TITLE: The Madness of Viscount Atherbourne
SERIES: Rescued From Ruin #1
AUTHOR: Elisa Braden
RATING:
STEAM:
THE SYNOPSIS
His revenge will be her seduction.
The night that changes everything…
Life for Victoria Lacey should be perfect. And it is—perfectly boring. Agree to marry a lord who has yet to inspire a single, solitary tingle? Why, of course. Smile as though this is not the thousandth time he’s mentioned hounds and hunting? It’s all in a day’s work for the oh-so-proper sister of the Duke of Blackmore. Surely no one would suspect her secret longing for heart-racing, head-spinning passion. Except, perhaps, a dark stranger… on a terrace… at a ball where she should definitely not be kissing a man she has only just met.
The obsession that leads to ruin…
Hatred, not love, drives Lucien Wyatt, Viscount Atherbourne, to tempt the “Flower of Blackmore” into sin. Her brother has done unthinkable damage to Lucien’s family, and he intends to exact revenge in the only way left to him: Ruining his enemy’s sister, then stealing her from Blackmore by making her his own.
The woman who will set fire to her husband’s heart…
As Lucien carries out his ruthless plan, tutoring his new bride in the finer points of pleasure, her surrender leaves him breathless… and soon a new obsession awakens—a scandalous fascination with his irresistible wife.
THE HEROINE
Victoria was the perfect sister to a duke. She was well behaved, her reputation was spotless and she was doing her duty to marry well. But she was not happy. Not excited about her future. When she sees Lucien, a handsome stranger at a ball, she is immediately infatuated with him and, it comes as no surprise, that when he approaches her on the balcony she allows herself to get swept up in the passion with Lucien. But that momentary lapse will cost her dearly and put her entire future in jeopardy. When she agrees to marry Lucien, she is hopeful they can weather the gossip and eventually come to have a solid marriage. A few days of blissful marriage end abruptly when Lucien tells her she can not see her brothers or communicate with them ever again. She reluctantly agrees hoping that he will eventually see reason and allow her to have a relationship with her brother. He also leads her to believe that her brother is avoiding her and the scandal by intercepting her letters to him and his to her. Also not allowing him in the house when he comes to call. I feel so horrible for her while she is battling listening to her husband's wishes but also desperately wanting to see her brother as well. On one hand, her husband is a doting, passionate lover, and so sweet to her. But on the other, he is keeping her away from her family and in the dark about parts of his life.
THE HERO
Lucien, oh Lucien. He has been through so much, so much loss. First his parents die leaving his older brother, little sister and himself behind. But, when his sister kills herself and his older brother dies in a duel for her honor, he loses himself to his misery. The only that brings him out of his misery and despair is the idea of revenge upon the man who is responsible for both deaths, Victoria's brother. His plan is to seduce Victoria, ruin her reputation, marry her and keep her from her beloved brothers. His plan works perfectly until he meets Victoria and the chemistry is too much for him to resist. He struggles with being the devoted, besotted husband and the man determined to get revenge. I really felt for Lucien. He is blinded by pain, loss and the need for revenge. It breaks my heart that he finds Victoria, but even she is not enough to help him through the struggles until it is almost too late.
THE STEAM
I could feel the passion between Lucien and Victoria dripping from the page. It was so good!
FINAL THOUGHTS
This was a great book that I devoured in a day! It had a great romance, an fascinating revenge plot and great secondary characters that I hope will be in future books!
TROPES
Historical Romance, Regency Era, Season/Marriage Mart, Ton Society, Alpha Hero, Soldier/War Hero, Artist Heroine, Compromised Heroine, Virgin Heroine, Carriage Steam, Angst Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Revenge Trope, Five Star, Three Flame
HistoricalRomance, RegencyEra, Season/MarriageMart, TonSociety, AlphaHero, Soldier/WarHero, ArtistHeroine, CompromisedHeroine, VirginHeroine, CarriageSteam, AngstRomance, EnemiestoLovers, RevengeTrope, FiveStar, ThreeFlame
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