Worth Any Price

Bow Street Runners #3

by Lisa Kleypas

Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780380811076

Nick Gentry is reputed to be the most skillful lover in all England. Known for solving delicate situations, he is hired to seek out Miss Charlotte Howard. He believes his mission will be easily accomplished - but that was before he met the lady in question.

For instead of a willful female, he discovers one in desperate circumstances, hiding from a man who could destroy her very soul. So Nick shockingly offers her a very different kind of proposition - one he has never offered before.

He asks her to be his bride.

And he knows that this will be much more than a union in name only. For he senses what Charlotte does not yet know - that her appetite for sensuality matches his own. But what Nick learns surprises him. For while London's most notorious lover might claim Charlotte's body, he quickly discovers it will take much more than passion to win her love

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Regency, Marriage Of Convenience, Regency Romance

388 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

LISA KLEYPAS is the RITA award-winning author of 21 novels. Her books are published in fourteen languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Niko Llewyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lottie had lived most of her life under the thumb of her family's crazed benefactor. She ran away and has found a semblance of peace in the country, until she's found by a certain dangerous bow street runner. The first 8 chapters are magical, but IMO the story goes downhill pretty quickly after. There are a few mini plots (secret identities, mental scars, family issues) aside from the main romance/protection plot. With skill, extremely predictable books can be enjoyable, but this ain't the case here. I guess my biggest gripe is that 'Lady Sophia's Lover' was so brilliant. The Chemistry between Sophia and Ross is explosive, not just the eventual sex; but the banter and how we watch their attraction grow into love. We're never shown that with Nick and Lottie, just told.

So what he buys her a crap load of dresses and some candy. Nick never fleshes out into a fully dimensional character. All we're left knowing at end of the novel is mostly what we went in knowing he's handsome, reckless, and something horrible happened to him as a teen. Now he just has a wife and a few other superficial changes to his residence and profession.

quick summary of chpts 7-12 :
(all side plots not included purposely)

:cue hot sex:
Lottie: tell me about your self
Nick: * I'm so not talking to you now, I'm as cold as Ice. Feel the chill of my haughty retreat into myself*
Lottie: Oh noez, I've gone and done it again *haz a sad*
Nick: (my secret is so dark, so painful) *sigh*

Nick: Lets go shopping *spend spend spend*
Lottie: wait..no...ok yay!

Nick: Danger is so smexy
:sex sex sex:
Lottie: lets sleep in my room together
Nick: NEVER!! I'm off to run the streets, that'll learn you.* flips cape in the wind dramatically then flees into the night*
Lottie: I shall cringe like an abused puppy and wring my hands until he returns. * fret fret fret*

Lottie: why is he like this!? I just want to wuvvvv him...
Nick's Sister: He's mysterious, he's always been mysterious *dum dum dum dum*

*shop spend shop spend shop*

Nick: the crazy old man will never get you, I will protect you always. *frowns* ( unless he manages to get in your bedroom while you're sleeping, then you're sh*t out of luck)
Lottie: You're the bestest, except when you act like a petulant ass which is most of the time; but I'm a martyr.

: a few more temper tantrums from Nick and kinky sex scenes:

Lottie: It's ok, you can tell me.
Nick: I can't *sigh*
Lottie: Sure you can, I bet it starts with a "r" and rhymes with ape.... go for it
Nick: Oh no, it wasn't that. The great horror of my life doesn't have the actual gravity of "that".

Alas, I'm plagued by guilt, memories of violence, criminals,and death... though I've done really bad things, am a former criminal king pin, have seen and caused much death, and partake in violence often. *trembles*
Lottie: I still love you.
Nick: *shock awe*


So while sex scenes were smokin', there was no actual romance to speak of nor character growth. Personally I think Kleypas was trying so hard to throw in enough tortured angst and cliched themes that she lost her way.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new favorite from Lisa Kleypas. THE ANGSSTTTT. I love this series and it was so fun seeing previous characters in here. This is a marriage of convenience romance and I loved how all-in Nick was, even though he didn't think he deserved Charlotte. I was just obsessed with them!!!

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review will be written in a series of letters


Dear Nick Gentry,

I want to sincerely apologize for my extreme dislike of you in Lady Sophia's Lover. I am going to attribute it to the fact that I didn't really know you and the fact that you only showed me your Extreme Jerk-Off side in the previous book.

Over three years later, I now see that I judged you too quickly. All you needed was someone to give you a chance at a better life to prove your worth. Thank God you were able to receive that chance. Because now you are no longer a reckless, devil may care bad boy. You have realized that you have a good life and things worth living for. You've gone from only caring about yourself to considering the lives of others.

