The Traitor - Grace Burrowes (Sourcebooks Casablanca - Aug 2014)

Series: Captive Hearts (Book 2)

The past will overtake him...

Abandoned in France since boyhood, despite being heir to an English barony, Sebastian St. Clair makes impossible choices to survive a tour of duty in the French Army. He returns to England hoping for the peaceful life of a country gentleman, though old enemies insist on challenging him on the field of honor, one after another.

But this time, he will not fight alone...

Millicent Danforth desperately needs her position as companion to the Traitor Baron's aunt, but grieves to learn that Sebastian must continually fight a war long over. As Sebastian and Milly explore their growing passion, they uncover a plot that will cost Sebastian his life and his honor, unless he does battle once more-this time in the name of love.

Good book. Sebastian first appeared in the previous book, The Captive, as the man who carried out the torture on the English prisoners. The truth of who he is was revealed at the end of the book. Now Sebastian is back home in England, trying to put his life back together. Unfortunately for him, some of the men he dealt with during the war are challenging him to duels. He comes home from his latest duel to find his aunt interviewing a new companion.

Milly has gone into service to escape a miserable home life. She is the "poor relation" and has been relegated to unpaid drudgery in her cousins' home. Following the advice of her late aunt, she applies to be the companion of Lady Frederica St. Clair. I loved the interview, as Milly is pretty unflappable, and Lady Freddie is one of those outspoken old ladies who loves to shock people. In mid-interview, Sebastian arrives.

Their first encounter is brief but quite interesting, He wonders if she is all that she seems, she notices that in looks and attitude he seems to be the opposite of her. The next morning Sebastian finds her working on a flower arrangement and swoops in for his investigation. I loved their conversation, as he pries and she answers in her own way. In spite of his abilities as an interrogator, Milly holds her own quite well, and he accepts her presence in his aunt's life. They don't see each other much until Sebastian accompanies Milly, at his aunt's orders, when her aunt dies. I loved seeing them exchanging stories, as they got to know each other. Besides what was on the surface, each of them sensed some of the other's inner turmoil. Milly aches for the circumstances that made Sebastian the man he is now. Sebastian continues to be impressed by Milly's intelligence and strength. He also senses that there is something she is hiding and is determined to discover what it is.

I loved how Sebastian figured out her secret and, rather than condemning her for it, instead makes a point of helping her. I loved watching him stand up for her against her nasty cousin when he came to try to take her away. Spending time together as he helps her, the two of them grow closer. The attraction between them also grows, to the point where Sebastian has trouble concentrating when she is around.

Milly turns out to be quite ferocious in her attitude about Sebastian. She sees how he is haunted by his actions during the war and can't help being moved by it. She is adamant in her opinion that he has nothing to be ashamed of, as it was all part of being at war. I loved the way that she saw the good in him, even when he couldn't.

I had wondered at the end of the last book how the author was going to turn a pretty terrible villain into a hero. In this one we see how he is haunted by the memories, to the point where he accepts the challenges of all that accuse him. He fully expects that one of them will succeed in killing him, and almost looks forward to it happening. I ached for him and his desire to move on with his life, while at the same time believing that he doesn't deserve it.

I loved the development of their romance. When a passionate kiss between them is witnessed, Sebastian does the right thing and marries Milly. He doesn't feel that he is worthy of anything as wonderful as what their marriage could be. Suddenly he has much to lose if he is killed, and he becomes determined to find out who is behind the constant attacks on him. He also worries that he has put Milly in danger.  Milly throws herself into their marriage, determined to do whatever she must to make Sebastian happy. She doesn't believe that she has what it takes to be his baroness, but she is willing to try. I loved seeing her stand up to him and for him in her efforts to show him that he doesn't deserve the hate he has for himself. His protectiveness towards her has him keeping secrets from her, wanting to shield her from the more unsavory parts of his past. But Milly doesn't want protecting, and lets him know in no uncertain terms. I loved the scene on the dueling field as she comes to save him. It was pretty funny to see both men's reactions to her presence. It takes some effort, but both Sebastian and Milly let go of their own self doubts and embrace the love they have for each other.

