Review: Lady Derring Takes a Lover by Julie Anne Long
Avon, 2019
Five. Freaking. Stars. Lady Derring Takes a Lover is pure historical romance magic. Magic, Magic, Magic. I feel like this book could be adapted for BBC television. It’s really that good.
Julie Anne Long writes with such a GORGEOUS poetic quality that I quite literally forced myself to read this book slowly so I could savor every single word. This book is an ensemble of charming, hilarious, thoroughly entertaining characters and I fell in love with each one despite myself. Funny, and sweet and quirky, Lady Derring Takes a Lover is also the story of women standing in their own power and forging their own way. It’s timely and it’s awesome.
The love story between Delilah and Tristan unfolds slowly. So heads up there. But in my opinion it couldn’t have happened any other way. It was PERFECT. And when it finally gets to blazing…it’s FIRE. Consuming, scalding, perfect fire.
Lady Derring Takes a Lover charmed me in every possible way from the very first page. I was entirely transported. Attention historical romance fans: DO NOT miss out on this one. I loved it.
Synopsis
Upon his death, Delilah Swanpoole’s husband leaves her a few surprises. First? A mistress. And one Delilah cannot help but like and admire. Two? He was in deeeeeeeep debt and she’s practically penniless. And three? She is the proud new owner of one dilapidated building in a very unsavory neighborhood. But, for the first time ever, Delilah’s life is entirely her own. She’s determined to fend for herself and never answer to a man again. So she and her husband’s mistress team up and turn the crappy old building into a proper boarding house…
Captain Tristan Hardy is cool, calculating and completely relentless. And he’s tracked a notorious gang of smugglers right to Delilah’s new doorstep. Duty is everything to him and he will do anything to catch these dangerous criminals. But the moment he lays eyes on Delilah his orderly, disciplined life is irrevocably changed…
Both Delilah and Tristan are jaded and cynical about love. But the way they feel about each other is too big and too real to ignore.
Happy Romance Reading!