Knight of the Bleeding Heart
Margaux Thorne
Historical Romance
They handed him a title, but she was the offer he couldn’t refuse.
Boston businessman, Nathaniel Lawrence doesn’t have a dime he didn’t earn himself. So when he finds out that he’s the long-lost heir to a penniless dukedom in England, it’s easy for him to dismiss the undeserving fortune. Why pour money into a crumbling castle and meaningless title when his eye is set on the future in America? But when the current duke throws his lovely daughter’s hand in to sweeten the offer, Nathaniel rethinks his rash decision. He knows a good business deal when he sees one, and marriage to Lady Charlotte, the jewel of the ton, is the very best.
With a squandered dowry, Lady Charlotte only has one option that will keep her—and her father—living in the custom befitting their station. Marrying her father’s heir would make her a future duchess and allow her to retain control of her family’s ancestral home. A bargain is set. Nathaniel will accept the title and all the connections that come along with it, living the majority (or all) of his time in America, while Charlotte gets to raise their future son on their estate where he can learn to be a true English duke, cementing the family line for another generation. On paper, the agreement is brilliant and convenient, but in person, it’s something that neither of them expected.
Because the more Charlotte spends time with her new, brash husband, the more his enterprising and entrepreneurial American spirit rubs off on her. Soon, she begins to realize that maybe she didn’t need a knight in shining armor to come and rescue her family from bloodthirsty creditors and a title in abeyance.
Uncaged Review: After American Nate’s father passes away and leaves him only the textile business he created – Nate is surprised by a letter from the Duke of Wembley who writes and asks him to come to England, as he is his long lost heir to the Dukedom. Of course, Nate believes it’s a con, but when the Duke’s daughter, Lady Charlotte becomes part of a deal, Nate decides that the alpacas that the Duke owns and Lady Charlotte are worth a try, even though he never believes he’s an heir, even when he finds out that the Duke is broke.
A well thought out and original story, with a romance that builds from friendship. There is a good suspense woven into this story and the characters are different and entertaining, even the half crazy Duke. Both Lady Charlotte and Nate are easy to like, and the story moves along seamlessly. This is part of a series, but I had not read any of the others before this one, and this reads well as a standalone book.
Reviewed by Cyrene
5 Stars
