Series:
Lyon's Den (Book 76)
They clash like fire and ice, but their attraction is
undeniable.
Lady Amelia Clark finds herself in a desperate gamble
when her twin brother, the Earl of Alston, falls victim to a tragic accident.
To protect them both, Amelia must keep his dire condition a secret from their
enemies, and Amelia's only ally is the man who loathes her—her brother's best
friend, Mr. Graham Blakewood.
Despite their tumultuous past, Graham vows to protect
Amelia at all costs, even if it means masquerading as her fiancé. As they
navigate societal expectations and lurking threats, their fake engagement
becomes dangerously complicated. And when their facade unravels and long-buried
feelings come to light, they must confront the consequences of their tangled
web of lies.
In a final, desperate attempt to save her brother's life,
Lady Amelia strikes a bargain with the notorious Mrs. Bessie Dove-Lyon, the
Widow of Whitehall, for her discreet services and powerful influence. But there
is always a price to pay when gambling with love and death.
Will Amelia and Graham risk everything for a chance at
true happiness, or will the stakes prove too high?
Good brother's best friend/best friend's sister story. Amelia
and Graham are very different people. He is stoic and controlled and gives off
grumpy vibes. Amelia is impulsive and always optimistic. Amelia lives with her
twin brother, Sam, the Earl of Alston, and has no plans to marry. Matters
become very complicated when Sam sustains a life-threatening injury. To protect
her brother and herself, she must keep his injuries secret. Her only help is
Graham, whom she has never gotten along with.
Amelia has no idea that Graham has been in love with her
for years. As her brother's best friend, Graham believes she is off-limits to
him and uses his standoffish attitude to keep her at a distance. However, they
put their differences aside to work together to care for Sam. It doesn't take
long for Amelia to realize she may have misjudged Graham's attitude toward her.
Trouble arises when Amelia's aunt and cousin become
suspicious about Sam's lack of public appearances. The cousin is Sam's heir and
is eager to step into Sam's shoes. He and his mother scheme to force Amelia to
marry him, putting her inheritance under their control. Amelia and Graham's
only option seems to be a fake engagement to keep them at bay. As their
engagement forces them into frequent public appearances, it becomes obvious
that Graham's feelings for Amelia are much stronger than he wants to admit. Nor
does Amelia wish to acknowledge her growing attraction and feelings for him.
Amelia seeks help from Mrs. Dove-Lyon in carrying out
their plans, putting her in the widow's debt. The terms were quite interesting,
and I suspect they will significantly impact the author's next book in the
series. One of her people makes several appearances, providing assistance at a
critical time. Mrs. Dove-Lyon also steps in when looming disaster makes it imperative
that Amelia and Graham marry quickly.
The fast-paced conclusion, from the confrontation with
the aunt and cousin to the medical crisis with Sam, broke down the walls that
kept Amelia and Graham apart. I loved seeing them admit their feelings and work
together to protect and help Sam. There are a couple of twists that bode well
for future books.
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