You learned to trust another human being with your secrets, pain, fears, and doubts.

You have learned to love. And you learned that the love of those you care about most is worth any price...

I am so glad to have been able to witness this transformation in you, my love.

Love always,
Leah


*~*~*


Dear Lottie,

Thank you for being you. I loved you from the beginning of your adventure with the infamous Nick Gentry. You immediately enchanted me with your charming, open personality and the beauty of you, inside and out. You infect everyone with your wonderfulness and you are one of the best heroines I have come across in a long time.

Thank you for helping my Nick grow into the wonderful person we all knew he was. However, he wasn't the only one who grew. You learned to trust and rely on Nick, and you opened yourself to love despite your rocky start with him. I am so glad to have been able to witness the change in you also.

With love,
Leah


*~*~*


My Beloved Marcus, Lord Westcliff,

I sincerely thank you for being your delicious, sexy, wonderful self. This book was awesome, but even if it had sucked, it would have rocked because you were in it. You can always make anything better.

I will love you forever,
Lady Leah Westcliff


*~*~*


Dear Sophia,

You rock, girl.

Love ya,
Leah


*~*~*


Dear Ross,

You make me love you even more with every page you are on.

Yours,
Leah

P.S. If you can find a time machine, we have these things now called condoms, birth control, and other contraception. Try it if you want to prevent more pregnancy. Muah!


*~*~*


Sayer,

If you ever again cause my Nick to get hurt, I will personally skin you alive.

Watch your back,
Leah


*~*~*


Lord Radnor,

I'm glad you're dead.

Fuck you,
Leah


*~*~*


Dear Lisa Kleypas,

I bow down to your literary genius. You have wooed and won me once again with the amazing story of Nick Gentry.

I loved the plot and thought you executed it beautifully. It reminded me a little of Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord by Sarah MacLean with Nick searching for Lottie, and a little of your own Married by Morning by Lottie being promised to Lord Radnor and running away. I liked that, however, and it made me love the story even more, oddly enough.

To a job well done, I salute you.

Sincerely,
Leah

(P.S. Yes, I know both those books were written after this one.)


*~*~*


Favorite Quote:
"You wouldn't make a wish."

"Because I didn't know what I wanted. And now I do."

"What do you want?" she asked tenderly.

His hands slipped behind her head, pulling her mouth down to his. "To love you forever," he whispered just before their lips met.
(Lottie & Nick, page 383)

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the cover:

What is the price of love?

Nick Gentry is reputed to be the most skillful lover in all England. Known for solving delicate situations, he is hired to seek out Miss Charlotte Howard. He believes his mission will be easily accomplished --but that was before he met the lady in question.
For instead of a willful female, he discovers one in desperate circumstances, hiding from a man who would destroy her very soul. So Nick shockingly offers her a very different kind of proposition -- one he has never offered before.

He asks her to be his bride.

And he knows that this will be much more than a union in name only. For he senses what Charlotte does not yet know -- that her appetite for sensuality matches his own. But what Nick learns surprises him. For while London's most notorious lover might claim Charlotte's body, he quickly discovers it will take much more than passion to win her love.

My Review:

Lisa Kleypas is one of those rare authors who seem to be able to take mere words on the page and bring them to life, giving us characters who become real to us. They are people we would want to live next door to, people we would choose as our friends and no matter their circumstance, they are honorable, noble people who will always do the right thing—eventually ;)

One of the things I love most about Kleypas’ novels is that her stories are written so that they can be read alone, yet are intertwined in such a way that they can be read as a series. You always have your main hero and heroine in the current book, but in each subsequent novel we have the joy of revisiting those people who we came to love and care about previously. We get to see how their lives have progressed, how their families have grown and how much finding true love has blessed them. In this novel, we revisit Sir Ross Cannon and his wife, Sophia as well as Sir Grant Morgan and his wife, Victoria. What a pleasure it is to see them still so much in love and to watch their affections displayed in subtle ways. In this book, there was one paragraph written so perfectly that in those few sentences we were given a candid glimpse into the depth of the love Sir Ross holds for Sophia:

[Sir Ross had just joined Sophia, Nick and Lottie as they sat visiting and drinking chocolate:]

Sir Ross laughed as he bent to kiss her cheek. It would have been an ordinary husbandly gesture, except for the way he finished the kiss with a soft, nearly imperceptible nuzzle.

It was such a small gesture, yet so intimate. It’s moments like these, found in all of Kleypas’ stories, which mean so much to me. I love “seeing” these exchanges rather than being “told” about them. And as I said, in just a few words, we see the depth of the affection Sir Ross and Sophia feel for each other—and this isn’t even their book!

