A review by laurenjodi
Between the Devil and Desire by Lorraine Heath
4.0
Between the Devil and Desire
4 Stars
As the owner of a gaming hell, Jack Dodger is the last person one would entrust with the care of a small child. Yet, he not only inherits the late Duke of Lovingdon's fortune, but is named guardian to his young son. Olivia Stanford, the boy's mother, is not amused that a debauched scoundrel is living in her home and is not shy about voicing her opinion. The only problem is her incomprehensible attraction to the rogue...
While the plot twists are obvious from miles away, the journey toward the actual revelations is entertaining nonetheless.
Jack and Olivia have exceptional chemistry and their love/hate banter is fun. Jack is charming and witty, and his obvious affection for young Henry makes him all the more appealing. The fact that he is tortured to boot is icing on the cake.
Olivia is a likable heroine overall, but her preoccupation with society's dictates and tendency toward self-righteousness is tiresome at times. Thankfully, this doesn't last too long and she does eventually get over herself.
The romance and minor suspense plot deal with some darker issues, such as child abuse, poverty and the vagaries of social class, with tact and sensitivity.
In sum, another well-written and engaging story by Lorraine Heath and I really need to read more of her books.
4 Stars
As the owner of a gaming hell, Jack Dodger is the last person one would entrust with the care of a small child. Yet, he not only inherits the late Duke of Lovingdon's fortune, but is named guardian to his young son. Olivia Stanford, the boy's mother, is not amused that a debauched scoundrel is living in her home and is not shy about voicing her opinion. The only problem is her incomprehensible attraction to the rogue...
While the plot twists are obvious from miles away, the journey toward the actual revelations is entertaining nonetheless.
Jack and Olivia have exceptional chemistry and their love/hate banter is fun. Jack is charming and witty, and his obvious affection for young Henry makes him all the more appealing. The fact that he is tortured to boot is icing on the cake.
Olivia is a likable heroine overall, but her preoccupation with society's dictates and tendency toward self-righteousness is tiresome at times. Thankfully, this doesn't last too long and she does eventually get over herself.
The romance and minor suspense plot deal with some darker issues, such as child abuse, poverty and the vagaries of social class, with tact and sensitivity.
In sum, another well-written and engaging story by Lorraine Heath and I really need to read more of her books.