Time for another review.

*****

A Marriage Beyond Hope

Lady Sophia has long been estranged from her husband, Vane Barwick, the Duke of Claxton, whose rumored list of amorous conquests includes almost every beautiful woman of the ton. Yet a shocking encounter with him in a crowded ballroom-and a single touch-are all it takes to reawaken her furious passion for him. But how can she trust the man who crushed her dreams and took away the one thing she wanted most?

A Love Beyond Reason

Claxton has never forgiven himself for the youthful mistake that ruined his marriage to Sophia. Now, after nearly a year abroad, the reformed rogue vows to win back the only woman he’s ever truly loved. He’ll do whatever it takes to prove he can be the honorable husband she deserves-and the passionate lover she desires. As the snowdrifts deepen outside their ancestral home, can they rekindle the flame that burned so bright and find a new path to forever?

This is another one of those times when I think the blurb doesn’t quite give a good feeling for what the book is about – yes, Sophia and Vane have been estranged but it’s been less than a year and yes, his amorous history is part of their problem but it wasn’t really what broke them. Here’s my take – Sophia accidentally opens a letter to her husband that made it seem like he was cheating on her, she freaks out and, while rushing out of the house, slips on some ice and falls, causing a miscarriage. Both are heartbroken and instead of drawing closer in their grief, they pull apart and now there is such a distance between them that they may not be able to ever repair their marriage. They do get snowed in and the forced togetherness causes them to have to deal with their past and the possibility of a future together.

I’m not usually a fan of stories where people let their pride, misunderstandings and miscommunications to drag out their reconciliation but I think Dalton does a pretty good job. There are reasons for each of them to feel the way they do but both are too pig-headed (and scared) to work it out quickly and easily. Their journey back together is a good one and I found myself rooting for them to get it all straightened out. It was enjoyable getting to know both Vane and Sophia, and the secrets about why Vane is the way he is were intriguing. Dalton had me glued to the pages as Sophia got to know her husband all over again.

Never Desire a Duke is the first in the “One Scandalous Season” series, following Sophia and her sisters (and hopefully Vane’s brother, his cousin and Sophia’s friend Fox), and I’ll be keeping an eye out for the rest.