A solid romance set during the time a bit before, during and after the Waterloo Campaign, set in Brussels and England. Major Hal Carlow, rake and scoundrel, doesn't know what to do or how to act when he is extremely attracted to the proper young lady, Miss Julia Tresilian. Add a tad of a family scandal, and you have a well-written story with solid characters.

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excellent book to read and willing to read it again

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4.5+ Loved it! Allen did a great job in this, the second-to-last of the Silk & Scandal series.

Hal, the hero, is a dyed-in-the-wool flirt and rake. He makes no bones about it and sincerely tells the heroine he's not marriage material and she'd do best to stay away from him. Though they both acknowledge that, neither can deny their growing attraction.

I loved some of Hal's early dialogue. It was refreshingly funny, original, and outrageous. The heroine, though physically innocent, wasn't naive about the ways of the world, and she made a great match for him.

Although the Waterloo portions weren't as gritty or gory as they could have been (for which I'm extremely appreciative-I read romance to escape and don't need the harsh realities of war thrust under my nose), I know enough of the time period to appreciate the amount of research Allen did and her attention to facts that she wove seamlessly into her narrative.

From the blurb and the dates sprinkled in the story, I knew the battle of Waterloo was looming and I could not read fast enough. What would happen to Hal? How would the heroine react?

This book kept me up well past bedtime, and it has found a place on my already crowded "Louise Allen Keeper Shelf."

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What I enjoyed most of all about this book was the setting leading up to, during, and in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Waterloo. I also enjoyed the main characters, who both had great heroic qualities. The heroine is pragmatic and facing the reality of having to marry anyone to avoid destitution. The hero was delightful, charming, and great with kids, and so were his family that we meet when they get back to England.
This is part of the Silk & Scandal series, so in the latter part of the book, there is a subplot about a spy ring and a murder that took place far in the past. I found it to be an unnecessary distraction, and the story could have done just as well without tacking that on. Plus, it brought in a really annoying secondary character/villain who was plotting revenge. Not naming names but you'll know him when you see him. I think this guy eventually gets a book of his own, but I would prefer the hero's horse, Max, as sequel bait. Honestly, the horse was great, I would love to see him again!

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