Benjirou ‘Ben’ Doreé, the son of the Marquess of Doreé, has not been able to get Tavy out of his mind since their first meeting. Their secret meetings had only solidified his feelings for her. He had wanted to court her openly, but her aunt would not allow it. As the third son, Ben, who was now the Fifth Marquess of Doreé, had never expected to inherit his father’s title. However, now his father and both of his brothers are dead. With more wealth and power than society was aware of, he had become involved in clandestine businesses that no one was aware of. Leaving India for England, he embraced the English way of life, even redecorating the mansion and eschewing its Indian influence. He had not believed that he and Tavy had a future together, but he could not prevent his interest in how she was doing. So every three months, he received a missive about her life there. His latest letter had just arrived, informing him that she was coming to London. Even after all of these years, she was never far from his mind. His letters were a self-inflicted punishment, the remnant of a moment when he had lived entirely for himself.
At twenty-five years old, Tavy is still in India with her constant companions, her monkey Lal and Abha, the man who follows her wherever she goes to keep her safe. Her sister, Alethea, and her sister’s husband, Sir John, are about to return home to England, and Tavy must accompany them under her mother’s orders. Recently, a baron by the name of Marcus Crispin has asked her papa for Tavy’s hand in marriage. But in the eight years that she has been in India, she has never forgotten Ben, and she checks the London journals that arrive in India for any mention of him. When she becomes the Baroness of Crispin, she knows she will have to stop pretending not to look. Even Alethea notices that Tavy is no longer the laughing, happy girl she had been when she arrived in India. With reports of malaria in the area and her sister finally pregnant and expected to give birth during their ocean voyage, Tavy knows it is time to go home to London, although she would prefer to stay in India. Abha insists on staying with Tavy, so he travels with her to London.
Tavy does not know how she will react at seeing Ben again. He has not event tried to contact her in all of the years he has been away. It was fine to be a single woman in India, but returning to London; she needs to marry and figures she will probably give in to Marcus’ marriage proposal. Seeing her again, Ben knows she has his heart, but Marcus seems to constantly be at her side, proclaiming their betrothal. When danger strikes, Ben knows he will do anything to convince her that they belong together.
A titillating read, IN THE ARMS OF A MARQUESS, the latest in talented author Katharine Ashe’s the ROGUES OF THE SEA series, is an exciting, danger-packed historical romance that I hated to see end. A superbly crafted story, teeming with misunderstandings, intrigue, clever repartee, complex and compelling characters, steamy hot love scenes, betrayal and a forever after kind of love, IN THE ARMS OF A MARQUESS is a story that I will not soon forget. Ms. Ashe entices readers with her beautifully drawn portrayal of the ambiance of exotic India. The secondary characters added appeal to the story. I especially liked Tavy’s sister, Alethea, and her baby, Jacob. Their interaction will touch your heart. I hope to read more about the other secondary characters in future books and look forward to reading what this amazing author has planned next. I highly recommend IN THE ARMS OF A MARQUESS to anyone looking for a great read. Do not miss it! This book is one of the Kiss and Teal books, in which the publisher Avon is contributing a portion of the proceeds to the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.
This book was reviewed using a digital galley via Netgalley.com. It’s free for professional readers! Check it out: www.Netgalley.com.