In Worth Any Price, we are given a tale of redemption, of coming to grips with a harsh past, of learning to deal with that past and leaving it behind. Not an easy thing to do for a man who is used to keeping his thoughts and fears to himself, but he finds that painful burden much easier to bear when he finally shares it with Lottie, the only woman who had ever managed to work her way into his heart—and she did so without trying, she was just....herself.

I’m not going to ruin your read of the book by giving away too many details. I’ll only say that Worth Any Price is a story filled with love, hope, trust and the importance of family. It is the story of John Sydney and Nick Gentry—the boys they were and the man they became.

[Mo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one did nothing for me really. Couldn't warm to either character. I really enjoyed the first two in the series. This one left me cold. Skimmed the last 20%. I didn't care. I have no idea why.


I feel I should give it a three but, honestly, I cannot. It was OK but I did not love it, I did not even really like it.

[Dab · Rating 5 out of 5]

So we get a hero who is not only a hot, dark and brooding bad boy but also a sex god. Not sure it even matters who the heroine is at this point.

Loved it! The best of the series!

And a young Westcliff 😍

[Lover of Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nick Gentry, most current mission is to find a missing lady, the man whom she is betrothed to is desperate to find her. But when Nick finally finds her (which wasn't that difficult ) but then he meets her and only desires to keep her for himself. Knowing that she is in desperate circumstances, he offers her a solution, to marry him and have protection from her fiancee whom she would rather die than be married to. So even though its not a ideal situation for Charlotte, she agrees knowing that both her and her family would be taken care of, is she agrees to marry Nick, and she would have protection from the one she despises and fears the most. The passion is awakened in Charlotte, a desire that she didn't know she had in her, and every fiber in her comes alive with his sensual touch. And knows that her heart is at risk, for she could very well fall in love with this sensual yet secretive man...Worth Any Price is the third and final installment in the Bow Street Runners series that Lisa Kleypas has created. Worth Any Price is Nick Gentry story, and after seeing him previously, I have definitely been looking forward to reading his story. Nick is a special hero, and one that is close to my heart, and one of my favorite characters that this author has created. He is a haunted and dangerous man, but there is a appeal about him, where you just want to comfort the man, for he has gone through many hardships throughout his life. Worth Any Price is a charming story about two people who deserve love and happiness having never been able to find it for themselves, but together will find the most exquisite pleasure and joy. From the first page I was drawn into the story and could hardly put it down and is captivating to the bone......I LOVED it!!!

My Favorite Quote
"You'll find life far more enjoyable as my wife," Gentry Continued " You won't be anyone's servant. You can do as you please within reasonable limits. And you won't have to fear Lord Radnor any longer. "
"All for the price of sleeping with you," She muttered. He smiled, all velvety arrogance, as he replied, "You may come to enjoy that part of it most of all."

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Nick Gentry since his first appearance in 'Lady Sophia´s Lover', the previous book in this series. After reading 'Worth Any Price', I´m pleased to say I´m not disappointed. :) Yes, he wasn´t perfect and did some unpleasant (to put it mildly) things in the past, but LK did a wonderful job "justifying" his actions. I just couldn´t not love Nick!

I loved Lottie too. She was strong and much able to fend for herself, even though she herself doubt it sometimes. In summary, she was the perfect woman to help Nick overcome his fears and accept himself.

The story was also good, but it didn´t take me away from Nick and Lottie. They were the strongest point of the book, IMHO. I kept turning the pages because I wanted to know how they were going to work things out together, not because I was interested in how the matter with Lord Radnor or the revealing of Nick´s true identity would be resolved.

BUT I have a minor complaint... Well, maybe not so minor because it was so annoying that prevented me from giving this book a 5-star rating. As many readers already said before me, I really didn´t like Nick´s constant bragging about learning sexual techniques from his former lover. So NOT romantic! If I were Lottie, I´d have smacked him in the head every time he started on that road, LOL.

All in all, I really liked this book and I´m still a devoted fan of Ms. Kleypas.

[Carol Storm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisa Kleypas is the Joe Dimaggio of Historical Romance. Her stories have a smoothness, grace and power that is absolutely unmatched, and she carves out each tale with cool perfection and ease. Effortlessly summoning up all the luxury and allure of Victorian manners, clothing and cuisine, she combines the glamorous settings with deeply engrossing characters and raw sexual pyrotechnics.

