I have come to love Tuesdays especially if I know that there is
a book coming out that I have been looking forward to for
a long time. With that in mind it is
time to reveal what book I am looking forward to today.
It is…..
Mastered by Love
Bastien Club bk 9
by
Stephanie Laurens
Excerpt from The Lady Chosen…
“Gentlemen — I give you our club! Our last bastion against the matchmakers of the ton, our secured base from which we’ll infiltrate, identify and isolate the lady we each want, then take the ton by storm and capture her!”
The others cheered, thumped the table, and rose.
Charles inclined his head to Christian. “I give you the bastion which will allow us to take charge of our destinies and rule our own hearths. Gentlemen!” Charles raised his tankard high. “I give you the Bastion Club!”
They all roared their approval and drank.
And the Bastion Club was born.
The men of the Bastion Club proved their bravery secretly fighting for their country. Now their leader faces that most dangerous mission of all: finding a bride.
As the mysterious leader of the Bastion Club known as “Dalziel,” Royce Varisey, 10th Duke of Wolverstone, served his country for decades, facing dangers untold. But as the holder of one of England’s most august noble titles, he must now take on that gravest duty of all: marriage.
Yet the young ladies the grandes dames would have him consider are predictably boring. Far more tempting is his castle’s willful and determindedly aloof chatelaine, Minerva Chesterton. Beneath her serene facade lies a woman of smoldering sensuality, one who will fill his days with comfort and his nights with sheer pleasure. Determined to claim her, he embarks on a seduction to prove his mastery over every inch of her body…and every piece of her heart.
This is a book that I have been looking forward to ever since the second book. In each book we are given a little bit more information about Dalziel, and the men that served under him, the men of the Bastian Club are determined to discover his real identity. I can honestly say that I will be haunting the book store tomorrow so that I can get his book. Look for my review of it next week.
Hi Heather, I loved this book. Lauren's deftly interwove many historical and societal aspects with how her characters think & feel in this story. Dalziel/Royce is a man who sacrificed a major portion of his life for love of country. He deserved to be happy – especially since it was revealed in a preceding book, unlike other members of the Bastion Club, he didn't have a very happy childhood. Every one of his spies he handpicked, consequently, they ALL had qualities & traits similar to him. Unlike the others, while growing up he had been abused & neglected (some revelations were very sad).
In earlier novels he was the brooding, feared character, but he was the one the others knew would always help them. He could have become like his self-indulgent & abusive father, but instead he observed, absorbed, learned & chose to set a different course.
I think that is the moral of the of the entire Bastion Club series: how the one everyone expected to have the hard heart was MASTERED BY LOVE & broke away from his childhood abuse. He wanted to be more than what historically had been for members of his family – what the ton had expected him to be in spite of all he had accomplished & sacrificed. At first I was infuriated by the ladies of the ton who demanded he marry anyone as a form of "duty" as soon as possible. Then I realized that, in their own way, they were trying to protect his heritage as they had protected his true identity while he had protected them and their country. Laurens ably incorporated the real life politics of the day – the ladies of the ton, as well as Royce and Minerva, were determined to prevent the horrid Prince Regent (the son of the mad King George, known for his many excesses and debts, was considered a blight on England during that time in history) from confiscating Royce's ancestral home. Once the ladies of the ton realized the couple were marrying for love, they redeemed themselves and rallied around the couple.
We were given insight into how ducal homes functioned at that time in history & how Royce set out to break from tradition and "modernize" – to make a difference in the lives of the people who worked for him – he was ahead of his time. Through Minerva we learned his parents had not only led very unhappy lives & had deep regrets for what they had done to him, but before their deaths had left messages with Minerva for him. Minerva's parents had married for love – and it was that love which shaped her & kept her going while she waited for Royce to return home.
I LOVED the sexual tension & teasing between the two as well as their love scenes which I thought beautifully done & VERY vivid. Minerva was Royce's equal in every way – in bed & out. It was delightful to watch Royce fall in love & then realize he WAS in love. Oh, what a man, what a hero, what a love story!
I'm glad Lauren's didn't spend much time on the traitor. I wanted the book to be devoted to Royce. I also love the incredibly romantic & sensual cover – the epitome of what Royce would look like. We'd been told he was very handsome, looked younger than his years, had dark bedroom eyes, dark wavy hair & was well built.
Can't wait for the follow up in the Black Cobra. I want to know how many children they had. Hoped you liked the book as much as I did, Heather.
Diane