A deal with the devil never goes according to plan in this newest novel from USA Today Bestseller, K.J. Jackson.Her last hope.With her brother dead and destitution looming, spinster Lady Helena has only one hope left—finding the mysterious box her brother has left her and trading it for the modest fortune that will last her the rest of her days. The last man Laney wanted to see accompanying her … her brother’s casket home was the man who jilted her long ago, abandoning her in the ashes of ruin. But he may be just the man to help her find the box. She took everything from him, now it was time to return the favor.Weston Jacobson, former Baron Planford, has been biding his time for years. Years it has taken for fortune to grant him the opportunity to exact revenge upon the man and his sister, Laney, who took everything from him. Never mind that he’d once been betrothed to Laney—she’d ruined him just the same and those particular feelings of attachment expired long ago. She makes a deal with the devil—the devil out to destroy her. Unwillingly, Laney joins forces with Wes to find the Box of Draupnir. But they aren’t the only ones on the hunt. Men have always sought the box for the fortunes it can turn. When danger skirts too close to Laney, Wes has no choice but to protect her, and the two find that the past must be reckoned with. Now if they can stay alive, they may just find a way to move forward, together.Join the adventure today! You’ll love The Blood of a Baron, the second in the Box of Draupnir series and a can’t-miss enthralling regency romance by USA Today bestselling author, K.J. Jackson.Note: The novels in the Box of Draupnir series by K.J. Jackson are each stand-alone stories and can be read individually in any order. These historical romances are set in the Regency and Victorian eras, and do not shy away from scenes with steamy heat, occasional naughty language, and moments that might possibly make you squirm.
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If I could give KJ Jackson 10 Stars for each one of the books she has written and I have read – I would do it in a second. This book was just another one in her fantastic abilities to reach out and grab her readers. I felt absolutely drained in parts of this book but it was a good kind of feeling – I experience all the emotions felt by the characters and the story kidnapped my mind and drug me into the scenes.
We meet Weston “Wes” Jacobson, future Baron of Platford when he is 13 years old & he and Laney have been promised to marry by their fathers. The years found him falling madly in love with Laney and a week before the wedding his world fell apart and he lost everything!
Lady Helena is 12 years old, when we first meet her, and she is betrothed to Wes, according to what her father had informed of this morning. She accepted the fact and as they grew older and closer; she fell head over heels in love with him. They were happy beyond anything she could have imagined – until they weren’t and it was her fault. Wes said horrible things to her, which she deserved for failing to keep his secret and now they both had lost and Wes had left.
Forced together by circumstances beyond their control the hate, revenge, lack of trust,memories, & vulnerability were just a few things they felt when they were forced to interact with one another. The reason, the box – The Box of Draupnir and her, now dead brother’s connection to it. The dangerous journey they travelled had me turning pages as quickly as I could and the tension, denial of feelings was felt in every nerve in my body. This is a fantastic book and Wes & Laney do get their HEA and the trip is an exciting read.
I was gifted the Advanced Reader Copy of this book & all opinions are my own & have been voluntarily given.
I’ve never read one of the author books that I haven’t loved. And this was no exception it’s in a series about a box. Evil and giving. This story was heartbreakingly lovely. Second chance love. Hot as can be. Want to think the author for a great reading experience as always!
What a riveting story! You are pulled in with lots of questions about the characters right from the start. You can’t help but feel sorry for Laney and Weston and really dislike her brother and his cousin! I know they will be together in the end but I certainly couldn’t figure out how they could get there. Nice tie in with previous book too.
This novel had unexpected events, which made the story intriguing. Wes and Laney’s characters were amazing! The bits of humor added depth. I liked that it wasn’t too steamy. On a whole, a very good read. My thanks goes out to Ms. Jackson for the opportunity to read the ARC and write an honest review.
This is the second book in KJ Jackson’s Box of Draupnir trilogy, and it picks up several months after the ending of the first book, The Heart of an Earl. As a note, I recommend reading that book first before reading this book as they are strongly linked.
Weston Jacobson, “Wes,” has carried anger as a second skin for seven long years; most of those years have been spent at sea working as a privateer, most recently serving under Captain Desmond Phillips (H in book 1). While none of Wes’s comrades know the full story, they know that Wes was once a baron whose title and wealth were stripped away from him, and he blames the woman he was set to marry for it. Since his ruin, he has sought to remove her from his mind, but as she is never far from it, his focus shifted to revenge — a way to make her feel the pain she inflicted on him those years ago. And the opportunity may have just arisen…. In the effort to rid himself and his wife of the cursed Box of Draupnir, Des made a mistake…. He intended to lose it in a card game to a man he felt deserved the curse, but instead, an old acquaintance and former friend of Wes’s walked away with the treasure many men have sought and died for. The man who “won” the box is none other than the brother of the woman that ruined his life.
