GAMBLE OF HEARTS by Virginia Barlow

Fiction, Historical Romance, (290 pg), Steamy

5*****

Blurb: When a powerful duke arrives to collect his winnings from her brother, Lady Amora Hargrove discovers she is one of them. Following her brother’s arrest, she becomes the duke’s ward and falls for him hard and fast. Problem is, the duke has a violent hatred for gamblers, and she possesses a natural ability. Something he can never discover, or she will lose him forever. The Duke of Ravencroft exacts revenge for his nephew’s death and gains a ward. Irresistibly drawn to the villain’s sister, he must play and gamble with their hearts or lose everything.

Thoughts: I will admit that I don’t read a lot of Regency type romances, but this one caught my attention and held it. I won’t discuss the historical accuracy of some of what happened in the book. Yes, there were a few twinges, but the characters and action overcame all that as I kept reading—and enjoying—the story.

Lady Amora Hargrove lives with her wastrel brother in London. He is abusive and terrorizes her every chance he gets—and forces her to go (in disguise) to a pub and gamble because she is incredibly good at it while he is not. But he gambles too much and loses – including her. He has sold her or gambled her several times over. When the powerful Duke of Ravencroft comes to collect his winnings, he has no idea that Amora—whom he thought was a ship—is actually the scoundrel’s sister. He sees her bruises and poor dress and vows that she will be protected and safe.

And thus begins the story of Amora and Alexander. Throw in a gypsy woman, too many scoundrels to count, kidnapping, romance, and more, and you have an interesting story. Does it follow the strict structure of Regency romance? Nope. But it does entertain and gives you an ending that satisfies. Oh, and there are a couple of rather steamy scenes too.

Recommendation: Recommended if you want a historical story with royalty, romance, intrigue, heat, and a satisfying ending. I know I’ll definitely be looking for more from this author.

Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”