Society’s most exclusive invitation…
Welcome to the Phoenix Club, where London’s most audacious, disreputable, and intriguing ladies and gentlemen find scandal, redemption, and second chances.
In nearly two years of marriage, Sabrina Westbrook has barely spoken to her husband and shared a bed even less. Both activities would require they actually live together. As it is, the Earl of Aldington attends to his seat in the House of Commons, while she and her crippling social anxiety tend to his country house and gardens.
Their arrangement is quite civilized, and their letters are painfully polite. Their twice-yearly visits are…awkward. But, if Sabrina can muster the necessary courage, all of that is about to change. Starting tonight.
Heir to a dukedom, Constantine Westbrook knows his duty: to country, to family, and to the shy, retiring wife whose beauty stole his breath the moment they met. Whose arousing, enticing body he’s never seen in the light of day. Or any light at all.
However, there’s something different about the woman who shows up in London unannounced. For the first time in their marriage, Sabrina has a request. No, a demand. But wanting and having are two different things. And to give Sabrina her heart’s desire, they’ll both need a few lessons in love…
Review:
Con and Sabrina’s book was hinted at in the first one (Improper) , but this could be read as a standalone even though there is a teensy bit of overlap), and it was just as much angsty-but-sexy goodness as I’d hoped for! Already-married-but-missing-their-spark stories can be so much fun when done well, and Darcy Burke did it well here!
I loved watching Sabrina and Con grow into the people they were supposed to be–and grow away from the overbearing influence of their parents–as they grew closer as a couple. I wasn’t totally crazy about the deception they used to jump start their new relationship, but I can’t deny that those scenes were very H-O-T. And though they led to some uncomfortable scenes and hurt feelings, the end result was lovely.
Once again Ms Burke leaves us with a heavy hint at the next book–truthfully, we get our first hint at it somewhere around the 50% mark–and I am here for it! She also hints in her author’s note afterward that we will also find out “what already happened” during this book in the next one–and I’ve already got some theories there, so I’ll be counting the days…
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.