Title: Dearest Rogue (Maiden Lane #8)

Author: Elizabeth Hoyt

Publisher: Grand Central 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 353

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Romance

HE CAN GUARD HER
Lady Phoebe Batten is pretty, vivacious, and yearning for a social life befitting the sister of a powerful duke. But because she is almost completely blind, her overprotective brother insists that she have an armed bodyguard by her side at all times-the very irritating Captain Trevillion.

FROM EVERY DANGER
Captain James Trevillion is proud, brooding, and cursed with a leg injury from his service in the King's dragoons. Yet he can still shoot and ride like the devil, so watching over the distracting Lady Phoebe should be no problem at all-until she's targeted by kidnappers.

BUT PASSION ITSELF
Caught in a deadly web of deceit, James must risk life and limb to save his charge from the lowest of cads-one who would force Lady Phoebe into a loveless marriage. But while they're confined to close quarters for her safekeeping, Phoebe begins to see the tender man beneath the soldier's hard exterior . . . and the possibility of a life-and love-she never imagined possible.

Captain Trevillion has been an intriguing figure for the entire series. I’m so glad he got his own book and romance. And I have liked Phoebe since she was introduced. I am less enamored with the two of them together. I would have liked a bit more talking and exploration of past events and wanted futures. At times, their relationship felt a bit too paternal on his part. They come together in the end. Plus, I really loved seeing James’s family and meeting Agnes in particular. The best part were the chapter featuring the Duke of Montgomery. I’m very intrigued by him. He reminds me of Lord Caire from the first book. Maybe his story will get a 5 star rating from me. For this book, I still really love the entire series and felt that this book was a very enjoyable volume (but Captain Trevillion can’t beat Lord Caire or the Duke or Wakefield or Winter Makepeace).

Maiden Lane

• #1 Wicked Intentions

• #2 Notorious Pleasures

• #3 Scandalous Desires

• #4 Thief of Shadows

• #5 Lord of Darkness

• #6 Duke of Midnight

• #7 Darling Beast

• #8 Dearest Rogue

• #9 Sweetest Scoundrel

• #10 Duke of Sin

• #10.5 Once Upon a Moonlit Night

• #10.7 Once Upon a Christmas Eve

• #11 Duke of Pleasure

• #12 Duke of Desire

• #12.5 Once Upon a Maiden Lane

Next up on the TBR pile: