BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND DESIRE

Author: Lorraine Heath ISBN: 9780061355646 1/2009 HISTORICAL Publisher: AVON
Time Period: 1851 London

London's most notorious rogue—decadent, depraved, forbidden The ladies of the ton won't stop whispering about deliciously wicked Jack Dodger—once a thieving street urchin, now the wealthy owner of London's most exclusive gentleman's club. There's no pleasure he hasn't enjoyed, no debauchery the handsome scoundrel won't provide for the lords who flock to his house of carnal intrigue. London's most virtuous lady—honorable, uncorrupted, and all too human Olivia, Duchess of Lovingdon, would never associate with such a rogue. So when Jack is named sole heir to the duke's personal possessions, the beautiful, well-bred lady is outraged. Now, Olivia is forced to share her beloved home with this despicable man. Caught between the devil and desire But Olivia's icy disdain is no match for Jack's dangerous charm. His touch awakens desire. His kiss demands surrender. She will struggle to bar Jack from her heart . . . but her body, coveting divine release, will not let her bar him from her bed.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND DESIRE is one of those stories that pulls an earlier work by another author into the plot, loosely weaving a fact here and there and making parallel points now and again. Usually this feels contrived, but in this case it's done with great skill. The Charles Dickens references enhance this story, rather than detract from it, as is so often the case when this technique is employed. I was pulled right into the life of Jack Dodger, and loved the way the reader gets a glimpse into his personal journal both at the beginning and end of the the story. It is a nice way to gain insight and ties the whole thing together really well.

Olivia and Jack meet at the reading of Olivia's husband's will. There is no apparent reason for a man like Dodger to be at the reading—he is the owner of a less-than-reputable establishment, one Olivia is certain her husband never frequented. But the dead man had his reasons for demanding the rogue's presence. He has named Dodger guardian to his and Olivia's five-year-old son. Of course this unlikely pair is immediately thrown together and, without any other recourse, they get to know each other. Together they uncover some very deeply hidden secrets and realize that even dead men have motives. And, apparently, regrets.

Lorraine Heath is a masterful storyteller. Her characters feel so real that it is sometimes difficult to remember the story is simply something from her creative mind, and the characters only alive on the paper. I very much enjoyed the first book in this series but, I've got to admit, I enjoyed this one maybe even more than the first. Its secret is a compelling one, and when it is brought to light I felt a deep "ah ha!" moment which brought a huge sense of satisfaction with it. BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND DESIRE is a book I will read again. And, I'm sure, I'll enjoy falling into Olivia and Jack's world as much the second time around as I did the first. Well done!

Kay James