⭐⭐⭐⭐ Was I hooked by that book? Yes. After 20 years of pining in silence, Donovan discovered that not only are his feelings returned, but his family loves him just as he is.

For most of his adult life the stuffy Duke of Southbury has been secretly in love with his burly, sexy valet. Donovan’s family is pressuring him to find a wife and he decides to let Geoffrey go, because there is no way he can stay faithful to his wife with his tempting valet on scene. His brother suggests a trip to the town of Marrywell to find this wife and Donovan and Geoffrey decide to treat it as a last week of fun together before Geoffrey has to leave.

MY THOUGHTS

The attraction the duke felt for his valet and the desperate realization that Donovan can’t really have Geoffrey were so palpable and real. My heart ached for them right from the start. The story is told only from Donovan’s point of view, so we can only guess at Geoffrey’s feelings.

This maybe misses some of the angst and drama that a longer length book could’ve brought, considering the premise of the story. But I am always amazed at how much emotion and relationship growth Erica Ridley can pack into a short novella.

I can recommend this if you like a short, sweet gay romance where the odds are stacked against them.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Were you hooked by that book? Let me know in the comments below.

Genre: Historical Romance
Sensuality Rating: Warm
Series: Lords in Love
Other books in the series:  Beguiling the Duke, Taming the Rake, Romancing the Heiress, Defying the Earl, Matching the Marquess, Chasing the Bride
Tropes: MM Romance, Forbidden Love, Only One Bed