Lady Helena (“Laney”) has accepted her life of loneliness as the just desserts for unintentionally ruining the only man she ever loved. After her betrothal was broken because of the scandal by association, she was cut from the lives of most of her contemporaries, and she retreated to the country estate. Over the last seven years, she has had to sustain herself and a bare bones staff by selling off anything of value as her brother gambled away the family fortune. And now she has learned that her brother, the only relative she had, was attacked and viciously murdered. As if that weren’t devastating enough, the man delivering his body to the estate that her brother inexplicably placed in charge of her inheritance is none other than the man that she betrayed. When she is told that this box her brother obtained is the source of her inheritance, she must determine where her brother hid it. Though Wes is set on making Laney’s life as miserable as he believes she made his, he cannot help but try to protect her from the danger the box constantly brings. Can Wes forgive Laney’s betrayal? Could there be more to the story than meets the eye? Will they escape the curse and the danger that inevitably follows the owner(s) of the box? And if they can overcome all of these obstacles, is there any possibility of a future together?
What I liked:
— I was excited to read Wes’ story as he has been a character of interest when he has appeared in the last couple of books
— Both the main characters are relatable as damaged by yet still strongly drawn to each other
— The sense of danger and suspense as to what will happen next made me fly through the pages!
— I enjoyed revisiting the H/h from book 1 in this series and seeing where they are now
— STEAMY GOODNESS, early and often!
What I didn’t like as much:
— I didn’t like that Wes refused to listen to Laney and give her any chance to explain what happened, but the conflict between the two of them made the story more exciting in the “hate to love you” kind of way, and thankfully, he was never overly harsh or cruel to Laney
Overall, this is another slam dunk by an author who knows how to hook a reader! I am very much looking forward to the final installment of this trilogy as the main characters introduced immediately caught my interest, and the direction being taken with respect to the origins of the Box of Draupnir has me intrigued!
Please note that I was provided with an advance copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Plot — 4.5/5
Main Characters — 4.5/5
Supporting Cast — 4.5/5
Steam Level* — 4/5
Violence — mild struggles/fight scenes; nothing graphic
Language — not egregious
POV — 3rd
*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 – clean; 1/5 – mild; 2/5 – sensual but nothing descriptive; 3/5 – now we’re getting somewhere; 4/5 – yes please! ; 5/5 – they did EVERYTHING in this one, y’all
Prepare to be drawn into a story of love, betrayal, secrets and a mystery as only the amazing KJ Jackson can brew up with her extraordinary imagination. When I know she will have a book out, I am always anxious to read because I know she will pull me in quickly and not let go until the end.
A long ago love that had been destroyed between Laney and Wes. They had been betrothed when young but the feelings between them now seemed to only be animosity. Her brother was now dead and Wes was determined to get his revenge.
But not it seemed with the reading of the will that although there were funds, there was a box, known as the Box of Draupuir, that her brother had that would need to be produced for all the funds to be release. A box? Laney had no idea where to begin looking! Then she found out Wes was to be her guardian. Guardian? He hated her brother, how could that have happened?
How does the saying go about love and hate going hand in hand? As this tale unravels, you will be entranced, anxious to find out what will happen next. Can she find the box? Will Wes extract his revenge on her?
Loved, Loved this book. Yes, I know… KJ Jackson, what’s not to love? Perfect.
I own many stories by this author and this is my favorite. So different than what I am use to reading and I can’t wait to read more of this series.
One of my favorite books/movies is LORD OF THE RINGS. As you get into the story you will get a feel for something that is cursed. Some people are immune to it’s pull and some are not. This is such a small part of this amazing story, so if you are thinking this isn’t your type of book, I urge you to put your reservations aside, because this is a story with suspense, twists, surprises, intrigue and will have you reading into the night.
We meet the H/h and the h’s brother when they are children. The H/h discover when they are 12 and 13 that there is a betrothal between them. We then fast forward to when they are 18/19 and we discover the h ruined his life. As the author takes us on a journey that has the details slowly unraveling in what was the cause.
There is violence mixed with intrigue that will keep you on the end of your seats. I enjoyed how they went from hating each other to slowly falling back into love. The trek we are taken on to reach romance between these two was so worth the read in itself. There is lovemaking, outside of marriage, heat level 4 out of 5 (barely) and described a few times. It was filled with passion for me and not vulgar because by then they had their connection back.
No cliffhanger for our couple and a great epilogue. But the item that has been placed with someone else, will not have their story told yet. No cheating, HEA, great experience of romance and some steam. As I said at the beginning, for me the author hit it out of the park with everything I felt reading this and how the truth is revealed.
