Third Son's a Charm

September 11, 2017
In Galen’s ostensibly Napoleonic-era romance, modern sensibilities beget confusion. Ewan Mostyn, third son to the Earl of Pembroke, has done his duty as a lesser son, purchased a commission in the army, and gone off to the Peninsular War against Napoleon. Upon his return, Ewan is cajoled into guarding Lady Lorraine Caldwell, the naive, lovely daughter of the Duke of Ridlington, who has convinced herself of an undying love for Ewan’s fortune-hunting cousin Francis. A game of seduction that starts out merely as a way for Ewan to foil his detestable cousin quickly turns into something much more enjoyable. Galen (Traitor in Her Arms) includes a nifty twist on the usual difficulties facing the hero. The book is filled with present-day manners and attitudes toward the military, and there’s little that harkens back to the Regency period except the most general context. Agent: Joanna Mackenzie, Nelson Literary.

October 15, 2017
A handsome but illiterate soldier is hired to guard the honor of a headstrong and heartsick lady. But can he protect his heart from her? Ewan Mostyn is one of Draven's Dozen, a special unit of English soldiers "chosen for some of the most dangerous missions in the war against Napoleon," many of them younger sons of noble families. After the war, he's a glorified bouncer in the gaming hell where he lives as part owner. After watching him break up a fight, the Duke of Ridlington hires him to ensure that his daughter, Lady Lorraine, doesn't elope with Francis Mostyn, Ewan's cousin. Lord Ridlington is convinced that Francis is after Lorraine's sizable dowry, and Ewan, who was bullied by his cousin as a child because of his difficulty reading (today he would probably be diagnosed with dyslexia), is only too happy to take the job if it will allow him to thwart his tormentor. As Lorraine and Ewan grow closer, Ewan begins to realize that what he first thought of as Lorraine's shallowness is actually inexperience. When Lorraine realizes Ewan can't read, she sets up late-night meetings in her father's study to help him. Eventually, Ewan gets through to the hotheaded lady under his protection and helps her see that Francis isn't in love with her and that, actually, she's in love with Ewan. Francis hatches a plot to regain her affection by saving her from kidnappers he hires. It's up to Ewan, with help from members of Draven's Dozen, to come to her rescue. Galen has written a story that will leave readers as satisfied as her spunky heroine. Come for the brooding, silent hero and a loquacious heroine finding her strength. Stay for the bromance between war vets and especially for the aching chemistry between Lady Lorraine and her fierce bodyguard.

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October 1, 2017
Ewan Mostyn isn't surprised that Lorraine Caldwell needs a bodyguard; he just isn't certain he's the right man for the assignment. However, third sons of noblemen can't really be picky about how they earn their keep. And once Ewan discovers that the reason Lorrie's father, the Duke of Riddlington, wants her under constant guard is because the duke is afraid she will try to elope again with Francis Mostyn, Ewan is more than happy to take the job. Ewan's cousin Francis has been a thorn in his side ever since they were children, and Ewan would like nothing better than to pay him back by preventing the fortune-hunting Francis from marrying Lorrie. The only problem is that keeping Lorrie out of trouble may prove to be Ewan's most challenging task ever. An intriguing premise, an engaging cast of characters, and a plot rich in danger and sexy romance make the first in Galen's new Survivors series a must-read for fans of Sabrina Jeffries and Candace Camp.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)