Nick Gentry was the villain in the previous novel, LADY SOPHIA'S LOVER. As a bold master thief forced into a catching criminals as an elite Bow Street Runner, Nick is a conflicted character to begin with. Added to that, his childhood was marred by violence and sexual abuse, and he is deeply distrustful of emotions and authority.

Nick's boss, Ross Cannon, is a stern father figure who makes Nick into a better man. Like most romance authors, Kleypas has a tendency to idealize male authority figures, and Ross is no exception. He is the perfect surrogate father to Nick, very demanding yet also quietly understanding. It helps that he's married to Nick's sister Sophia, of course. But Ross' decision to send Nick to rescue the kidnapped Charlotte Howard represents a second chance for the bad boy gone good.

Charlotte Howard is a classic damsel in distress, on the run from a cold, controlling man. At first Nick seems like more of the same. But, after a while, Charlotte senses how tormented and confused Nick is -- underneath the devastating sexual allure. The two of the come together in a sexual explosion so hot it literally scorches the pages! Yet if you look beneath the surface, you notice that Charlotte makes several of the key decisions and is far more in control than Nick in some ways. Nick only asserts total control in the bedroom -- and boy does he ever! The problem is, each step towards love drags Nick towards a final surrender to Ross and respectability. Will he find a way to marry Charlotte and keep his own roguish identity intact?

I loved this book. More than most romance authors, Lisa Kleypas understands that men have deep emotional relationships outside of the bedroom. Ross and Nick are, in their own way, as much the center of this story as Nick and Charlotte. By making peace with Ross, Nick is finally coming to terms with his own abandonment and abuse. Charlotte's love is the one thing that allows Nick to accept his place in the world and be the man he was always meant to be. A very powerful story, smoothly told.

[Irina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gentry came to her, taking the glass after she had downed half its contents. “In a minute you’re going to be as drunk as a wheelbarrow.”
    “Does it matter?” she asked hoarsely, watching as he finished the brandy for her.
    “I suppose not.” As she swayed before him, he set aside the empty snifter and caught her waist in his hands. A self-mocking smile touched his lips. “God knows any woman would need to fortify herself after agreeing to become my wife.”

Rating in 2025: **** (Audiobook – The narrator spoils the fun with overacting.)
Rating in 2025: *****
Rating in 2007: *****

Please don't be misled by the blurb calling Nick Gentry the most notorious lover in all England. The hero is not a manwhore, and his reputation as a skillful lover is not a topic at all. He is skillful, though, and he proves it countless times. (In other words: There are a lot of sex scenes – beware if you don't like that.)

Otherwise, please read this book if you like the genre, because it's historical romance at its best and Nick Gentry is the perfect hero: protective, rich and sexy, but also tortured, haunted by guilt and therefore borderline suicidal. When the former king of the underworld and current Bow Street Runner/private investigator meets Charlotte, he is immediately fascinated by her and wants to make her his. It's a good idea, because she's exactly what he needs: strong but patient, passionate, loyal and oh so sweet.

Their evolving relationship is a pleasure to watch. There are no unnecessary, tedious twists and entanglements and, thankfully, no countless contrived issues. There's no need for it. The growing love and faith between the two protagonists – despite Gentry's identity crisis – is more than enough material for a wonderful story. (Additionally, we meet Marcus, Lord Westcliff, for the first time – he makes a memorable appearance. As always.)

I listened to the audiobook this time, narrated by Rosalyn Landor, and she does a great job. Especially when she performs Gentry's role, speaking hushed and hoarse, the intensity is insane. (Edit: Sorry, I have no idea why I wrote above that she spoiled the fun with overacting. I need to relisten to find out what's true. I don't remember after several Landor audiobooks.)

4.5

[Stacia (the 2010 club) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This woman is still my go-to when I find myself slipping further and further into bad reads.

If I'm going to read fluff, it might as well be fun fluff. Kleypas brings the fun every time. Well, almost every time. I'm still trying to forget about Christmas at Friday Harbor.

Books 1 and 2 of the Bow Street Runners were not my favorite offerings from Kleypas. I almost decided not to read Worth Any Price in favor of checking out one of her other series which I haven't read yet. I'm glad now that I found a copy of this book while cleaning and decided to give it a go.

The formula is still pretty much the same, so if you've read Kleypas, you'll know what to expect. I was almost sort of hoping that the lead character Nick would explore his kink side more than he did, with the mention of his desire to tie a woman up and have his way with her. His version of kink made vanilla look exotic. But that's alright. I don't read HR for the highly charged eroticism, even if LK always has a wonderful way of conveying sensuality and connection between a man and a woman.

And as always, the lead female manages to pierce through the armor surrounding the broken man.

We smile.
We swoon a little.
We appreciate the HEA.
And that's good enough for me.

