Genre: Adult Fiction (Historical Romance)
Date Published: May 12, 2017
Publisher: HarperImpulse
The sounds and scents of the Crimean War are strangling Harry Marlow, shutting him off and silently smothering his soul. But he is a soldier and that is his life, and he can see nothing else besides that. So why should he care when a woman watches him? His life is not one to share with a woman, other than for a few moments in his bed.
When a woman is already drowning so deeply in sin she is without any fear of judgement – what can it matter if she choses to begin a new affair? It is like escape to choose her own man and Captain Marlow is the perfect candidate for a dalliance. All she has to do is obtain an introduction…
The Tainted Love of a Captain is the eighth book in the Marlowe Intrigues series by Jane Lark. It seems I've missed a few books, and the series has been re-numbered since I read the last book. So, I definitely need to go back and catch up. With that being said, I didn't feel lost in this book. Since, I've read several books in this series already, there were some familiar faces, and I enjoyed seeing how they were all doing, but this book stands alone just fine as well.
Charlotte made a bad decision with the best of intentions, and she's ready to take her life back.. at least part of it. Harry doesn't want a wife, so what Charlotte offers is appealing. Of course, it isn't as easy as it all sounds. The author paints such a vivid picture of her characters and those around them, that their world comes to life clearly in my mind. There is so much pain in both characters' backgrounds, it can be an emotional read at times, but there is hope too. It's been so long since I read, The Desperate Love of a Lord, I'd forgotten how much I enjoy this series. I don't know how I let myself get so behind. I'll be changing that soon.
She was there, with her maid. They were on the path at the head of the beach, a few yards away. He crossed the street. She walked towards him and intercepted his path. ‘Captain Marlow!’ she called. ‘Well met!’ She spoke as though she had not written and he therefore presumed the maid did not know that this interchange had been orchestrated.
He bowed, slightly. ‘Miss Cotton.’ What was the etiquette for a man’s mistress? He knew how to behave with whores and with respectable women, but a mistress was somewhere in between. ‘Would you care to walk with me?’ He lifted his arm, in the way he might have offered his arm to one of his sisters or cousins.
The maid held back to walk a few paces behind them as Ash looked up at him with eyes that asked why he had not walked on to the pebbles. Harry clicked the fingers of his free hand and tapped his leg to tell Ash to stay at his side.
‘I like your dog. What is her name?’ Miss Cotton said loudly. He presumed for the benefit of the maid as much as for an answer.
‘Ash. She was named by my niece.’
She looked at him as though the fact that he might have a niece was a bizarre thought. ‘Oh.’
He smiled. Her colour had been high since the moment they had faced each other, but now it became even redder.
‘Your dog has a very pleasant nature.’
‘Yes, she does.’
‘I am glad you came,’ she said in a quieter voice, leaning closer to him as he’d seen her do when she spoke to her maid. ‘It took me so much courage to write. But you have never looked at me here. Then you looked at me last night and I wrote in a rash moment because I have had a great desire to know the man with the lovely dog. I hope you do not think me too forward.’ Her back straightened when she had finished her conspiratorial whisper and her chin lifted high. There was a sense of dignity in her posture, no matter her status.
‘I was not sure that I would come.’
Her head turned and she looked at him about the rim of her bonnet, her fingers pulling on his arm a little. ‘I admire you as much as your dog. I have wanted to meet you as well as Ash.’
‘I am aware. I have seen you watching me.’ He breathed in. ‘It was flattering.’ He had not thought so a day ago and yet having seen the woman up close. Yes, the interest and attention of such a beautiful woman was flattering. Her large, expressive eyes, within the shadow of her bonnet’s brim, were particularly fascinating and the curls of her vibrantly coloured hair peeked from beneath the edges of the bonnet, providing a temptation to touch it.
She smiled. ‘I think it is lovely how you play with the dog. There seems such regard between you as you play. So, yes, I have been watching your games and admiring you and your affection for Ash, from a distance. It is very charming to watch. Your friend has looked back at me, but you have no more than glanced. You have given me no opportunity to compliment you before.’
‘I thought you were…’ He had been about to insult her and say that he’d thought her respectable, which would tell her that now he thought she was not. ‘I thought you someone different.’
‘Who?’
‘No one in particular, simply a young woman looking for a husband and I would make a poor candidate for that.’
He bowed, slightly. ‘Miss Cotton.’ What was the etiquette for a man’s mistress? He knew how to behave with whores and with respectable women, but a mistress was somewhere in between. ‘Would you care to walk with me?’ He lifted his arm, in the way he might have offered his arm to one of his sisters or cousins.
The maid held back to walk a few paces behind them as Ash looked up at him with eyes that asked why he had not walked on to the pebbles. Harry clicked the fingers of his free hand and tapped his leg to tell Ash to stay at his side.
‘I like your dog. What is her name?’ Miss Cotton said loudly. He presumed for the benefit of the maid as much as for an answer.
‘Ash. She was named by my niece.’
She looked at him as though the fact that he might have a niece was a bizarre thought. ‘Oh.’
He smiled. Her colour had been high since the moment they had faced each other, but now it became even redder.
‘Your dog has a very pleasant nature.’
‘Yes, she does.’
‘I am glad you came,’ she said in a quieter voice, leaning closer to him as he’d seen her do when she spoke to her maid. ‘It took me so much courage to write. But you have never looked at me here. Then you looked at me last night and I wrote in a rash moment because I have had a great desire to know the man with the lovely dog. I hope you do not think me too forward.’ Her back straightened when she had finished her conspiratorial whisper and her chin lifted high. There was a sense of dignity in her posture, no matter her status.
‘I was not sure that I would come.’
Her head turned and she looked at him about the rim of her bonnet, her fingers pulling on his arm a little. ‘I admire you as much as your dog. I have wanted to meet you as well as Ash.’
‘I am aware. I have seen you watching me.’ He breathed in. ‘It was flattering.’ He had not thought so a day ago and yet having seen the woman up close. Yes, the interest and attention of such a beautiful woman was flattering. Her large, expressive eyes, within the shadow of her bonnet’s brim, were particularly fascinating and the curls of her vibrantly coloured hair peeked from beneath the edges of the bonnet, providing a temptation to touch it.
She smiled. ‘I think it is lovely how you play with the dog. There seems such regard between you as you play. So, yes, I have been watching your games and admiring you and your affection for Ash, from a distance. It is very charming to watch. Your friend has looked back at me, but you have no more than glanced. You have given me no opportunity to compliment you before.’
‘I thought you were…’ He had been about to insult her and say that he’d thought her respectable, which would tell her that now he thought she was not. ‘I thought you someone different.’
‘Who?’
‘No one in particular, simply a young woman looking for a husband and I would make a poor candidate for that.’
Check out my reviews of a few of Jane Lark's other books:
Now Jane has been shortlisted for three reader awards, and become a bestselling author in the UK and the USA.
To learn more about Jane Lark and her books, visit her website & blog.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.
8 books_ I'm glad you could follow the story despite missing some books.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, It sounds like a good read
Ruty @Reading…Dreaming
It's easy to follow. Each book stands alone just fine. Thank you for visiting. :-)
DeleteThank you for posting
ReplyDeleteHi, thank you for reading, I'm glad you enjoyed it especially as I know you liked the others, it makes me feel good to know people still enjoy the books! :D Thank you so much for taking part and for sharing your views.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes xx
Jane