The identity of who is behind the attacks is not a surprise as we get his point of view several times during the book. However, the full scope of his vendetta against Sebastian isn't known until the end. There is a very interesting twist involving Wellington that comes to light at the end. I loved the confrontation at Wellington's dinner party and how the truth sets Sebastian free.

I am looking forward to reading Brodie's story.

The Captive - Grace Burrowes (Sourcebooks Casablanca - July 2014)

Series: Captive Hearts (Book 1)

He'll never be free...

Captured and tortured by the French, Christian Severn, Duke of Mercia, survives by vowing to take revenge on his tormentors. Before the duke can pursue his version of justice, Gillian, Countess of Greendale, reminds him that his small daughter has suffered much in his absence, and needs her papa desperately.

Until he surrenders his heart...

Gilly endured her difficult marriage by avoiding confrontation and keeping peace at any cost. Christian's devotion to his daughter and his kindness toward Gilly give her hope that she could enjoy a future with him, for surely he of all men shares her loathing for violence in any form. Little does Gilly know, the battle for Christian's heart is only beginning.

Good book, with a hero who is dealing with the Regency version of PTSD and a heroine who has a traumatic past of her own. The book opens with Christian as a prisoner of the French, being tortured and tormented in an attempt to get him to confess what he knows. Seeing what he went through made me ache for him, but also impressed me with the fortitude he showed in enduring it. He was determined to survive in order to take his revenge on them later. There was something a little odd about his treatment, and the memories of it carried throughout the book. When the war ended and he was released, he had to find his own way back to the British army. That arrival was not what he expected, and his treatment by his cousin was disturbing. I really liked Christian's dignified attitude as he attempts to prove his identity. I liked seeing Devlin St. Just again, and enjoyed his matter-of-fact treatment of Christian, both now and later in the book. Once Christian is back in London, he avoids contact with everyone, still attempting to deal with the physical and mental effects of his captivity. Everything changes when Gillian bursts into his life.

Gillian is recently widowed, ending her eight year marriage to a man three times her age, who was physically and mentally abusive to her. She was cousin to Christian's late wife and has been trying to watch over Christian's young daughter Lucy. Disturbed by the child's withdrawal and refusal to speak, Gilly confronts Christian, forcing him to see that he has a responsibility to Lucy. Her own past enables her to handle Christian with tact and sensibility for the most part, with a bit of steamroller tossed in when necessary.

I enjoyed seeing them get to know each other, as the two of them settled in to life at Severn, Christian's country estate. His return to health can be partially credited to Gilly, who doesn't fuss but makes sure that he has what he needs and is able to handle. I liked seeing how Christian reestablishes his bond with Lucy, and how their care for her helps bring him and Gilly closer together. Their friendship begins to grow into more, but there are some obstacles holding them back. Because of her marriage, Gilly is reluctant to put herself under the power of another man, even one such as Christian. There are also several accidents that happen to her, that Christian feels aren't actually accidents. This brings out a protectiveness in him that rubs up against Gilly's fears. On Christian's part, he feels that he really can't move on with his life until he deals with his past, which means following through on his vow of revenge. This is made somewhat more difficult by his knowledge that Gilly is against violence of any type.

There were some beautiful scenes between Gilly and Christian. I loved his patience and sensitivity as he learned more about what her marriage had been like. The part with the exposure of what she considers her biggest shame was especially moving. Gilly's way of helping Christian through his toughest moments was also beautifully realistic. I especially loved her tailoring efforts, and later her reaction to what Christian considered his worst scar.

The ending was great, as Lucy breaks her silence in time to reveal the truth about what had gone on during Christian's absence. Christian's confrontation with his tormentor yields satisfaction of a completely unexpected variety, and the truth of his captivity is exposed. I did suspect early on that this person was not what he seemed, and was happy to be proved right.

I loved the parts that Devlin St. Just played in the book. His early support of Christian, getting him safely to England from France, made the transition a bit easier. I also liked his visits to Christian, how he would listen to him without judging, dispensing practical advice. Some of the things he said made a huge difference to Christian's outlook. His presence at the end was also a big part of ensuring that all ended well.