Sebastian Cade, Duke of Rutland, infamous recluse, and rumored to be cruelly deformed with an expected short life span, thrives in privacy on his family estate. Sebastian’s self-imposed banishment, the result of a cruel betrayal that ended in heartbreak and tragedy, has protected him from the Ton and all their societal intrigues for over five years. But his luck and life is about to change when a beautiful, young debutante, dressed in a stable hands’ clothing, is found unconscious in his rose garden.
Julia Deveraux can hardly believe her misfortune. First, her father’s complete disregard for all things “Julia”; that is, until she is of age and he can marry her off to a husband wealthy enough and willing to pay off his gambling debts. Second, her father’s promising her hand to a man who is not only known for but permeates evil and perversion. And third, after having taken great pains to escape the engagement announcement, being knocked unconscious while on horseback, only to be found by a not-so-disfigured Duke of Rutland. Actually, strike that last one. Perhaps being in Sebastian’s care is not so unfortunate; especially when they both find out that they are each other’s particular brand of “perfection.”
Together, Sebastian and Julia will find their attraction to one another undeniable. But it is a tenuous connection at best. When Sebastian finds out her betrothed is none other than his greatest nemesis, can their burgeoning love survive? Or will the prospect of taking the ultimate revenge on his archenemy prevail?
Kayleigh Jamison’s RECKLESS LIAISONS is a no-frills, all romance-all the time, riveting Regency romance. For starters, our hero, Sebastian, captivates the reader in such a manner that even before they’re halfway through the book it feels like a moral imperative just to see how his story comes to a conclusion. At the onset, Sebastian feels like the typical historical romance hero - titled, wealthy, sees the Ton for all their petty self-importance, and too handsome to be true (despite a noticeable scar across his face) with a body to match his flawlessness. But it’s the way he tortures himself with an obscene amount of guilt and how he continues to nurse his broken heart that will invest the reader in his character. As far as heroines go, Julia is sweetly engaging, with charm enough to win the reader over into believing she is worthy of Sebastian. As a couple, their chemistry is such that there is no doubt the reader will be breezing through the narrative just to find any and all Julia-Sebastian scenes.
Another huge asset in the RECKLESS LIAISONS arsenal is the camaraderie between the Cade siblings. The interaction between Sebastian and his younger sister and brother, Catherine and Alex, is annoying and endearing and impudent, but mostly hilarious, all at the same time. Their inimitable poking and prodding stamped their relationship as genuine, emphasizing even more the urgency to read their story to the end.
