When a master of disguise marries a woman who sees right through him… and their marriage never really had a chance. Now she’s in trouble, and Colin has reentered her life. She’s determined to refuse his help, especially after the way he’s treated her, but Colin can be persuasive…especially when he has her alone.
Baring it all is part of the seduction.
Colin FitzRoy was known as The Pretender during the war. He’s an expert in the art of disguise, but even when he takes off the mask, he hides who he really is. Colin pretends he doesn’t have feelings, but when he’s thrust together with his estranged wife, his buried emotions resurface. Before long Colin is juggling an elderly pug, a wife-hunting Scotsman, and a duplicitous street urchin in an effort to keep Daphne safe. But his greatest challenge is not only to seduce her but to win her heart.
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Lady Daphne, daughter of the Duke of Warcliffe, had an unusual marriage. Shortly after being wed to Colin FitzRoy, he left her and went off to the army to fight in the war and she had not seen nor heard from him in seven years! Now Daphne is in trouble and needs her husband’s help.
Colin FitzRoy was known as The Pretender during the war, an expert in the art of disguise. He pretends he doesn’t have feelings and buries his emotions because he is afraid to deal with them, yet he does care about his wife. He will help her and then try to disappear again. But a number of people and events conspire to make that impossible, and it might just be easier to seduce the lady and win her heart again.
This was a really good book with Colin having some deep issues to overcome. Will the time spent in helping his wife bring them closer together? Will he be able to acknowledge his feelings and reclaim his position in the marriage? Grab your copy and enjoy a well-written love story.
As reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-188
Colin FitzRoy and Lady Daphne were married seven years ago when she was only eighteen and he was twenty-two. They were basically strangers, as it was a marriage arranged by their mothers. With both of them being inexperienced, their wedding night was a major disappointment. Shortly after, Colin, a soldier, left for the continent, not returning for five and a half years. Upon his return, he went to his father’s estate, where he stayed for many months, only recently returning to London. In the years since she married, Daphne has become the equivalent of a grand dame (though she is still young) in society, known as one of The Three Suns, able to ruin a young lady with just a frown.
Since his return to town, Colin has been continually hounded by Daphne’s mother, urging him to contact Daphne, and to put their tattered marriage to rights, and intimating that Daphne is in trouble and needs his help. Colin knows he has acted poorly, and that he can’t stay in this state of limbo forever. Colin is a very self contained man, thanks to a lesson from a cruel grandfather when he was just a young boy. The thought of being around his exuberant and emotional wife makes him break out in a cold sweat. Still, if she’s in trouble, he will find a way to solve the problem.
Though Daphne’s position in society is secure, she is still the subject of cruel barbs regarding her absent husband. Secretly she is hurt and angry that Colin has never contacted her, but she hides her feelings, acting as though his absence is of little importance. She has something more pressing to deal with. In truth, she is in serious trouble. She has foolishly gambled with a powerful and dangerous man, and her exorbitant losses and the interest are amounts she can’t pay. Her creditor, who has a murderous reputation, has threatened to physically get what’s due him if she doesn’t pay her debts.
When Colin finally confronts Daphne, she is justifiably angry. When he offers his help, she refuses it. There is no cordial reunion here. Still, Daphne’s father, the Duke of Warcliffe, is a powerful man, and he’s determined that his daughter and her husband start living together and acting like a married couple. Colin knows that crossing the duke is futile, so he agrees that they will live together. And he’s determined to find out just what kind of trouble Daphne is in – all while maintaining a safe distance from her, of course.
What this couple didn’t count on was their strong desire and attraction for each other. Though they are polar opposites, she wants words and feelings while he becomes nauseated at the mere mention of emotions, they can’t stay away from each other. HOW THE LADY WAS WON takes us through Colin’s and Daphne’s journey as they eventually come to discover love. The path is very rocky – there is the danger that Daphne is in, the secret that Daphne has kept for seven years, and Colin’s tangled fear of love and genuine intimacy. Both characters have made mistakes, some substantial enough to make me actively dislike them for awhile. I really hated Daphne’s phony society persona, and her foolishness in how she gambled. As for Colin, he cruelly never answered even one of Daphne’s regular letters while he was away, and his actions in avoiding her on his return were humiliating. Still, I forgave them and grew to love them as their characters grew. Daphne owned up to her mistakes and took full responsibility. Her intelligence allowed her to play a large part in rescuing herself, as well as seeing into Colin’s troubled personality, looking beyond her own feelings. Colin was a tougher nut to crack. Though honorable in wanting to protect Daphne, he also continued to run every time he started to get close to her. It takes a life threatening situation to finally let him work through his issues, and realize what’s right in front of him. The passion between this couple is super steamy, and some of the secondary characters, like Jasper, the masked problem solver, and Duncan, the bride-hunting Scot, added a whimsical touch to this sometimes intense story. HOW THE LADY WAS WON is a book I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend, especially to those who enjoy a couple who battle their way to their happy ever after.
