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jackiehorne's review against another edition
3.0
My first story by Wendy LaCapra, which made me want to read her longer work (this is a novella, a RITA nominee). The writing is lush and emotion-packed, but there wasn't really enough plot here to balance and hold up the onslaught of feeling.
The "Mythic Dukes" series focus on three former schoolmates, each of whom took on a Greek myth sobriquet when they were boys. The hero here, the Duke of Ashbey is "Hades" (ha, get it, "Ash"?!) The story is loose take on the Hades/Persephone story, but it's also an exploration of the third side of the real historical Horatio Nelson/Lady Hamilton/Lady Nelson triangle: the abandoned wife.
Our heroine, Alicia, is a stand in for Lady Nelson, who, in the aftermath of her husband's heroic death in battle, is trying to figure out what to do financially with her life, and how to cope with the fact that she's the only one who feels done wrong by England's naval hero. Ash, a loner with a backstory (mad, murderous father; wife who hated him and is now dead), feels he's too flawed for love. But he falls into insta-lust with Alicia, thinking somehow that being with her, even for a short time, will "cleanse" him somehow of his darkness. At first, Alicia rejects his blunt offer, but after being mistakenly sent the letters her husband exchanged with his mistress, she decides to be bad for once in her life.
They have a three-day affair, during which Alicia of course falls for the tormented duke. And he falls for her, but feels he must give her up because he's so tainted he'll ruin her. An unlikely event, and lots of pushing from his two former schoolmates, make Ash realize that he's being a major idiot, and he tries to get Alicia back.
Thumbs up for not making the mistress and child evil others.
The "Mythic Dukes" series focus on three former schoolmates, each of whom took on a Greek myth sobriquet when they were boys. The hero here, the Duke of Ashbey is "Hades" (ha, get it, "Ash"?!) The story is loose take on the Hades/Persephone story, but it's also an exploration of the third side of the real historical Horatio Nelson/Lady Hamilton/Lady Nelson triangle: the abandoned wife.
Our heroine, Alicia, is a stand in for Lady Nelson, who, in the aftermath of her husband's heroic death in battle, is trying to figure out what to do financially with her life, and how to cope with the fact that she's the only one who feels done wrong by England's naval hero. Ash, a loner with a backstory (mad, murderous father; wife who hated him and is now dead), feels he's too flawed for love. But he falls into insta-lust with Alicia, thinking somehow that being with her, even for a short time, will "cleanse" him somehow of his darkness. At first, Alicia rejects his blunt offer, but after being mistakenly sent the letters her husband exchanged with his mistress, she decides to be bad for once in her life.
They have a three-day affair, during which Alicia of course falls for the tormented duke. And he falls for her, but feels he must give her up because he's so tainted he'll ruin her. An unlikely event, and lots of pushing from his two former schoolmates, make Ash realize that he's being a major idiot, and he tries to get Alicia back.
Thumbs up for not making the mistress and child evil others.
dianed's review
5.0
I love a good story of two people who find each other and are able to heal the damage of the past. For Alicia Stone, new widow she is forced to face the fact that her famous Admiral husband left everything to his mistress and illegitimate daughter. All his wife had left were his aging aunt and his debts.
For Ash, the Duke of Ashbey, he is living an empty life, his father was an accused murderer and his wife set fire to their castle killing herself and his father. He lives alone in one room in his house and feels dead inside. Until he hears about an angel.
Ms LaCapra does an amazing job of describing their situation and helping you feel the emptiness in both their lives. While they seem to be opposites, you can see that they are both outsiders and are drawn to each other when they first meet on the street. The other characters in the book exist to get these two together, back together and together forever.
This was a Happily Ever After that almost didn't happen so that makes it all the more enjoyable when it finally comes.
I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.
For Ash, the Duke of Ashbey, he is living an empty life, his father was an accused murderer and his wife set fire to their castle killing herself and his father. He lives alone in one room in his house and feels dead inside. Until he hears about an angel.
Ms LaCapra does an amazing job of describing their situation and helping you feel the emptiness in both their lives. While they seem to be opposites, you can see that they are both outsiders and are drawn to each other when they first meet on the street. The other characters in the book exist to get these two together, back together and together forever.
This was a Happily Ever After that almost didn't happen so that makes it all the more enjoyable when it finally comes.
I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.
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