Almost An Equal (The Hunt Club Chronicles 1) by Heather Boyd

Summary:

When Nathan Shern, Duke of Byworth's, empty sham of a marriage is threatened by a fellow duke he is naturally aggrieved. He cannot allow the potentially damaging contents of his wife's diary to reveal the depths of their estrangement because exposure of his secret dalliances with other men would taint his innocent children's lives. Not to mention end his life. So, without revealing his mission to his steward, Henry Stackpool, a man he trusts for everything else, Nathan undertakes to steal the diary back alone.

Former pickpocket and molly house whore, Henry Stackpool, works hard to keep his position as right hand to a moral man, the Duke of Byworth, but he fears his kind hearted employer is ill-equipped for a confrontation with his unstable opponent. Yet Henry cannot reveal his knowledge of the threat without exposing the secrets of his past or his keen interest in Byworth's safety. So when fate places Henry in harms way, he risks his hard won reputation to retrieve the diary. Yet he too is held captive, and when Byworth comes to his rescue his lies are revealed.

Can Byworth forgive him for his deception and will Henry keep the country life he's grown to love?

Reviwer: BlackTulip
I've never read anything by Heather Boyd before and I'm happy to say that I loved this novella.

The two main characters are as different as can be. Henry Stackpool is lucky enough to have secured a job as the steward of Nathan Shern, Duke of Byworth's. Something he thought he could never obtain, being a former pickpocket and a molly house whore. This is why he worked so hard and definitely earned the trust of his employer.

Deep, deep in their hearts they both hope and imagine something that can never be or so they think. They both hold back and struggle, too afraid to lose that trust and respect that exist between them.

Nathan has a lot on his shoulders and the responsibility of his good name and his children is paramount. So when everything seems in peril because of the carelessness and the irresponsibility of his wife he has to act alone because there is too much at stake.

The thing that characterize them both is the loneliness and the goodness in them. Henry has a knack with children, and Nathan's are very fond of him. Nathan is rather uneasy with them, he loves them of course but he doesn't really know how to show it.
The Duchess doesn't care at all about them; she is shallow and selfish and only thinks about her own pleasures.

One dreadful night causes their carefully arranged lives to collapse. They drop their masks and openly show what they feel for each other. Together they will be strong enough to fight whatever enemy there is to fight.

It is a beautiful love story, written with finesse and taste. The only criticism I have is that I would have liked to know more about Henry's past life. That being said it was a good read and I give a 4/5.

See the original review on goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/225003205

Hardly a Stranger (The Hunt Club Chronicles 3) by Heather Boyd

Summary:

Ambrose Manning, Duke of Staines, has the worst luck in wives and lovers. A widow for fifteen years, he’s busy running his gentleman’s club, snatches pleasure from transient lovers, and relies on Francis Redding to provide intelligent companionship between social engagements. There is only one problem with his relationship with Redding; the man would make the perfect lover, if only he wasn’t a dependant servant.

Life-long footman to the Duke of Staines, Francis Redding, is hardly a stranger to the disappointment of unreachable dreams or the duke’s unorthodox love life. He’s lived in the duke’s shadow for most of his life, trained as a surgeon at his request, too, and has all too frequently kept the duke out of trouble. It’s not a bad life for a farmer’s son, until the duke’s luck runs out.

Publishers Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations some readers may find objectionable: anal play and male/male sexual practices.

Reviewer: BlackTulip
The Duke of Staines and Francis Redding are two characters that briefly made an appearance in the first and second book of the series. This is at last their story.

Ambrose Manning, Duke of Staines, will turn five and forty next month and he suddenly felt old, tired and bored. He was happy once and very much in love with his wife. She had been the perfect woman for him but it lasted only ten years. He was devastated when she died so unexpectedly, and that day, his heart shattered into a thousand pieces, but it was fifteen years ago.

He created a very special and exclusive Club and he threw himself wholeheartedly into it. For the last decade, it has been a great success and has filled his life, as well as some brief affairs from time to time.... but has it ever been enough to fill that void inside him? Maybe not.

Francis Redding, a farmer's son, has been first a childhood companion then he became a servant and later the Duke of Staines' footman. Then following the Duke's suggestion he trained to become a surgeon to his bawdy house.

