’s feisty and knows her way around the rumor mill of the Ton. Her independent spirit grabbed my heart from the very beginning and didn’t let go until the final page. I love second-chance romance and there’s plenty to love in Courtesan’s Wicked Desire. The suspense adds a delicious layer to the plot, which moves at a good pace. The ending caught me by surprise a little but I simply adored it. Highly recommend, especially to Regency spy romance fans!
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I’d review it.
My Rating: 5 stars