Lady Reckless

steamy, exciting, dangerous and clever

Susanna was married to a drunkard who bruised her and treated her poorly. When he died doing something stupid, she tried to refrain from outwardly rejoicing. However, her new found freedom led her to make a few unwise decisions….like traveling alone to her brother’s home for the Christmastide season. When the weather turned nasty, the mail coach slid on the ice requiring its occupants to travel on foot to the nearest inn. Unfortunately, the nearest inn was not only overcrowded due to the storm, but filled with some rough types who had been drinking way too much. Captain Leopold Michael Tucker was a naval captain who suffered injuries, including total hearing loss during a battle. Now he still worked for the Crown, but in clandestine operations. As such, he was stationed at that inn watching a criminal group, and trying to be inconspicuous in order to glean information concerning their upcoming activities. He was fairly adept at reading lips, if the person was facing him and spoke slowly. Unfortunately with the amount of people squished into the inn, lip reading was a challenge. When he observed a newly arrived young lady surrounded and threatened by an unsavory group of men, he stepped in to claim her as his own. After retrieving his valise and his dog Reaver, he and Susanna hid in a coach belonging to a duke, who was the leader of their operation. They had a wild night, she got freaked out and boarded a mail coach the next day, and then ran into trouble that required rescuing. There is an intensity to Leo and Susannah’s interactions that keeps the reader on edge. Susanna’s wanton behavior seems out of character for her, yet it is clear that she feels safe with Leo….something she did not feel with her late husband. Much of our information regarding her past comes from letters Susanna wrote and carried with her, including sample advertisements for a husband, inspired by the actions of the infamous Lady Scandal. One of my favorite surprises is the relationship between Lady Scandal, Lady Imposter and the new Lady Reckless. It’s quite clever and unsuspected. I really like this story. Susanna embraces Leo’s inability to hear, and our hero is more physically scarred than emotionally. Their steamy physical encounters seem natural and matter-of-fact. It’s not like they are shy or have anything to prove. They are atrracted to each other and enjoy making love. This story is creative, clever, has a touch of danger and lots of excitement. Oh, and the portions from Reaver’s point of view are most entertaining!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.