Addicted To The Duke

“Ten years ago, Alexander Bracken, now the Duke of Bedford, chose to test his mettle in England’s wars with the Barbary pirates of the Mediterranean. Captured by the Turks, he was eventually rescued but left captivity with a craving for opium and profound shame at the acts he was forced to commit to survive. Two years later, he rescued Hestia Cary, the daughter of his rescuer, from nearly suffering the same fate at the same hands. Now, Hestia is under threat yet again, and she turns to her savior, setting them both on a course either to vindicate their earlier bondage or repeat it, with danger approaching from all sides. Within the small confines of his ship, Alex is forced to confront his feelings for Hestia and his sense of unworthiness at her feelings for him. If he rescues her again, will it be enough finally to save him. Set on the high seas, this Regency romance makes deft use of one of its standard tropes: the debauched rake who considers himself irredeemable but dutybound to save the untouched heroine. The twist is that Alex has spent years fighting his opium addiction, while Hestia’s father forgives him for surviving what society at that time considered a fate worse than death.
   
Verdict: It takes Hestia, who knows all and loves him anyway, to heal Alex’s heart. Regency romance fans looking for something just a bit different will adore this one from Evans (A Taste of Seduction).

– Marlene Harris, Reading Reality, Atlanta [full review]