Lie Down with a Lyon - Cerise DeLand (Dragonblade - Apr 2025)

Series: Lyon's Den (Book 78)
 
He loved her at first sight…but she was his enemy's daughter.
 
Dáire O'Neill has a terrible problem: he's fallen in love with his enemy's daughter. He met her by accident, but loved her from the moment he first saw her. She savors their friendship, but he won't go beyond it.
 
Despite her father's scurrilous reputation, Blanche has built a good name for herself—and a respectable business. When the man she met by accident appears uninterested in marriage, she goes to Mrs. Dove-Lyon to secure a husband for herself—and a new life.
 
When Dáire O'Neill hears that the man Blanche will wed is not the one Dove-Lyon chose, but one her father has put in his place, what can he do if not save her from her own father—and the life she will hate?
 
He'll never possess her…but he'll set her free from all she despises. Even him.
 
A good, fast read at only 132 pages. Dáire is an Irishman with a sketchy past but has made a name for himself as a "fixer" for the upper classes. He wants to make a better life for his two younger sisters and protect his reputation as best he can. He fell in love with Blanche at first sight and, knowing her father's reputation, has had his men following her to keep her safe.
 
Blanche is a young woman whose father is the local crime boss. She is aware of his activities but has stayed separate from them. Her stepmother raised her to be respectable, and Blanche runs an employment agency with a friend.
 
Dáire and Blanche met by chance while out riding. Dáire gave her a false name when they met, knowing her father would disapprove. They quickly became friends, meeting twice a week to ride together. Each has unrevealed feelings for the other, but circumstances keep them from saying anything. When Blanche's father tells her he intends to marry her to one of his men, Blanche takes matters into her own hands. First, she sounds out Dáire, but when he shows no interest, she goes to Mrs. Dove-Lyon for assistance in finding a husband.
 
There is a twist with Mrs. Dove-Lyon's pick, a brouhaha at the church, and a heart-pounding rescue to keep things interesting. Blanche worked hard to overcome Dáire's objections to marriage, and I thoroughly enjoyed those efforts. The ending had still more interesting twists and revelations as they began their life together. I especially enjoyed their conversation with Mrs. Dove-Lyon.