Judith’s review of Never a Gentleman (Drake’s Rake series, Book 2) by Eileen Dreyer.

HE HIDES HIS TRUE COLORS . . .

Miss Grace Fairchild is under no illusions about her charms. Painfully plain, she is a soldier’s daughter who has spent her life being useful, not learning the treacherous ways of the ton. She may have been caught in a scandal with society’s favorite rogue, but how can she marry him when it means losing herself?

WHILE SHE HIDES HER TRUE SELF . . .

Diccan Hilliard doesn’t know which of his enemies drugged him and dumped him in Grace’s bed, but he does know the outcome. He and Grace must marry. To his surprise, a wild, heady passion flares between them. Yet Diccan is trapped in a deadly game of intrigue Grace knows nothing about. Will his lies destroy Grace just as he realizes how desperately he needs her? And how can he hope for a future with her, when an old enemy has set his murderous sights on them both?

Contrary to what is ordinarily found in historical romances, there is no beautiful but poor heroine here, no heroine that thinks she is plain, or a heroine whose reputation is suspect, or one that is connected to a family not held in high social esteem. Rather, we have a heroine who is plain, knows she is plain, and doesn’t even try to lie to herself about her plainness. So it is a considerable shock to find England’s most celebrated rake in her bed and to realize that both he and she have been drugged and dumped in this compromising situation together. What Grace doesn’t know is that Diccan Hilliard, presently involved in the diplomatic corp of England, is the bearer of important information about the future security of the English throne, and those who don’t want that information delivered have orchestrated their social ruin. Grace’s desire, her demand to retain her independence ultimately falls in the face of social reality, if not a concern for her, then certainly for Diccan and any effectiveness diplomatically he might enjoy in the future. And while Diccan seems to accept the inevitable with charm and gracious actions toward Grace, there is considerable doubt that he can face her sufficiently to consummate the marriage.

Both the schemers who sought to do Diccan in and Diccan himself have planned and sought to determine their destinies without consideration of “Grace’s Grenadiers.” These stalwart military men have a loyal to this woman that exceeds understanding. They were loyal to her father, the General, they were loyal to her because her nursing efforts saved their lives or those of brothers or fathers, they were loyal to her because she nursed and saved the lives of their wives and sisters who were married to soldiers and were ill, birthing babies, or needing shelter and care during messy military actions. Grace seemed to be everywhere during the Napoleonic War, and now Diccan must face the fact that these men are going to protect Grace, her reputation, see to her safety, and hold his feet to the fire, so to speak. They were also adamant in the face of Grace’s refusal to marry Diccan, and so when all was said and done, Grace and Diccan tied the know at a small ceremony officiated by his uncle, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Marrying her was one thing; consummating the marriage quite another. Yet Diccan found that again Grace’s supporters would countenance no breech of the agreement and so the possibility of annulment was out the window. Throughout their tumultuous marriage, absent though Diccan was much of the time, Grace took her vows seriously and did her level best to please her husband, giving up a number of her favorite activities, curtailing her love of riding astride, and ceasing to spend time with some of her friends who would not be acceptable to the ton. In spite of all this, it became evident–she was even given proof positive–that Diccan was again spending time with his old mistress and acting markedly indifferent to her in public. Even though Grace had no expectations that her husband would even come to love her, she had at least expected to be treated with dignity, and when that was not forthcoming, she left London to spend time in her own country home.

What Grace did not know and which fact was deliberately kept from her was that Diccan’s enemies had threatened her as a way of getting to him. Over time he had come to not only respect her and begin to see beyond her plain face, but was coming to love her for her spirit, her kindness to people for whom there was little kindness, her open acceptance and work with orphans, military widows, and others considered the dregs of society, and for her willingness to please him even when he was being deliberately cruel. His supervisors in the English Home Office were advising him to treat her with coldness in order to convince his enemies that she was not important to him, hoping that this would insure her safety.

This is really a very unlikely love story between two people who may have been acquainted in social situations, but who would never have thought to marry. Yet when forced to do so, each discovered hidden strengths, honor, kindness, and deep concern for the downtrodden which were kept hidden for a variety of reasons. Diccan no longer cared about Grace’s plainness. When she began to gain confidence as a married woman of social standing, she changed her drab wardrobe, began to accept her natural auburn hair as being beautiful and not he mark of a whore (as she was told repeatedly by her father), and to let a natural attractiveness shine through. Diccan saw that other men were beginning to be attracted to Grace and this was one of the factors that began to reveal his own deep feelings for her. But Grace still had no idea that her husband’s life as well as hers remained in danger and those who continued to plot the downfall of the King were still hiding among society’s eschelons.

I absolutely loved Grace!! What a woman and what a champion for the people of her surroundings who needed a friend, a nurse, an advocate, an outspoken voice for them when no one else would speak up. She knew she was a “plain Jane” and was beyond caring about the censure or criticism of society. Her caring overwhelmed any concern for herself, but she was also a woman who, even when society said she was “under the thumb” of her husband, was able to stand up for herself to Diccan, leaving him and setting up her household as she saw fit, in spite of anything he may have said to her.

But I also like Diccan as well. He was willing for Grace to think badly of him in order to protect her, to insure her safety, to even convince her that he didn’t care for her at all, was leaving her daily for his mistress, and publically denouncing her as abhorent to him. “I may have had to marry her, but do I have to sleep with her as well?” It took tremendous strength of character to deliberately mislead people who could endanger her safety simply because he was coming to love her. And above all, I like a man who can not only stand up for himself, but one who also knows the value of some sincere groveling. Never underestimate the value of groveling. I think it works best when accompanied with flowers and candy, but that’s just me.

This is a novel by an author whose work I have not previously read. But after reading this book, I am determined to find other books she has written. I have a feeling that those characters will be the brazen and strong-minded people I have encountered in this novel. I hope you will find this novel and read it. It is well worth the time and effort to do so.

I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5.

You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place.

This book is available from Forever Publishing. You can buy it here or here in e-format.