When the Marquess Was Mine

September 1, 2019
An adventurous woman's last-ditch attempt to save the life of a disreputable marquess leads to unforeseen complications. Georgiana Lucas is rusticating at her friend Kitty's home when she learns that her host's husband, Sir Charles Winston, has lost the Derbyshire residence to Robert Churchill-Gray, Marquess of Westmorland, in a game of cards. Kitty has been asked by Charles to barricade herself against the scheming marquess, lest he arrive to claim the property. Georgiana is sure that the high-and-mighty Lord Westmorland, who once passed snobbish remarks against her at a London ball, will not journey so far into the countryside to claim his prize. So when she witnesses a man being beaten by a group of thugs, she rushes to his aid unthinkingly and arranges to bring him to Kitty's home. But Georgiana is aghast when she recognizes him as the villainous Westmorland. Intent on saving a life and afraid of her fierce friend's wrath, Georgiana claims that he is her fiance, Viscount Sterling. She hopes to knock sense into Lord Westmorland when he awakes and ensure that he returns the deed of the house to Kitty. But her plans are disrupted when it turns out that the marquess has lost his memory, and located his conscience. As Rob's memory trickles back to him, he decides he's found the woman of his dreams, but he must work hard and fast to ensure that his dreams become reality. Linden skillfully slides in a subtle political statement about the painful impact of patriarchal property laws in the everyday lives of women, but she alludes too hurriedly to the trans-Atlantic slave trade, a traumatic chapter in world history that isn't given enough attention here to make it work. The narrative of the third installment in the Wagers of Sin series (An Earl Like You, 2018, etc.) is replete with tried-and-tested tropes but is witty and unusual enough to be interesting. Although Rob's rather abrupt evolution strikes a few false notes, Georgiana's change of heart consistently rings true as she exhibits a wide range of emotions. A familiar and charming story of loss, transformation, and rediscovery.

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September 27, 2019

Rob, Marquess of Westmorland, has made a poor first impression on Georgiana Lucas. He not only accuses her of being a silly, shallow flirt at a ball but also has the gall to win her friend Kitty's house in a card game. On the road to deal with his unwanted new acquisition, Rob is waylaid by thugs and knocked unconscious. Georgiana, who's visiting Kitty, doesn't have the heart to leave him in the road, but she can't reveal his true identity and risk him being turned out by her angry friend. So Georgiana concocts a story that Rob is actually her fiancée--a lie that snowballs when Rob awakes and has no recollection of who he is. All he knows is that he's falling in love with his tender, beautiful nurse, while Georgiana is similarly taken with the new and kinder Marquess. VERDICT The hero-with-amnesia plot takes some unexpected turns (readers may be interested to know that a discussion of the slave trade--abolished in 1807 in England--appears in the third act), but comes together for a satisfying and romantic ending that won't disappoint fans of this stunning series (after An Earl Like You) from the beloved Linden.--Kathryn Howe, Saint John Free P.L., NB

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2019
No one deserves to bleed to death, not even the Malicious Marquess. This is the self-justification Georgiana Lucas uses when she rescues an unconscious Robert "West" Churchill-Gray, Marquess of Westmorland, after he is waylaid and beaten by thieves. Rob had been traveling to Osborne House, where Georgiana is staying with her friend Kitty Winston, to seize control of it after winning the estate from Kitty's husband in a game of cards. Reluctant to reveal his identity, Georgiana pretends that West is her fianc�, Lord Robert Sterling. Much to Georgiana's surprise, everything seems to be working out until West gradually begins regaining his memory, and he starts wondering why his fianc�e doesn't seem familiar at all. The combination of exquisitely nuanced characters, a compelling plot that provides a fascinating glimpse into the impact of the British Slave Trade Acts of the early nineteenth century, and graceful writing imbued with sharp wit and simmering sensuality make the latest in RITA Award-winning Linden's (An Earl Like You, 2018) Wagers of Sin series impossible to resist.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)