In The Barrister's Bed
by Tina Gabrielle
(Regency Barrister # 2)
James
Devlin has made the most of his life as the bastard son of a Duke. He
has become a barrister and a damn good one too. In his own words, he
never loses. Surprisingly enough to him, he evidently is not the bastard
of the Duke of Blackwood, but the legitimate son of the Duke and a
housemaid who his father ran off with and married. James's mother passed
away and the Duke returned to his life in the ton, making sure his son
was taken care of but never claiming him as his heir until on his
deathbed he confesses to his mother, the Dowager Duchess.
When
his grandmother comes to tell him of his good fortune, he is in shock,
but also eager to reclaim the only place he ever felt close to his
deceased father, Wyndmoor Manor, a small home that his father spent a
few weeks each Summer with his son, where James felt like a son and not a
bastard. When he finds that his home was sold off by his father before
his death, James finds the man who purchased Wyndmoor Manor and reclaims
it. Upon returning to Wyndmoor, he finds someone else in residence to
his dismay.
The
beautiful widow, Bella Sinclair, has survived seven years married to a
tyrant. Her husband was physically and verbally abusive to his innocent
and much younger wife. His death was a godsend, leaving Bella still with
her youth and the determination to make something of her life. She has
always wanted to be a writer. As luck put some money in her hands, she
purchased Wyndmoor Manor and moved right on in. When James Devlin, Duke
of Blackwood appears in her home, the two are at odds with one another.
First,
they both retain a deed for the purchase of the Manor, evidently
purchasing from the same seller. Second, they are both instantly
attracted to each other, but Bella has been through too much in her life to
throw it all away. She is determined to prove that Wyndmoor belongs to
her.
When
James insists that he and Bella both reside at the Manor until the
unscrupulous seller is found, against her better judgement, Bella
agrees, hence begins a cat and mouse game with James, the brooding
bachelor, who insists he never wants to marry, and Bella, the headstrong
widow who even though feels her strong attraction to James, wants to
retain her freedom as well.
When
Bella's past comes to haunt her, danger abounds as she could lose
everything. When James finds there is much more than meets the eye to
the enchanting widow, his protective instincts come alive and he finds
himself doing things completely out of character, which in turn, leads
to a riveting story.
This is the first book by Tina Gabrielle I have read, and to be honest I couldn't put it down. Not just a romance, In The Barrister's Bed has
a great deal of mystery which leads to a great read. James a self
proclaimed womanizer, turns out to be more honorable than you would
think a barrister or a rake would be, and although Bella has been
through a personal Hell in her marriage, she is no shrinking violet. I
loved that. I adore James reforming his old ways, even if he hardly
recognizes that he is. In The Barrister's Bed is a solid and exciting story that I recommend to all and now I am going to pick up all of Tina Gabrielle's previous reads as well as wait for all of her future ones.
*Review copy provided by publisher
I couldn't agree with you more! The book is a thriller and the characters, James and Bella are extremely well matched. I appreciate the way they are both developed throughout the story and I could not put the book down. Another great read by Tina Gabrielle!
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