ARC Review: The Redemption of a Rogue (The Duke's By-Blows #4) by Jess Michaels
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Series: The Duke's By-Blows #4
Author: Jess Michaels
Published October 13th 2020 by The Passionate Pen LLC
Goodreads Synopsis
The next steamy historical romance from USA Today Bestseller Jess Michaels.
Imogen Huxley was already questioning her decision to seek out a lover at a notorious brothel, but never more so than after she witnesses a murder! She flees for her life and runs right into the arms of Oscar Fitzhugh, a mysterious club owner. She has no choice but to take his offer of protection while he tries to save her life. The passion that comes with that protection is just a bonus.
Oscar Fitzhugh was at the brothel investigating the death of his former mistress. He’s one of the infamous by-blows of the Duke of Roseford, but he cut himself off from that life long ago. Now he lives his life, trying desperately to keep everyone around him at arm’s length. But Imogen is too intriguing not to protect and seduce.
Danger is at every turn, pleasure in each touch. But as they circle ever closer to a future that could be everything they’ve ever needed, the murderer looking for Imogen is also coming nearer. If he finds them, all will be lost.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
The final instalment in The Duke's By-Blows series, we now follow the eldest Roseford Bastard, Oscar Fitzhugh, as he uncovers a plot to kidnap and kill women, with an important Earl at the forefront, and literally runs into a young woman in need of his protection. Imogen Huxley doesn't want to be in the notorious Cat's Companion brothel, but following her husband's death, and her mistreatment by her in-laws, she needs to find a protector somehow, and this seems to be the only option open to her. When she witnesses one of her late husband's noble friends admitting to murdering a prostitute, and being involved in more heinous crimes, she needs to hide, and Oscar is just the person to help her. Both want something out of the arrangement, and stopping the Earl is just one step towards that. However, they need to have their heads straight, and not let emotions run riot, otherwise both might lose more than they are willing to give.
I have loved each and every one of these books, and as soon as we met Oscar and Imogen in the previous book, The Matter of a Marquess, I knew I needed to read their own story. Imogen has been dealt a hard path in life, and is falling more and more as the days go by. She has no one to turn to, not even her best friend Lady Aurora Lovell, and being a witness to a murder makes life so much worse. Meeting Oscar is like a dream, and even though she sometimes feels like a prisoner under his protection, she knows he means well, and the chemistry between them is a soothing balm to it all. Oscar, on the other hand, is gruff and aloof, keeping his true self hidden behind thick walls. He's been hurt by love in the past, and doesn't want to suffer again, but there's something about Imogen that intrigues him, and he doesn't know if he can stay away from her. They were truly perfect for each other, and the way their chemistry developed into lust and romance was everything I could've asked for. Seeing them both before and after the events we witnessed in book 3 really helped us to understand their characters, and the conclusion to this series was wonderful! I can't wait for Jess' next work!
Dates Read:
October 3-4, 2020
Rating
4 Stars
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