He’s got iron control… But she might be his undoing! Part of The King’s Elite: Haunted by Penny Penhurst’s courage on the witness stand, meticulous barrister Lord Hadleigh offers her a housekeeper position at his estate. Despite trying to stay detached, Hadleigh is charmed by her small child and surprised by how much he yearns for this proud woman! Can he break through his own–and … own–and Penny’s–barriers to prove he’s a man she can trust…and love?
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Another FABULOUS addition to what’s been a wonderful series. Ms. Heath gives us another potential couple to adore, while gathering the pairings of the past for what could be the trial of the century. There are pasts to overcome and futures to consider, inner demons to face and hard truths to admit, love to be found and forevers to reach for…and you get a front row seat to it all. You’ll smile with the highs, feel your heart clench at the lows, but all the while you’ll hold out hope for the two to see through all that’s standing in their way and finally reach that happy ending.
**ebook received for review; opinions are my own
Penny is devastated and trying to start over. Tristan feels guilty about her brokenness and wants to protect her. Both are stubborn and independent and find themselves at odds with each other. When they have to spend more time together they realize they have a lot in common that will make for a great relationship. A well written story that shows the plight of women and children who little recourse against their husbands and fathers.
A lovely, fun story! When Virginia Heath is in her groove the writing is breezy and clever. She totally got in the groove on this one. Hadleigh is a somewhat rigid, but brilliant barrister, tasked with the trials that will put an end to the smuggling ring whose story has run through the King’s Elite series. Penny was married to Lord Penhurst, one of the key players in the ring. Hadleigh’s strong sense of justice causes him to try to help her and her small son after she is left destitute and alone. But Penny is fighting to establish herself as a finally independent woman.
Clever dialogue, interesting situations, and the re-emergence of characters we already know make this book a joy to read. Plus, the epilogue pulls everyone together with a hilarious ending. Terrific writing! I can’t wait to see what new series she does next!
ARC provided by Netgalley
First of all, Virginia Heath is a great author and I have read everything she’s written. She is witty and has a wonderful way with words. And her romances are wonderful. This is the final book in the Kings Elite series and is my favorite. It doesn’t have the suspense that the other books in the series had-the villain was unmasked in the last book but it has a wonderful love story.
Penny was married to one of the traitors and the book starts with his trial and her testimony about the abuse she suffered at his hand. Lord Hadleigh was the prosecutor-he was drawn to Penny’s strength during the trial and as we come to know has his own ghosts when it comes to domestic violence.
After her horrible marriage, Penny wants to be in control of her life and Lord H feels the need to try to help her and her son, due to his survivors guilt and an attraction it takes some time for him to admit.
What follows is a wonderful story of healing and love-but not without some bumps in the road.
I received an ARC from the author. But Ms. Heath is an auto buy for me so would have purchased
The Determined Lord Hadleigh is the fourth and final story in author Virginia Heath’s series, The King’s Elite. When Ms. Heath announces she has a new series coming out, readers who follow her rejoice! When those series unfortunately come to their inevitable ending, it is with a heavy heart that we face saying goodbye to some of our favorite and loved characters. As I picked up this book knowing we were at the end, I was very interested to get to finally learn more about Lord Hadleigh and see what Ms. Heath had in store for him…
Lord Tristan Hadleigh has been in all the previous books of this series. He is a barrister and the Crown Prosecutor that has been working hand in hand with The King’s Elite to help capture and prosecute a highly organized and extremely dangerous smuggling ring.
We actually first met Lady Penelope “Penny” Penhurst in the first book of this series, The Mysterious Lord Millcroft. She was a close friend to the heroine of that story. Married to a Viscount who physically and mentally abused her, she had no option but to stay and endure for her young son.
As we first start this book, Penny is testifying in her husband’s trial for his part in the smuggling ring. Seeing her every day at trial has Tristan finding himself drawn to this brave woman. When her husband is found guilty of treason, sentenced to death and stripped of his lands and titles, Penny has no other choice but to stand on her own two feet to make a life for her and her young son.
