ARC Review: The Dark Days Pact (Lady Helen #2) by Alison Goodman
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Series: Lady Helen #2
Author: Alison Goodman
Published January 26th 2017 by Walker Books
Goodreads Synopsis
June 1812. Just weeks after her catastrophic coming-out ball, Lady Helen Wrexhall—now disowned by her uncle—is a full member of the demon-hunting Dark Days Club. Her mentor, Lord Carlston, has arranged for Helen and her maid, Darby, to spend the summer season in Bristol, where Helen can sharpen her Reclaimer powers. Then the long-term effects of Carlston’s Reclaimer work take hold, and his sanity begins to slip. At the same time, Carlston’s Dark Days Club colleague and nemesis will stop at nothing to bring Helen over to his side—and the Duke of Selburn is determined to marry her. The stakes are ever higher for Helen, and her decision will truly change the world…
Goodreads
Review
See my review of book 1, The Dark Days Club.
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
The Dark Days Club was one of my favourite books I read last year. Goodman managed to perfectly recreate the Regency Era, adding her own twist with the Reclaimers. I was dying to get my hands on the sequel, and as soon as my copy arrived, I dove straight in.
In The Dark Days Pact, Helen is recovering from the fall out of her coming out ball. For the summer, she's fled to Bristol, in order to get away from the gossip, and come to terms with her new found Reclaimer powers. Being the first true female Reclaimer is a learning curve, and she has to work harder than her peers to get over the stain of her mother's past, and to prove to the others that she is as good as them, if not better. However, Carlston, her mentor and friend, is suffering from the after effects of Reclaiming, and whenever he's around Helen it seems to be worse. Now that they know the stakes are higher than ever, they can afford for anything to get in the way, even if they both know they want to be with each other. Helen has to fight to ensure Carlston isn't punished, or worse, and to juggle the Duke of Selburn, who, somehow, still wants to marry her.
This book started just after the events of The Dark Days Club, and the action seemed to be there from the very start. We had just some time to deal with the change of scene - which Goodman described wonderfully - before the plot fully took hold, and we dove right into the story. Helen keeps getting problems thrown at her from every side possible, and it's a wonder she managed to deal with them all, and not collapse. That's part of her charm, as she is vulnerable at times, and knows she has some weaknesses, her sex being on important one, but she will do anything she can to protect those she cares about, even if that could bring about her own downfall.
There's a bit of romance, and again, there is a love triangle, but I'm still definitely on Carlston's team. Don't get me wrong, I don't think there's anything wrong with Selburn, but Carlston and Helen's chemistry is off the chain, and I hope, in the finale, they get together. With their interactions in this book, they fell more and more, and I need them to be together, please?
The ending of the book was cruel, and, once again, I find myself dying for the next book. Why is 2018 still so far away?! Hopefully Lady Helen #3 will be a January publication. If you enjoy fantasy and history mixed together, with a Pride and Prejudice feel, this series is definitely for you!
Dates Read:
Rating
5 Stars
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