[Katrina Passick Lumsden · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one would have gotten four stars from me if not for the dangling plot point regarding Charlotte's family. Seriously, her parents were tossing their daughters at rich, psychotic perverts and we're not gonna revisit that topic? Sloppy.

[Just A Girl With Spirit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Gentry could get it! I knew I would love his story, and LK didn’t disappoint. I love a naughty hero with a protective heart of gold for the woman he loves. Former ruthless criminal forced by his brother in law, Sir Ross Cannon to be a BowStreet Runner in order to escape being hanged. Hired by a despicable vile man to find a woman named Charlotte (Lottie) that ran away to escape an arranged marriage to him..Gentry finds her employed at my book husband’s house, Lord Marcus Westcliff at Stony Cross Park. Nick experiences instant chemistry and lust, and offers her marriage in order to save her from the pervert that’s after her. Nick Gentry turns this virgin out! With his bedroom skills that literally could go on for hours..I mean, he was taught by one of the best harlots at Ms. Bradshaw’s brothel. He was able to spill his deepest darkest desires and fantasies and was under her tutoring for three years! The things that man could do..swooning!

This book was steamy, suspenseful, and heartbreaking as Nick Gentry finally felt safe to release the tormenting demons of his soul to his wife. Guilt he carried from his months in a prison hulk at 14 years old. The things he saw and witnessed at a young age made my heart hurt. I loved this story, as I do all things Lisa Kleypas.

“Are you completely corrupted now? No? Then let’s go home, and I’ll finish the job.”

Have mercy🔥

[daemyra, the realm's delight · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bow Street Runners is my favourite series by Lisa Kleypas (spicy, with great premises that deliver) and Worth Any Price is my favourite book in the series. Nick Gentry, acting on behalf of Lord Radnor, is tracking his runaway fiance, Lottie (Charlotte) Howard. Nick ends up falling for Lottie and offers her marriage as protection against Lord Radnor, the villain of the story because he wants to Pygmalion her.

After Lady Sophia's Lover, I was all about Nick Gentry and he lives up to the hype in his stand-alone book. I find this story surprisingly touching, even with its conventional conflict (hero has past demons, makes arbitrary emotional boundaries) and its odd moments of silly absurdity that include a light BDSM scene. The climax is mildly subversive. Although the story is set up so the reader expects Nick to rescue Lottie from Lord Radnor, they both deal with their own baggage separately. Before the couple can enjoy their Happily Ever After, Lottie must face Lord Radnor while Nick must decide whether he truly wants his adventurous life among the underbelly of London. They fight their own battles and they come out of it stronger in their relationship with each other.

[Izzah ꒰Duchess of Cabria ಇ ⭑✧ ᴏɴ ᴘᴀᴛʀᴇᴏɴ ✧ ⋆꒱ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Y'all lied to me

I was looking for an angsty, tear-jerker sort of read and this one was on such a list. Since I got the series already to read the first book for the bingo I thought this was my lucky day~

Nope.

What angst people? Seriously, where was it? Show me the latitude and longitude, maybe I can go hiking there and see if I find a couple of throat burnings at least.
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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[A Romance Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!! I love Nick and Lottie so much! Their chemistry is off the charts and you can feel how much they love each other. They understand and want to protect each other at all costs. They’ve suffered enough already in the past so they just want to bring happiness and love to each others lives. I just love their relationship so much.

You really can’t go wrong with Lisa Kleypas’s Historical Romances. She’ll always be one of my favorite authors.

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ stars – Historical Romance

WOW! This is another beautiful, romantic, evocative, and lushly sensual read from the master of historical romance, Lisa Kleypas. I absolutely loved it! Big 5 stars!

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read the two prior books in this series, but it wasn’t a problem. The blurb and the prologue of this book are both kind of terrible, so ignore those. The book itself is surprisingly good - there’s romance, there’s action, and there’s emotional moments dealing with past traumas. It’s worth picking up!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book! From very early on in the story I knew two things: Nick was going to become one of my favorite heroes, if not my very favorite, and this book was going to be one of the top favorites of my all-time favorite books! I give this book 10 stars!!

When we first met Nick Gentry in Lady Sophia's Lover I had my doubts about him. I don't really know what it was that bothered me about him, maybe he seemed cocky or something, but to be honest I wasn't that thrilled about reading his book. But then I read some great reviews about his book and I changed my mind, I was excited!

