Disinherited by his parents and estranged from his wife, Fallen pleasure club co-owner Lord Grayson ‘Devil’ Deveraux long ago learned to place his trust in ledgers rather than people. But his ice-cold reserve hides the scandalous truth: he’s a man who craves pain with his pleasure, and a loving lady to instruct him.

Banished to the country when her whirlwind marriage collapsed, Lady Eliza Deveraux never knew why Grayson fell out of love with her: she’d tried so damned hard to quell her fiery self and be a proper, obedient wife. But when Eliza is forced to return to London and back into Grayson’s intoxicating world, banked passions reignite. Can a marriage built on secrets and pretense truly get a second chance?

EXCERPT #1

The slap echoed through the chamber like a pistol shot. Eliza stared at her hand in shock, but the pink hue of her stinging palm confirmed she had indeed just hit her husband across the cheek. Her gaze flew to his, bracing for anger and disgust at the unforgivable act. Instead, she caught a flash of something dark and raw. Hopeful. Almost pleading?

“Grayson…”

“Yes, Eliza?” he said in a voice she’d never heard: low and warm and rasping. He wasn’t even making eye contact now but staring somewhere over her left shoulder, and his whole body was tense like a bow pulled taut, his erection undiminished.

A pulse thudded between her legs in the shrieking silence, and her nipples were so hard the muslin of her tea gown felt like sackcloth. All she wanted to do was kiss the mark she’d made. Haul Grayson over to the oversized four poster bed, tear his clothes off, and take that thick erection deep inside her wet heat. Not passively underneath as usual, but riding him like a mount, gripping him, milking him, forcing him to release every drop of seed he had to give.

Owning him.

Horrified, Eliza jerked away, practically throwing herself across the room to slump onto the long embroidered chaise resting against the west wall. What kind of monster had she become? Hitting her own husband and being aroused by it?

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she said hoarsely, tears welling in her eyes. “That was inexcusable. I don’t even know what came over me. But it won’t happen again, I promise.”

Eventually Grayson turned and shrugged, yet an emotion lingered in his eyes that looked incredibly like hollow disappointment. How could that be?

Oh my!  My second Scorched book and I loved it.  It was hot, sweet and historical to boot.  But while the book had all of that, it also had characters that I actually cared about and great story to read.  Yes, there was an actual story besides the sex.  See, I don’t read the really hot stuff anymore because of too much sex.  I know, I’m weird.  I actually want a story to read.  If I want sex, I can watch porn.

Devil is such a beautiful hero.  Submissive to his bones and still so in love with his wife.  The problem with him is that it’s not okay for a male to be submissive in his time period.  This leads to all kinds of miscommunication, a horrific but also empowering “a ha” moment for him that leads him on the path that he is on.  I loved that he had his club to fall back on but that one scene with Charlie and when Eliza “rescues” him.  Yes, you need to read it.  I wept for Devil and the “toughness” and the “tenderness” that Eliza gives him is breathtaking.  It’s in that moment, that they both really figure out what will work for them in the bedroom.  Again, beautiful.

Eliza is a dream, too.  Sweet when she needs to be and ever so the lady.  But when it comes to Devil, she is dominant one in the relationship. In the above excerpt, she didn’t realize that when she slapped him that he would get so aroused by it.  In the end, she finally realized what she needed to do to keep her marriage intact and alive.  She also had to figure out what role Charlie played in Devil’s life.  I actually liked that Eliza was jealous of Charlie but when the truth finally came out, Eliza could actually see the care that Charlie gave Devil when he needed it the most.

I can’t wait to read Vice’s story.  I bought Sin and Grace’s book because I just had to see how their romance played out.  Yes, I loved this book that much to buy the first one.  I will be the first one to read Vice’s story when it comes out.  The club, Fallen, plays a big part in this series.  It’s a club where anything goes and does.  But it’s done in a very tasteful way.

Overall, regardless of the subject matter, this book needs to be read.  The romance is beautiful and the coming together of a married couple finally figuring out how to work, it just works.  Trust me…

ABOUT NICOLA DAVIDSON

NICOLA DAVIDSON worked for many years in communications and marketing as well as television and print journalism, but hasn’t looked back since she decided writing wicked historical romance was infinitely more fun. When not chained to a computer she can be found ambling along one of New Zealand’s beautiful beaches, cheering on the champion All Blacks rugby team, history geeking on the internet or daydreaming. If this includes chocolate – even better!

Keep up with Nicola’s news on Twitter (@NicolaMDavidson) Facebook (Nicola Davidson – Author) or her websitewww.nicola-davidson.com

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