Freed from her constrained life by the death of her autocratic father, Hera decides to take up a companion position where no one knows her. But as her assignment turns increasingly sinister, she turns to Justin, the doctor who attended her father before he died, for help.
This is the second book in Mary Lancaster’s The Duel series, which follows the aftermath of a duel in which an army officer kills the cold-hearted Duke of Cuttyngham. Hera is the duke’s daughter, and Justin the friend of the man who fought the duel. I enjoyed the first book a great deal, and enjoyed this one too – but in a different way.
This is primarily the story of Hera, who decides to go undercover as a lady’s companion in an effort to discover herself outside the constrained role of duke’s daughter. I enjoyed seeing her blossom, gaining both confidence and love. Her relationship with Justin is endearing, and I liked how he supported her and saw through her cold facade right away.
However, I did feel that the B-plot of George’s imprisonment and escape rather stole the show. He’s easily the most intriguing character in the book, and his flight is what the story is focused around. I almost wished this was a different book, in which George is the hero (though his heroine certainly couldn’t be Hera). With so much of the action being devoted to his side-plot, we are left with less of a focus on Hera and Justin’s romance than I would have liked.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.