Nick's story begins with him at Mrs. Bradshaw's Brothel. So my first thoughts were, ugh, I don't want to read about this guy's mistress, I want to read about the heroine! But very quickly I changed my mind, he had my attention and my sympathy! He was a 24 year old virgin and he no longer wanted to be one. Since he was put in prison at the age of 14 he had turned away and cringed at all human touch. So that made it quite difficult to be with a woman intimately. Besides, no woman had ever come along that made him want to allow her to touch him. But his sexual urges were growing stronger, to the point that it became more important to satisfy that urge rather than continue to keep himself from being touched. So he and Mrs. Bradshaw began meeting over the course of three years, where she taught him all the skills he would need to satisfy a lover and himself. After a time she told him it was time for him to go find another woman.

Nick Gentry was looking for Charlotte "Lottie" Howard. He had been hired by Lord Radnor to find Lottie after she had been missing for two years. Lord Radnor is a disgusting old man who made a deal with Lottie's family; He would give them money to eat and live on if they would give Lottie, their oldest daughter, to him in marriage. But Lottie refuses to be prey to Lord Crusty and so she runs away!

Nick finds Lottie working as a companion to the Earl of Westcliff's mother at Stony Cross Park. (Yay, we get to spend time with Marcus, another favorite of mine! *sigh*) What Nick didn't expect to find was a woman who would make him feel unlike any other before. There is an immediate attraction between the two of them and sparks start to fly! When the earl of Westcliff finds out the true identity and fate of his mothers companion, he proposes marriage to her to protect her! But Nick won't allow someone else to take Lottie from him and Lottie won't allow the Earl to "settle" for a loveless marriage. So Nick offers marriage to Lottie! He truly feels sorry for the lot that had been dealt to her and he knows that if he does not protect her from the old Lord Creep-a-lot, then she would be destroyed, mind, body and soul.

What I love about the relationship between Nick and Lottie is that they actually get along very well. They complement each others personalities very well and grow quite open and close to each other early on in their marriage. It was very refreshing to see that! Lottie never allowed Nick to bully her, she was able to speak her mind in front of him. She did not fear him when the rumors she'd heard about him told her she should fear him. And Nick showed her such kindness and the fun side of life, a side she had not seen since she was a little girl of 8 years old being betrothed to Lord Dirty-Old-Man!

Lottie and Nick did have their problems to work through though. Remember Nick comes into this marriage with an awful lot of baggage that he needs to work through. But with his spirited and tough new bride, it was sure to happen.

This was one of those stories where the hero and heroine both captured my heart! They were both such tortured souls, but worked through their problems beautifully! Oh, and I love the ending with Sir Ross Cannon and Nick, finally able to agree on something!

Amazing book and I cannot wait to read it again! Lisa Kleypas is simply an amazing woman to be able to create the heroes that she does!

[kris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nick is hired to find Lottie. When he does, his loins burn for her so he proposes marriage. And then there is sex. So much sex. Tantric sex! Bondage sex! Shower sex! Oh, and Nick faces his ~past and becomes a Better Man for it?? But mostly: sex.

1. I cannot tell a lie: I was kind of into the sex.

2. THAT SAID, WHOA ISSUES.

a. [trigger warning: sexual abuse of a child; dubious consent] When Lottie is 'caught' by Nick, she offers to become his mistress and he demands a ~demonstration because 1) he is a major asshole, and 2) SEX. He proceeds to manually stimulate her as he holds her on his lap, overriding her requests that he stop. Shortly thereafter, Lottie reveals that her former fiance (the one who hired Nick to find her) would visit her house when she was younger and home from school, and force her to sit on his lap as he touched her sexually.

The text does not see a problem with this. Nick does not react to this news; does not throw himself on her mercy for mauling her in a fashion near identical to that of her former molester. Sure, he wants to rip former-fiance's throat out, but that's Man Stuff and clearly Lottie's over her abuse, right?

Which brings me to b: The text is so goddamned into Nick's trauma and guilt that Lottie's experiences are basically hand-waved away. Lottie has to absolve Nick's guilt. Lottie has to convince Nick to share his history. Lottie has to soothe his Man-Pain while her suffering and recovery is conveniently missing from the narrative.

c. FUCK SIR ROSS. There are very few things that piss me off OK there are a lot of things that piss me off, but one of the biggest is an overriding of personal autonomy. So when Ross goes ahead with reinstating Nick's title, completely regardless of Nick's thoughts or wishes into the matter (which boil down to: FUCK NO), I was pretty grossed out. There's a lot of bullshit about how it's for Nick's ~own good, but whatever. Nick does not want to be a Viscount. Threatening to request testimonies from his sister, his wife, his cat to override Nick's own refusal is just...ew. Fuck off, mate.