I received an advanced copy, all opinions are honestly and voluntarily given and are my own. (ljb)
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Do we know what we want in life? We all think we do ,but do we really. KJ’s story is so relevant right now. We as a world are all out of balance. We have come to realize that all the stuff we couldn’t live without we could. We have been asked to stay put , for some it’s been hard ,for other surprisingly Not as hard. Many of us have found all that matters is family. With family we can make it work. This tale is about all of that. Love, lost love wealth at a price and travel. This book hits home. It will give you hope ,put a smile on your face and fill your heart and soul with love. With these stressful times read this story ,you will love love it. I have now read it twice and feel moved by it. Lisa
Another captivating story by K.J. Jackson. One of my favourite authors I know will not disappoint.
This story was so absorbing and engaging I read it in one sitting. An interesting story of betrayal, even though accidental nonetheless heart wrenching for the hero and heroine. It was an exciting action packed journey for Wes and Lady Helena.
This was a roller coaster. A long, high roller coaster where you hear the click, clicks as the coaster slowly edges upwards. The tension mounts, the anxiety spikes… and yet you still climb. And oh boy what a ride this is!
Wes and Laney have known each other since they were children. They were betrothed by their fathers but actually did love one another and couldn’t wait to start their lives together when the time came to marry. Unfortunately a secret is exposed and the marriage never happens. Years later the mysterious and deadly Box of Draupnir brings them back together. This begins the adventure that takes them from hating and distrusting one another to learning to forgive and accepting the faults of each other and those they love.
I would give this 10 stars if I could. K.J. Jackson drags you through all the emotions and makes you feel all the feels in her books. And she totally gets the subtleties of relationships as well. As always this is another fast paced, emotional journey that you don’t want to put down. I can’t wait for the next installment in this series!
I was given an ARC for my honest opinion, honestly you need to read this book!
Strong and engaging characters.
This high emotion and drama piece was an excellent read. There is a bit of the paranormal in it too. The Box of Draupnir was not a pleasant thing but the quest to find the bloody thing did accomplish one thing it brought Wes and Laney back into each other’s lives. There is a lot of action in this one and it will take you on a merry ride as you read this piece. This work will draw you in and will not let go I highly recommend this brilliant piece. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
This was a good paced read with plenty of action to keep me reading until the end. This is the story of Wes and Laney and of course, the box! Wes and Laney has been on the verge of marrying seven years ago but something happened to prevent this. Although they have tried, neither of them have been able to move on with their lives. There is still a deep attraction between them, although neither want to admit this. There is also someone else who wants the box and will stop at nothing to get it. There are a number of dangerous moments and some very passionate ones. Altogether, a very entertaining read. The story of the box continues and I look forward to reading the next in the series.
K.J. Jackson knows how to ensnare and engage this reader’s interest to the last word with every book of hers I have read. This second offering in The Box of Draupnir series is no different. The main protagonists in The Blood of a Baron are Wes and Laney. They were set to marry years before but fate had other things in store for them. When they meet again, there is so much palpable anger between them it jumps off the page. Such raw emotions and so heartbreaking too. The object that brings them back together, the box, is almost like a chimera, a fantasy, which can bring blessings as well as evil. The box must be dealt with as well as kept out of the hands of the wrong sort. The level of suspense was amazing. I had a hard time waiting until “the secret” was finally revealed. What a suspenseful second chance-at-love and enemies to lovers tale K.J. Jackson has woven. I loved the epilogue. For anyone wanting to read an “out of the ordinary” Regency period romance, take a chance on this one. I think you’ll like it. Please note, there are some moderately intimate scenes. Overall rating: book 4 ½ stars, steam 3 ½ – 4 stars. I received an ARC of this work which has in no way affected my voluntary review. All opinions stated are my own.
This was amazing! Laney and Wes had such a wonderful story. At times is was heartbreaking, but it was still filled with such love. You could almost feel it. The anger was just as tangible. The ‘Box’ is not only a curse, but at times it even serves as a blessing for some. While it may not seem so at the time, fate has a way of working things out for the best. Wes is years deep in anger, Laney has suffered the same amount of heartache. It will take a great effort, for both of them, to forgive the past and look at the possibilities in front of them. A tale of adventure laced with danger and romance. A tale of two people finding each other again when it matters most. Once again Ms. Jackson has blown me away. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next. This is my honest opinion of an advanced copy I received.
Letting go of the past and embracing the future.
For the first three chapters of The Blood of a Baron, I was wondering if I would be able to finish it. Not because of bad writing, but because of such good writing. My heart was pounding and I was feeling every intense and dark emotion emanating from both Wes and Laney.
However, I kept reading because I know just how good a writer K.J. Jackson is, and that in the end both Wes and Laney would find the peace and happiness that had alluded them for the last seven years. With plot twists and emotional highs and lows, this is an intense read about regrets and second chances, but it also a book worth reading.
Content 411: In addition to some mild secular swearing, there are also a couple of moderately described sexually intimate scenes.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the author. I am voluntarily submitting my honest review.
Could not even finish it.
Wes returns to Laney after 7 years in order to get revenge and a magical box. This book has lots of romance and adventure to entertain the reader. The second book in a series.