The Love of a Libertine

I quite liked this book. Why? Elizabeth, when she was sixteen fell in love like most young girls do, only, she was played quite cruelly by a libertine who only wanted her money. Which he got and more. She gave up her innocence and then, as a female, paid the price and lived a dutiful life for the next four years. I liked how her brother handled the whole situation. Morgan is prone to dissolution, easy women, drinking, fighting and waking up in prison, as the bastard son of a duke is wont to do. Not sure if he was the right match for Elizabeth, because he was so much like Aaron (the man who done her wrong). I think that Elizabeth had much growth and Morgan certainly needed to do a lot of growing up, just felt like he never did. 4.5 Steamy.

The Love of a Libertine by Jess Michaels The Duke’s Bastards #1 What if your father was a selfish lord that took what he wanted when he wanted to and ended up with children that are half siblings but don’t know one another all that well? And, what if the lord’s son, now a duke, has decided to become friends with his half siblings and those half siblings are less than impressed with the idea? Well, if that were to happen then you might have the makings of an interesting series and that is just what I believe this series will be. Robert has bailed Morgan out again and this time suggests he work as a man of affairs for a friend of his. So, Morgan agrees and heads off to start his job. The first person he notices…REALLY notices…is Elizabeth, his employer’s sister. Morgan is taken with Lizzie but is there any way the two can or should be together with the gap in social status and the back stories they carry…that is the question. What I liked: *Elizabeth: a good woman that made a mistake and has lived with it for four years. She fears gossip, is shy and sometimes referred to as a mouse but if that is so then she is one of the mice that roared. * Morgan: a man who has a checkered past. He is intelligent, musical, artistic, and perfect for Lizzie. * Hugh: Elizabeth’s brother who is there for her no matter what. He seems to have forgotten she is an adult and tries to wrap her in cotton * Robert: Morgan’s brother is a rake that settled down with the right woman. He cares about his half siblings and wants the best life for them. * Ewan: Loved seeing him again along with the three wives of the dukes in this story * The idea of how one’s past can have such a huge impact on people * The way Morgan and Lizzie were there for one another. REALLY liked their story! What I did not like: * Aaron…the man in Lizzie’s past. It was so easy to dislike him! * Having to say goodbye to the characters in the book and having to wait to find out who will star in book two of the series. Did I enjoy this book? Definitely Would I read more in this series? Without a doubt Thank you to NetGalley and The Passionate Pen, LLC for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars

I've read and enjoyed Jess Michaels stories in the past and was delighted to stumble upon this ARC opportunity on NetGalley. Reading this was time well spent. Good dialogue, pacing and ending. Ah, another peer's bastard with a bit of a chip on his shoulder, you say. Yes, but I found this story to be refreshingly different. Morgan is given a chance to redeem himself and although he's never managed an estate before, he seems to take well to the job with some training. That training is rarely mentioned as the story centers on the attraction and budding romance between Morgan and Elizabeth, of course. Lizzie is happy for the opportunity to flee the London Season. She's wary of Morgan, but he treats her with respect after he quickly realizes she's been hurt somehow and holds back with his flirtatious quips to allow her adjust to his presence. Overall a very satisfying read. I read a free ARC provided via NetGalley; the thoughts expressed are my own