Who Would Like This Book:
If you're craving a clever and cozy historical romance with razor-sharp wit, found family vibes, and a strong center of female empowerment, this is the book for you. The partnership - and eventual deep friendship - between Delilah and her late husband’s mistress Angelique is written with warmth, nuance, and humor. Julie Anne Long paints a lush picture of life in a quirky London boarding house, and readers will adore the sparkling banter and the emotional journey from mistrust to true friendship. Lovers of slow-burn romance, ensemble casts, and character-driven stories will fall head over heels for this one.
Who May Not Like This Book:
If you want a fast-paced plot, instant romance, or mystery elements that take center stage, you might be a little let down - the smuggling subplot ambles along, and some find the romance between Delilah and Tristan a bit too slow or underdeveloped. Readers who crave nonstop action or dislike a lot of time spent on secondary characters might find their attention wandering. Additionally, those who expect traditional Regency tropes may not gel with the book’s focus on friendship and reinvention over ballroom drama.
About:
Delilah Swanpool, Countess of Derring, finds herself penniless after her husband's death, inheriting only a derelict building. She teams up with her late husband's mistress, Angelique, to turn the building into a boardinghouse named The Grand Palace on the Thames. Captain Tristan Hardy, investigating a smuggling ring, becomes a guest at the boardinghouse and finds himself drawn to Delilah. The story explores themes of love, friendship, and independence, with a focus on the evolving relationships between the characters.
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Has Romance?
Yes, there is a high level of romance present in Lady Derring Takes a Lover.
From The Publisher:
A mistress. A mountain of debt. A mysterious wreck of a building.
Delilah Swanpoole, Countess of Derring, learns the hard way that her husband, "Dear Dull Derring," is a lot more interesting-and perfidious-dead than alive.
It's a devil of an inheritance, but in the grand ruins of the one building Derring left her, are the seeds of her liberation. And she vows never again to place herself at the mercy of a man.
But battle-hardened Captain Tristan Hardy is nothing if not merciless. When the charismatic naval hero tracks a notorious smuggler to a London boarding house known as the Rogue's Palace, seducing the beautiful, blue-blooded proprietress to get his man seems like a small sacrifice.
They both believe love is a myth. But a desire beyond reason threatens to destroy the armor around their hearts. Now a shattering decision looms: Will Tristan betray his own code of honor…or choose a love that might be the truest thing he's ever known?
Ratings (7)
Loved It (3) | |
Liked It (3) | |
It Was OK (1) |
Reader Stats (19):
Read It (7) | |
Want To Read (7) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (4) |
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Lady Derring Takes a Lover?
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