Never A Gentleman
The Drake's Rake Series, Book 2
Eileen Dreyer

Forever / Hachette Book Group
March 29, 2011/ ISBN 978-0-446-54206-7
Historical Romance / England September, 1815
Amazon

Reviewed by Linda Young

Grace Fairchild wakes up to realize that she is not alone. There is a man in her bed. And, she knows him. How did he get there? And, he’s naked! Grace stumbles out of bed and falls to the floor due to her bad leg. There, on the edge of the bed in all his glory, is Diccan Hilliard. He doesn’t know who drugged him and put him in Grace’s bed, but he knows what the outcome must be. He must marry her.

Grace is in shock when people start entering her room while she is on the floor and Diccan is on the bed naked. She knows what kind of scandal this will bring. But she is use to the stares and the whispers about her looks. Grace is not pretty. She is plain, too tall, was not raised around polite society, and walks with a limp due to her bad leg. She was raised in the military following her father around the world and caring for his soldiers. All she wants to do is go to her home in the country and live out her solitary life.

Diccan knows that they have both been setup. Question is how can he protect her and still complete his mission? He had planned to never marry. Now he must marry her to protect Grace and his own reputations. He respects Grace, but can he live with her and keep the truth of his mission from her?

Dreyer has made of fan of me. I was impressed with this book. It was so refreshing to read a romance that had a heroine who was not the great beauty that they usually are. This story has a hint of Sarah, Plain and Tall to it. Grace is too tall, plain, has a bad leg that causes her to have a limp, and doesn’t know how to act in polite society like the ton. She was raised by her father and followed him around the world to different battles. Most of her friends were soldiers she had tended in the hospitals she volunteered in. Another reason I loved this book was because I saw so much of me in Grace. I could really relate to her. I would love to see more heroines like her. The story itself was great. There is romance, suspense, a treasonous plot, and Grace trying to make her way amongst the ton. And then there are her in-laws. They would make a junkyard dog run and hide. I loved this book. I would recommend it to all.

Reviewer's Note: Adult - sexual content, mild language