The Lady Hellion by Joanna Shupe Also by this author: The Courtesan Duchess, The Harlot Countess, Tycoon, Magnate
Series: Wicked Deceptions #3
Also in this series: The Harlot Countess
Published by Zebra on May 26th 2015
Genres: Fiction, Historical, Regency, Romance
Pages: 352
Format: eARC
ASIN: B00ONTR6AG
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A marquess's daughter, Lady Sophia Barnes doesn't take no for an answer. Especially when she's roaming London's seedy underground...dressed as a man.
A rabble rouser for justice, Sophie's latest mission is to fight for the rights of the poor, the wretched--and the employees at Madame Hartley's brothel. She's not concerned about the criminals who will cross her path, for Sophie has mastered the art of deception--including the art of wearing trousers. Now her fate is in her own hands, along with a loaded gun. All she needs is instruction on how to shoot it. But only one person can help her: Lord Quint, the man who broke her heart years ago. The man she won't let destroy her again...
The last thing Damien Beecham, Viscount Quint, needs is an intrusion on his privacy, especially from the beautiful, exasperating woman he's never stopped wanting. A woman with a perilously absurd request, no less! For Damien is fighting a battle of his own, one he wishes to keep hidden--along with his feelings for Lady Sophia. Yet that fight is as hopeless as stopping her outlandish plan. Soon all Quint knows for certain is that he will die trying to protect her...
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The Lady Hellion is the continuation of the Wicked Deception historical romance series by Joanna Shupe. Shupe writes a charming story of unrequited love, sacrifice and deadly adventure. The series centers around three boyhood friends, Nicholas, the Duke of Colton, his story is featured in The Courtesan Duchess, Simon Earl of Winchester, featured in The Harlot Countess and Damien Viscount Quint in The Lady Hellion. Damian is by far my favorite of the trio, as he is flawed but it isn’t his own arrogance that has flawed him. At the end of The Harlot Countess, Damien was gravely injured, a fact that he covered up to his friends. That injury not only physically weakened him, but emotionally it has devastated him. Damien, is suffering from PTSD, and possible some other psychiatric disease. Damien is fearful of spiraling into madness. Damien was established as the great brain of the group, the thinker, the one that used his calm collected intellect to solve problems. When the book opens Damien doesn’t know who he is without his calm collected self.
In book one Sophie Barnes was established that she would not have to marry anyone not of her choosing. The back story of Sophie is empowering and heartbreaking, as she was played false as a young woman, and because of that it covered her future. It was also established in the prior books that Sophie and Damien, had some sort of past, but details were not given. In this book both Sophie and Damien are thrust into each others lives once more. The couple is embroiled in state intrigues, murders and their lives will never be the same. Sophie has several secrets that she will need Damien to help her solve. Those secrets put both their lives in danger, but Damien has his own secrets.
When Damien and Sophie’s worlds and naughty bites collide, the fireworks are fierce and all consuming. The book reveals that Sophie has suffered at the whims of so called gentlemen and she has forged an independent life of her own because. She is just as bright and witty as Damien and can give as good as she gets.
I will have to say I was perplexed that both Nicholas and Simon were so wrapped up in their own lives that they did realize that Damien was so gravely wounded in the events at the end of book two. Thankfully Sophie is a resourceful young woman or their friend would have died without anyone knowing. YIKES….. What I liked about this book is that of the three gentlemen, Damien is the one that is most honorable and didn’t have to recover from past jack ass behavior, trust me both Simon and Nicholas were star jackasses. This book had the emotional depth in the male character that was lacking in the previous books, as Damien even though truly emotionally wounded, does not act like a spoiled child as his friends did. Don’t get me wrong I did like the other two books, but it took two great female characters to bring those two males around. Damien was already a great character, but his vulnerability is what made this book such a powerful read. Plus, Sophie was a crusader for justice, I have a weak spot for those in a book. This was a witty, charming and solidly written historical romance.
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