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What a Gentleman Wants

by Caroline Linden

reviewed by Kristin Young

September 2006, 352 pages, Publisher: Zebra, ISBN: 0821779311

Hannah Preston, the humble widow of the late vicar to Middleborough, is about to lose her home to the new vicar. Having been a modest widow for half a year, and having no foreseeable prospects, she accepts the possibility that she may be reduced to moving back in with her newly remarried – and unpleasant – father.

Hannah's life is thrown for a whirl when David Reece, the brother to the Duke of Exeter, suddenly makes an entrance. He is drunk, and was injured during a reckless carriage race with his friend Percy right outside Hannah's front door. Caring for this spoiled and injured aristocratic man has fallen to Hannah because he is unable to be moved for several weeks. As the days pass, David and Hannah form a friendship and David appears to be improving not only physically, but behaviorally as well. To repay her kindness, David proposes a marriage of convenience to provide a home for Hannah and her young daughter, Molly. After much thought, Hannah finally accepts. The possible "happily ever after" takes an awkward turn when Percy helps David to see what all he will be giving up if he marries this widow. Together, the two hatch a foolhardy plan that would help Hannah, and get revenge against David's brother for his arrogant behavior.

Marcus Reece, Duke of Exeter, has bailed his twin brother out of one scrape or another their entire lives. David has made it a habit to use Marcus' name when he has gotten into trouble, but Marcus never expected him to use it to become a husband to a plain and provincial country widow. It seems David has signed Marcus's name to the church register in Middleborough, and to the world, he and this vicar's widow are legally married. This time David has pushed his brother too far, and were it not for their family, he would leave it to David to bail himself out.

When Marcus entangles Hannah in a web of deceit, he finds Hannah to be much more than he ever imagined possible. Beneath her country demeanor lies a woman of more grace and wisdom than most of ladies of the ton. What begins as a temporary charade soon starts to become much more real to them both as Marcus and Hannah discover just how much they have in common. For a calculated man such as the duke, Hannah is strangely inviting. Marcus never imagined that he would enjoy being mystified and ambushed by such foreign feelings. Hannah can see the powerful emotions and the selflessness Marcus tries so desperately to hide, and it warms her in a way she could not have imagined. It seems fated that this lonely man and this warm and caring woman come together to heal each other, and provide the love and family that they both so desperately crave.

The wonderful characterization and masterful storyline had me captured form the very beginning. Marcus captured my heart with the way he appeared to be so cold despite his shining heart of gold. He could not deny his true character, as his actions give him away when he selflessly puts himself forward to be the "bad guy" in order to save his brother from disappointing those who love him. Marcus is a lonely man who craves to be loved for himself, and not his title. Who couldn't love someone like that? Then there's Hannah who is a warm-hearted and vibrant woman; a loving and devoted mother and friend. Hannah craves a place to truly belong and to be loved and accepted as she is. All of the characters came together in such a way that you could almost see and feel each one.

What A Gentleman Wants is a terrific Regency-set romance! Fast-paced storyline, sweltering love scenes, and the lovable characters, make this my favorite book of the summer! I look forward to Ms. Linden's next book, and hope that there is a future story for David, as he is too adorable to not find love himself!