(Note – though part of a series, it easily reads as a standalone.)
4.5 Stars! This was a really good read! It’s book 7 in the Survivor series but can be read as a standalone. Colin, known as The Pretender, married and left his wife for 7 years thinking he would die in the war. Now he’s back to help his wife, Daphne, with a mysterious problem she finds herself in. There is some mystery, humor, sexy scenes, and some parts where I wanted to slap Colin, who seems to be a bit emotionally stunted. Great book with a HEA ending and I recommend it- especially if you’re a fan of the series!
*I received this book at no charge from the publisher and I voluntarily left a review.*
This is book 7 of The Survivors series, but this is the first one that I have read. It is a very well written second chance romance novel set in the regency period. Not having read the previous books, I was still easily able to follow the story, and I did not feel like I was missing anything, so it can surely be read as a standalone. Colin and Daphne are an adorable couple. I just loved all their interactions and they had wonderful chemistry. I felt so bad for them, being separated for so long and not having that initial time to bond as a couple. I enjoyed getting to know them and understand their heartaches and pain through the course of the story. This was an emotional story that really pulls at your heartstrings. Ms. Galen is truly a very talented writer and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
After finishing this book I realized I have been missing out on a great series and I plan to go back and read all the previous ones!
I was gifted a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader Copy of How the Lady was Won and the views expressed are my honest opinions. This is Shana Galen’s 7th book in the Survivor Series and Colin FitzRoy’s story – The Pretender. One thing is for certain, Colin has lived up to his nickname by pretending he couldn’t care less for the youngest daughter of the Duke of Warcliffe, Lady Daphne, his wife.
Colin and Daphne had wed young following a longstanding friendship between their mothers to connect the two families before Colin’s mother passed away. Daphne was ecstatic whilst Colin was uncertain about the connection. The families, and themselves, were total opposites. Both virgins, their wedding night was anticlimactic, and their marriage couldn’t stand a chance with Colin leaving for war soon after.
Seven years later, Colin got summoned by his in-laws to make something of this marriage now that the war was over. While following Lady Daphne, now one of the Three Suns within society, Colin realizes that something is amiss, much to his wife’s dismay. Slowly, Colin tries to uncover the mystery behind his wife’s blackmailer. The more time he spends in her company, the more he realizes that he must stop the charade and admit to his emotions hidden deep inside. Will the FitzRoys manage to make their marriage work? Or has too much time passed for them?
Once again, Shana Galen marries romance with mystery successfully to provide a wonderful adventure for her characters and readers. Add to that numerous secondary characters – an elderly pug, meddling parents, nosey siblings, a Scot searching for a wife, a ragamuffin – who will keep the readers enthralled up to the final page.
I thought that this was a great read. The entertaining story line is filled with plenty of emotions, heat, humor, drama, danger, suspense and romance. I liked Daphne and Colin (it did take a bit to connect with Colin though) and I felt they were perfect for each other. This couple’s road to a HEA was long and far from smooth sailing. Mistakes are made all around, past hurts must be overcome and each must learn to open their hearts to love.
This may just be my favorite in The Survivors series! Their wedding night did not go as planned and they’ve not spoken in seven years, but that all changes when trouble brings them back together. I love them together because that spark is between them and you can tell they are both fighting it for different reasons. Their emotions and feels slowly start to come to the surface and once they give in it is fireworks.
I was on pins and needles when it came to her trouble because I didn’t know what was going to happen. It was fun seeing Jasper again because he caused some trouble along the way. There are a few surprising twists throughout the story that I didn’t see coming.
Daphne is nothing like her friends when it comes to gossip and how she treats people. She is stubborn and full of fire and wants to fix her trouble herself, but she doesn’t know the danger that comes with it. I loved her right away because she didn’t hold back with anything or anyone.
Colin knows things went badly seven years ago, but his past keeps him from showing his emotions. He would do anything to protect her and wants to be with her, but he runs when his emotions start to show. I loved his skills and when he finally was able to open up.
Copy provided for an honest and voluntary review
Lady Daphne, daughter of the Duke of Warcliffe, is one of the Three Suns. Society revolves around her. But there’s one person who doesn’t seem to know she’s alive—her own husband. Lady Daphne was thrilled to marry Colin FitzRoy, the son of her mother’s dear friend, seven years before. But then he left for the army and their marriage never really had a chance. Now she’s in trouble, and Colin has re-entered her life. She’s determined to refuse his help, especially after the way he’s treated her, but Colin can be persuasive.
