Series:
Duke's Guard (Book 8)
“Ye’re under me protection now, lass. ‘Tis yers, whether
ye accept it or not.”
Darby Garahan’s latest assignment, to uncover the source
behind the threat to kill the duke’s brother-in-law, is complicated when the
angel of the streets asks for his help. He must rescue a young woman who has
been lured to London with the promise of employment—only to end up at a
boarding house rumored to be a front for a brothel.
Aimee Anderson answers an advert for a position at a
milliner’s shop in London, taking charge of her life after a lord compromised
her on the way to Gretna Green a few years earlier, leaving her stranded at an
inn.
The handsome-as-sin Irishman who rescues Aimee reminds
her that the past does not have to define the future if she has the courage to
make a change.
Rescuing her is just the beginning. He must convince her
that she is not damaged goods in order to gain her trust and win her heart and
her hand in marriage.
Danger stalks in the night, but it will have to challenge
The Duke’s Enforcer. Nothing short of dying will deter him from his duty to
protect the duke and his family!
This was a terrific, fast-paced story. Darby Garahan is
the youngest of the four brothers assigned to the Duke's Guard and the last one
unattached. His current assignment is investigating the latest threat to one of
the duke's family members. That task is interrupted when he is asked to rescue
a young woman who ended up in a front for a brothel after being tricked by a
bogus offer of employment. All she had wanted was to make a new start after a
devastating betrayal, only to find herself in worse circumstances.
Like his brothers and cousins, Darby has a tough exterior
and a heart of gold. He is strong, kind, and honorable. His anger at what
happens to these women is palpable, and you can see the effort it takes to
control himself. I loved how gentle he was as he took Aimee to Michaela, how determined
he was to protect her, and how understanding of her fears. He never expected to
be blindsided by his intense need to care for her.
I loved watching the relationship between Darby and Aimee
develop. Darby doesn't take long to realize that Aimee is the woman for him,
but he also knows it will take patience to overcome her fears. I loved his
determination to show her he could be trusted with her heart and body. Aimee is
wary at first but quickly realizes that she trusts Darby. Her problem is that
her past prevents her from believing he would want her. Darby's patience and
love pay off, but only after more trouble comes their way.
The story is action-packed as Darby assists Coventry and
King in stopping those responsible for Aimee's trouble. There are twists and
turns and some unexpected connections that keep Darby and the others on their
toes. I always enjoy watching members of the Duke's Guard in action, and there
are some terrific scenes of them doing what they do best. However, Darby
doesn't come out unscathed, and I laughed out loud at seeing his efforts to
avoid the treatment he needed. Seeing Aimee stand up to his attempts and keep
him in line was especially fun. She puts her anger at what happened to her to
good use in the final confrontation, showing that she is an excellent addition
to the women of the Duke's Guard.
I liked seeing more of Emmett O'Malley in this book and
found his interactions with Michaela intriguing. I suspect we will see more of
this pair in the future.
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