From an acclaimed author known for her “sinfully sexy” romances comes the first in a tantalizing series of erotic passion set in Victorian London…
Galen Hawke desires nothing but revenge against the woman who betrayed his dearly departed friend. Instead of mourning the loss of her fiance, Haley Moreland is merrily celebrating her upcoming nuptials to another man. Now, Galen has one mission: to … mission: to seduce Miss Moreland and enslave her heart. And when she is completely his, he will destroy her…
With her family on the brink of financial ruin, Haley knows she should be grateful for her providential betrothal. But then she meets the dangerously handsome Galen, whose wicked touch makes her long to abandon all logic. If Galen’s promises are sincere, the match to a family of noble blood and strong financial accounts could be the remedy her family desperately needs. And if he isn’t sincere, one last chance to taste the passion he ignites before settling into a life of convention is equally alluring…
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This book begins a series featuring several men who were held prisoner in India and eventually escaped and made their way back to England. Their harrowing experiences have bonded them together, yet set them apart from Society, and they become known as the Jaded Gentlemen.
Jaded certainly describes Galen Hawke. After his return to England, he’s in such a deep depression that nothing matters to him anymore, until he latches on to the fact that the beloved of his friend who died in their escape is suddenly engaged to another man. Galen is furious that she hasn’t taken the proper time to mourn his friend, so he concocts a plan to exact revenge. You can tell this plan is going to be disastrous from the beginning, even if it does succeed, but you just can’t look away! Galen becomes obsessed with his target and the seduction is on.
Hayley Moreland is just trying to keep her family afloat. Her father is in deep debt, and she is grateful to be engaged to one of the richest industrialists in the country. Okay, he’s a little boring and a lot uncouth, but he’s a decent guy for the times. When Galen starts popping up everywhere and promises her the moon, of course she jumps at the chance to be with him.
I liked the writing style, even if it was a bit flowery at times. The descriptions of the settings and Hayley’s dresses, which she designs, were detailed and really set the scene. There is some action and intrigue, so that kept my attention too. There was a lot of sizzling hot sex, which was great on one hand, but was also one of the drawbacks of this book. Would a young inexperienced lady really be able to sneak around for so long and have SO MUCH SEX without getting caught or getting pregnant? That is never really dealt with. And there’s the fact that Galen’s plot is really mean-spirited, at least in the beginning. Even with the drawbacks, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading about the rest of the Jaded Gentlemen.
The first book of The Jaded Gentlemen sets up the premise for the whole series–a series of great stories of intrigue, emotion, humor and romance. I’ve read all but the last book (Desire Wears Diamonds–can’t wait to read it!) and have loved ALL of them. They are all books I could not put down–just had to find out what happened next. The best thing I did was to read them in order because the stories just flowed one into the next. All the Jaded Gentlemen have their own issues based on their being in prison in India but find a strong lady to love as they search to solve the mystery of the danger that followed them home.
This book just blew me away! Galen is convinced that Haley is more than deserving of the punishment he has in store for her, but as he plots against her he also discovers there’s more to the story than he originally thought.
Haley is barely hanging on by a thread, but she’s not quite ready to take Galen at face-value either. As these two get to know each other and sort through all the nefarious influences in her life, a shadow threat from Galen’s past pops up, leaving more questions than answers.
The chemistry between Galen and Haley is instant and intense, and fueled by their growing respect and admiration for each other. Their HEA is only the start, however, as this is the first of a six-part series of standalone romances unified by a common mystery.
The writing is absolute perfection – each paragraph draws the reader deeper into this London with all its societal rules and chivalrous expectations. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, devouring it in one sitting.