(Also, is that a thing? Can you request a wife testify against her husband, particularly in the 1830s? I feel like it's not a thing? But maybe I'm drunk and wrong and sad.)

3. So how do I rate this fuckstick of a book? I'd give it like 3.99 stars for the sex because yay for something other than your army-issued missionary style!! But then I only want to give this book 1 star for handling everything else like the Bears handle an away game in Green Bay. (OOO BURN.)

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 'worthy' stars

This was my very first Lisa Kleypas book and most likely the most re-read one. (I'm very sure that I re-read it way more times than only four.) For a long time, it used to be my favorite HR. I can't say that it still is, actually it's not even my favorite Kleypas' book anymore but I have such fond memories about this book. I still love the story very much and if you could see the state of my worn paperback then you would know how really loved is this book. And, of course, Nick and Lottie are also still one of my most beloved couples.

“Then you’ll have to devise some means of—” Lottie broke off and inhaled sharply as she stood upright.
“What is it?” he asked alertly.
Lottie blushed from her head to her toes. “I’m sore. In…in places that I’m not usually sore.”
Nick understood immediately. An abashed grin touched his lips, and he hung his head in an unconvincing effort at penitence. “I’m sorry. An aftereffect of Tantric lovemaking.”
“Is that what it was?” Lottie hobbled to a chair near the hearth, where she had left her robe. Hastily she wrapped it around herself.
“An ancient Indian art form,” he explained. “Ritualized methods designed to prolong intercourse.
Lottie’s high color persisted as she recalled the things he had done to her in the night. “Well, it certainly was prolonged.”
“Not really. Tantric experts often have sexual relations for nine or ten hours at a time.”
She gave him an appalled glance. “Could you do that, if you wished?”
Standing from the bed, Nick walked over to her, completely unself-conscious in his nakedness. He took her into his arms and nuzzled her soft blond hair, playing with the loose braid that hung down her back. “With you, I wouldn’t mind trying,” he said, smiling against her temple.
“No, thank you. I can barely walk as it is.” She searched through the tantalizing hair on his chest, finding the point of his nipple. “I’m afraid I’m not going to encourage any of your Tantric practices.”
“That’s all right,” he replied amiably. “There are other things we can do.” His voice lowered seductively. “I haven’t begun to show you the things I know.”
“I was afraid of that,” she said, and he laughed.”

[Nσҽɱí · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y con este libro termino la serie Bow Street.
Pues como los dos libros anteriores, lo he disfrutado muchísimo.
Esta bien escrito, es entretenido y me han gustado mucho los protagonistas.
Aún así me quedo con el segundo libro, de los tres es el que más me ha gustado.
Me hubiera gustado que la autora hubiera escrito un libro también del médico, jajaja, pero bueno aún así no ha estado nada mal.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bow Street Runner Nick Gentry is well known for his skills as a thief-taker so when he’s hired to find Miss Charlotte Howard, he thinks this assignment will be a piece of cake. But when he meets the runaway bride, his perception changes as he realizes she’s hiding for good reason and there’s no way he can give her over to his client. Surprising even himself, Nick decides to offer her the best protection he can, marrying him instead.

Nick is very upfront from the first that their marriage will not merely be a convenient union in name only and Lottie agrees, despite her nervousness. Nick senses that she’ll be able to match him in every way and he’s surprised by just how true that is, and equally surprised by how much he wants more than just passion from her.

If you follow my reviews at all then you’ll know I’m a complete sucker for a tortured hero, especially if he’s protective of his heroine. Bonus points if she introduces him to love. This book ticked all those boxes for me, and I loved it. Nick is supposed to be collecting Lottie and returning her to the intended fiance she’s been running from for two years, but when Nick sees her, he has to have her for himself. Swoon. Especially when he explains his actions to her later on in the book. Nick had a very tough life and expected the absolute worst from everyone. I loved Lottie’s patience with him while also pushing him out of his comfort zone little by little. We also see Sophia and Ross from the previous book doing the same and I loved them becoming a real family. Nick’s transformation was enormous, but also gradual enough to be believable and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing him realign his priorities as he grew to realize just what Lottie really meant to him. I loved that he wanted more from Lottie and wasn’t quite sure how to go about getting it or making his wishes known and she perceived that and was able to help guide him along. She didn’t cow to him or back down and I loved that. He had his entire world turned upside down and she was there for him every step of the way, showing him a love he never expected to find and giving him a safe space to be vulnerable, just as he did for her. This book was a winner for me, it’s going on the keeper shelf, and I’m super glad I grabbed it as the next up in my physical TBR reading.

Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...

[Sonja · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8 out of 5 stars.

