The Lady’s Daring Gambit
Sandra Sookoo
Historical Romance
She needs to ferret out his secrets. He’s doing his level best to keep them.
Miss Honor Winslow wants revenge. Her father has been missing since the war with Napoleon ended. Then a week ago, a letter arrived from him asking for help, but it wasn’t signed, and no address had been included. Needing answers, she enlists the help of one of her friends, who has connections to the Home Office. If the old, pompous windbags there won’t listen, she will do the job herself, despite her physical difficulties following a minor apoplexy.
All Mr. Gideon McGarrett wants out of life is peace, and nearly forty, it’s finally within reach. Ready to close his last mission, the only thing he needs to do is extract a man of high military rank from where he’s hiding after being wounded. The one thing that stands in the way of a spotless career is the damned interference of a clever and vulnerable woman who insists on joining his mission.
As Honor and Gideon bicker during the journey north, heated awareness springs from forced proximity, and all too soon that desire becomes distracting, especially when a faux engagement is offered out of necessity. Once in the Lake District, when they locate her father, the woman who wants him dead has also arrived. It will take some smart negotiating and perhaps a fight to unravel the mess. Only then can the pair make a go at a life together—if they can stop hiding their emotions and let down their guards to enjoy the ride.
Uncaged Review: Miss Honor Winslow is shocked! She receives a letter from her father asking for aid. Honor decides the only thing that she can do is find him. So, Honor enlists the help of a friend who works for the home office. Hopefully someone there will listen to her and if no one will assist her, then she will find her father herself. Luckily, Honor runs into Gideon McGarrett, who grudgingly agrees to help her find him. On a perilous journey in a carriage to her father, Honor and Gideon barely tolerate each other. They are either fighting or throwing verbal insults at one another. Also, Honor likes to constantly put herself in danger, even with Gideon trying to protect her. When Honor and Gideon kiss, he still manages to be a gentleman, and Honor fights him in this too. Yet the more Gideon falls for Honor, he risks losing everything, including his heart.
This is a bit different historical regency romance. Sure, I will say that about all of them, but it truly is. The heroine is older, isn’t related to the ton and even suffers a stroke, which makes her more relatable. Honor, despite her physical health frailty, emanates strength which I just appreciate. Most of the characters I always read about seem so perfect and superhuman, but when you read a story where you think everyone is going to be perfect, it’s nice to know that isn’t so and characters can be felled by something as major as a stroke. Honor wasn’t just going to lie down and let people walk all over her, including Gideon, who I really did admire. While Gideon did annoy me because of his high-handed bossy attitude in the beginning. Sure, I eventually grew to tolerate him, but I always felt Honor could do so much better. What kept me reading was the tale and, of course, Honor. I just really loved her. I most definitely will read more by Ms. Sookoo including the first book in the series too! Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst
4.5 Stars