They have a very strange and unique servant-master relationship. It is not unusual for the Duke to seek his company and discuss any important or unimportant matters he has on his mind. To Francis it is always a pleasure. He is a very reliable man and many times he was able to save Ambrose from awkward situations, which sadly has became a habit.

It is obvious that after thirty years of living side by side that they have a true friendship. But during these past ten years something else grew as time went on. Ambrose has recognized it but desperately fought it. First, because he made a rule to never dally with any servants or employees, second, because he is not so sure how these feelings would be received, not knowing if Francis is even attracted to men. But most of all because he is too afraid to lose what they share together.

Francis on the other hand felt many times that something else was in the air but he is not able to put a name on it or maybe he is simply to afraid too.

Then one night Ambrose is challenged in a stupid duel for the wrong reasons and is shot. God damn it, he was too young to die... and he would miss Redding!

It is only the beginning of their love story. Ambrose will need a very good surgeon, thank god he has one handy. Even injured and in pain he has no choice but to show what he feels because life is too short and he is not going to wait another ten years.

Once again Heather Boyd has written a very good book. It doesn't have all the tension and angst of the second one but is very similar in many ways to the first of the series. I heard that there would be another one in 2012. I cannot wait to read it. I give 4.5/5.

Publisher: Night Shift Publishing

Barely a Master (The Hunt Club Chronicles 2) by Heather Boyd

Summary:

The trappings of wealth and power give Aiden Banks, Duke of Lewes, little joy and certainly no pleasure. Tormented by grave mistakes he made with a past lover, he's determined to end it all and has a pistol ready and waiting especially for the occasion. All he needs is patience and time to educate his young heir to take his place. Once he's free, he'll end his lonely existence and escape the pain of Archer's disappearance.

Terrance Bridgewater has freedom at long last with no one to slow down his pursuit of reckless pleasure. He's in London briefly en route to a ship bound for the continent to see the things he's only read about. Running into the dark and dangerous Duke of Lewes is a complication he'd hoped to avoid. Terrance would rather forget the wicked games he played with the duke and his role as the dominant whore, Archer, at the Hunt Club.

Despite his mistrust, the volatile duke's plea for a second chance tempts Terrance to lower his guard. Yet what can come of two souls with nothing in common but lies and lust, two men with opposite desires and far different plans for the course of their life.

Reviewer: BlackTulip
Almost an Equal, the first book of The Hunt Club Chronicles was very good, but this one is even better!

Right now, all that the powerful Duke of Lewes had in mind, was to take his pistol and just pull the trigger. He's grown too tired of pretending he liked living. But he had a last duty to perform, to teach his nephew and heir how to become a duke; the quicker the better, because he couldn't wait years. It had to be very soon because he was suffocating, responsibilities and duty were dragging him irremediably to the bottom.

Once, three years ago, there has been someone and maybe some hope, but he had driven the man away and it still tortured him. Truth be told, he was utterly lost without him, Archer, his wonderful dominant whore! But he had not known how essential he was to him until it was two late. And he knew too well, there won't be a second chance.

But one night, walking in Covent Garden, he saw him again and it was a shock for both.

Archer, or rather, Terrance Bridgewater, will have none of that again. He was free now and in control of own his life. In a few days he would leave London and see the world with his own eyes, not through books anymore.

He agrees to one last night, but he won't play a part, he will just be himself, Terrance. Unfortunately or fortunately, this one night will be a revelation for both of them.

Aidan, the Duke of Lewes, was taught to guard his heart and show only indifference but those few hours with Terrance only showed him that he wanted more, he needed more from the man he didn't know anymore. But he was too afraid to share his thoughts.

Meanwhile, Terrance was in serious trouble himself. It had to stop now because last night was only a farewell, in a very short time he will be gone.

Of course, there is much more to it. First a whole range of emotions, like hope, doubts, jealousy, fear, and surprise. And then there is a very ingenious dramatic turn of events that follows which will lead to a very satisfying conclusion.

It was a wonderful book, full of intense emotions. I'm very much looking forward to reading the next one! I give it 5/5.