I tend to say this frequently where Ms. Heath is concerned, but I loved this couple! I truly wanted to see Penny gain her independence and get her confidence back after all she had endured. She’s such a wonderful heroine, brave, determined and yet there is still a vulnerability to her. She’s struggling to survive, barely making ends meet when Tristan who’s been keeping tabs on her steps in to help. As for Tristan, oh my! Ms. Heath definitely knows how to write swoon-worthy heroes! Tristan was present in each of the previous stories, but in starting this book, I didn’t really feel I knew him too well. I have to say, I fell for him pretty quickly in this book! He’s brilliant, handsome, loyal, caring, a man of integrity and an absolutely perfect hero for a woman like Penny. I absolutely adored watching these two gradually become friends, help each other to heal from their pasts, and eventually fall in love.
With all our favorite characters from the previous books making an appearance, along with a perfect epilogue, Ms. Heath has done it again! She’s created an absolutely perfect ending to a beloved series! Although I’m sad to say goodbye, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with The King’s Elite, and can’t wait to see what Ms. Heath has in store for us in the future! I highly recommend this entire series!
This is an exceptionally fine ending for this well-written, well-plotted series. The characters are all wonderful and you get to spend time with all of the earlier heroes and heroines. To make it even better, at the end, we see all of them ten years into the future and learn what has happened in their lives during that time. It is one of the best endings (book or series) I’ve read in a long time!
The King’s Elite has been pursuing a traitorous band of smugglers throughout this series. They aren’t your ordinary smugglers; they are aristocrats from the highest echelons of the Beau Monde. All sorts of goods are brought into England – liquors, laces, whatever is wanted – and they are exchanged for guns and ammunition to aid Napoleon. In the first three books, the ring members were slowly and painstaking identified and rounded up and a member of the King’s Elite found his HEA in each. This book features the Crowns Prosecutor, Viscount Tristan Hadleigh and Lady Penelope (Penny) Penhurst, widow of the traitorous Viscount Penhurst who was murdered in prison so that he couldn’t provide States Evidence. This book is slower paced than the others. There are no exciting life and death situations, etc. It is just a romantic journey between two troubled souls while preparing for the Trial of the Century.
The Crown wanted to make an exception of Viscount Penhurst, so they impeached him, reverted his title and estate to the Crown and tried him, not in the House of Lords, but as a commoner in the regular judicial system. Every day of the trial, Hadleigh watched Lady Penhurst as she stoically attended the trial. He admired her courage and dignity. He appreciated that even more when, upon cross-examination of her testimony, she willingly testified against her husband – offering much more than he’d even asked.
Lady Penhurst is now penniless, homeless, and has a young son to care for. Hadleigh can’t stand the idea of a gently bred, lovely young woman trying to exist on her own in Cheapside, so he does his best to surreptitiously help her – until she finds out. Then she peels the skin from his hide. How dare he try to control her – no matter how well-meaning he is. She has just escaped an abusive and controlling man and she will absolutely never allow anybody to have control over her again. She will manage to support herself and her son – after all, she is the daughter of merchants and she can find a way to support herself.
Lord Hadleigh has secrets himself. Something about Lady Penhurst pulls him – maybe it is because she reminds Hadleigh of his mother who was also abused. He couldn’t help his mother, but maybe he can help Lady Penhurst.
When the Crown needs to bring Lady Jessamine (Book 2 – The Uncompromising Lord Flint) to London to prepare her as a witness in the final trials of the case, Hadleigh realizes he can kill two birds with one stone. He offers his closed and boarded-up family estate to the Crown for housing the witnesses and to act as a place for the King’s Elite to work out of while they are near London. Then, he persuades his superiors to hire Lady Penhurst as the housekeeper. It is only for the few weeks before the trial, but it is an opportunity for her and her son to be safe and maybe build up a bit of a nest egg while she decides what to do next.
I absolutely adored both Lady Penhurst and Lord Hadleigh. It isn’t often that I like both main characters equally, but I did this time. They both had so many hurts buried deep inside – and each was just what the other needed in order to heal. It took them a bit to get there – especially Lady Penhurst – but it was glorious when they finally made it.
I highly recommend this book and this series. There is enough detail that you could read this as a stand-alone book, but you would be missing so very much if you don’t read the first books in the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.