Colin FitzRoy was known as The Pretender in Draven’s troop during the war. He’s an expert in the art of disguise, but even when he takes off the mask, he hides who he really is. Colin pretends he doesn’t have feelings, but when he’s thrust together with his estranged wife, his buried emotions resurface. Before long Colin is juggling an elderly pug, a wife-hunting Scotsman, and a duplicitous street urchin in an effort to keep Daphne safe.
This is the seventh book in the series & with each book I think it can’t be as good as the last but each time it’s as good if not better. I absolutely love this series & strongly recommend reading in order. Very well written with strong characters & the pace never falters although at times it leaves you breathless. I loved Daphne & her pink dresses with lots of bows, I also admired her for holding her head up & not hiding away when Colin went off to war. Colin was harder to like as he was very good at completely shutting his emotions away. I did love how Daphne chipped away at the wall he’s built & she never gave up. Their attraction was electric too & how their relationship developed & grew was sighworthy. There was the villain who was making Daphne’s life a misery but she dealt with him before he got his comeuppance. I look forward to more of the Survivors having their HEAs & there’s two waiting on the sidelines.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Shana Galen rocks! She is excellent at developing a character and telling their stories. Her characters are like friends you root for and want to visit with time and time again. Colin is another of Draven’s survivors who must the past of the war behind him in order to accept love. He is one of my favorites because of his special skills he used in the war. He is a gentleman who holds his feelings extremely close because of emotional setbacks he has had in the past. Daphne is living a life of smoke and mirrors while she waits for her husband to come and claim her. She is smart, beautiful and loyal. This is a really emotional tale as these two work on their problems and learn what it takes to have true love and marriage. This is definitely a book you will want to add to your collection.
I believe this to be the first book I’ve read by Shana Galen and it turned out to be a very enjoyable read. The book is very well written and flows smoothly from start to finish. The story is heartwarming, intriguing, witty and made me smile frequently. If you are a lover of historical romance, give this book a try.
The two main characters, Colin and Daphne, are not your average couple. They have been married for seven years, but in reality have only had a few conversations and mere minutes in each others company, most of that on their wedding night. The way the author describes the event of this young couple’s wedding night makes you visualize it while you’re reading it and you can feel the disappointment and confusion that each feel. And she continues in this vein throughout the book.
Daphne doesn’t see or hear from her husband again for seven years because after their wedding night he left for war. Daphne is understandably hurt and feeling quite uncharitable towards her estranged husband after all this time with no word. So, when he reappears in her life, she does not welcome him. Especially when she discovers that he has only come to her at the urging of her mother to find out what sort of trouble she has gotten herself into. Daphne does not want Colin’s help, she can’t let him back into the life she has built, she can’t let him back into her heart and have it broken again when he deserts her again.
Colin has become a master at disguises during his time at war. He had become known as the Pretender and was successful at gathering information during the war. He hadn’t a wife seven years ago and wasn’t sure what he wanted from Daphne now. He knew he had disappointed her their entire marriage, but when her mother told him Daphne was in trouble, it was his duty to find out what the trouble was and get her out of it. But the more time Colin spends with Daphne, the more time he wants to spend with her. This he cannot allow, he cannot allow feelings in his life. Feelings lead to caring and caring leads to hurt.
Again, I found this book to be very enjoyable and am looking forward to the opportunity to read the rest in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What I really liked about this book is that the awkwardness of the first night of marriage seemed so real and Colin and Daphne were so vulnerable. Also, Colin does not betray his wedding vows over the seven years he and Daphne are separated. They were finding their way around each other while trying to keep Daphne from the evil clutches of Lord Battersea. This is a beautiful story about feelings, how we hold them in, how we can hurt others and how eventually love with always triumph and the joys of love will always prevail.
I love seeing some of the other Survivors and look forward to more great stories.
I received a complimentary copy Booksprout.
After a less than satisfactory wedding night seven years ago, Lady Daphne’s husband, Colin FitzRoy left for the war and she hasn’t seen him since, even though he’s been back in town for a while. He reenters her life after he hears she may be in trouble, and seeing her again brings up some of those pesky feelings he’s tried so hard to bury. Lady Daphne is definitely in trouble and even though she’s brave and resourceful, she’s in over her head and can certainly use Colin’s help. I loved seeing this couple work out their problems and begin to trust each other. Lady Daphne deserved to have an actual husband, instead of being married in name only, and Colin needed a wife like her to help him stop hiding and start living. Although I’ve enjoyed all of the stories in the Survivors series, this one was one of my favorites.