This was quite a fun read!!

❝He was no longer bedeviled and driven, no longer hungry for things he couldn’t have. For the first time in his life, he was at peace.❞

[Millie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sexy detective man steals bride from employer. The sexy detective man also learned indian sex moves from a she-pimp and received zero STDs👍👍😁 good for him



Plot:

Lottie was a lady pimped out (forced to marry) by her parents to an old lord for his fortune. She ran away for a while and then the old man had had enough. He hired Nick Gentry, a Bow Street Runner and a pretty damn good detective, to look for her. Nick found her, and instead of giving her back to the old man, he offered marriage and protection.

Review:

I enjoyed this pretty well. I didn't swoon as much, but it didn't stop me from enjoying it thoroughly. They're my type of couple.

I do love that she's the one who proposes marriage to him.




The only downside is the "dark side" that Nick supposedly has. I'm glad it didn't drag on as much, but still this trope got used pretty often in romantic books, and it got pretty boring for me. Mainly like mafia romance has this thing where the hero is emo and he's like "oh you don't want to know me I have a dark side," then refuses to communicate.



But yeah, I'm glad it didn't drag on. It would've been annoying, especially the way he kept referring to himself as a bad person even though he's a decent guy who helps other people. Like? Bitch please, you're a good guy. Might have stolen some shit or done some things, but hey, he's respectful towards women, how bad can he be? Compared to a mafia hero, Nick Gentry is a saint.

I love that Lottie has great communication skills. She asked him point-blank what his problem was at one point, which surprised me. I hate when heroines' feelings are hurt, yet they refuse to communicate and fix the problem, so Lottie was a breath of fresh air.

I also LOVE that his relationship with his sex guru was kept to a minimum. It didn't drag on; there's no unnecessary drama or jealousy.



We also get a Westcliff cameo in this. It's been a while since I've seen him, but still?? He seems to make a cameo in EVERY Kleypas series... I'd rather have Tom Severin or Winterborne. Anyway, he's tolerable in this one. Not annoying at all, in fact, he's quite lovely.

I also like that Nick gave her a choice instead of forcing her. Like, "Be Mine or Radnor's" or even a thing as simple as accompanying her through the gardens.

Will I read the rest of the series? No. As much as I love this one, I'm not sure the others are as good. Sophia's book sounds interesting, but I sensed that it has a lot of action and mystery, which I dislike. Even in this book, I dislike the action mystery. It's written too weird. I did not enjoy the chase scene or the kidnapping scene. It was wayy too much for me.



I want tension and romance from Kleypas. I stand by my thoughts and that is: Lisa Kleypas is a romance writer, not an action mystery one. If I wanted an action romance i would read a mafia book where the hero is actually "Dark". I tried one other action historical romance of Kleypas, one of the Ravenels books, and that one was horrid. I made an exception to try this one and it was good. I don't like to gamble, so I'll avoid the others and let this one leave a good taste in my mouth.

[Marta Luján · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una historia rica en emociones e intensa en su expresividad.

La trama se va desarrollando con coherencia y, casi diría, con una dolorosa lentitud que va haciendo que cada emoción y sentimiento cale hondo. La cuidada ambientación se columpia entre el Londres aristocrático, tan conocido por las lectoras de romántica, y el Londres desarrapado y sucio de los arrabales suburbanos.

Lisa Kleypas vuelve a coger, para esta novela, uno de esos personajes oscuros que tanto le gustan. Un hombre que vive de sueños y deseos de los que se carcajea para no dejar ver su vulnerabilidad. Un hombre duro por fuera, pero roto por dentro. Tanto la protagonista femenina como el masculino han sufrido en su pasado, quizás por eso necesitan tanto el uno del otro, aunque no lo sepan.

La autora nos presenta a Nick, ya desde el prólogo, de una manera brutal, que nos permite ver el tipo de personaje que va a ser. Sin embargo, sus heridas las vamos descubriendo poco a poco, al mismo tiempo que vamos descubriendo también su corazón. Su evolución a lo largo de la historia, causada por el amor que lo va atrapando en sus redes, es maravillosa, y no deja de impresionar ver a un hombre alto, fuerte y duro derrumbarse para llorar como un niño. Como él mismo dice, Nick no es un santo, sin embargo, posee una chispa de bondad y humanidad en el fondo de su alma, aunque esta está demasiado opacada por las sombras y la oscuridad de su pasado. El amor libera, el amor cura las heridas, el amor no te hace vulnerable sino más fuerte... son las enseñanzas de esta historia.

Lottie, Charlotte Howards, tiene también su pasado doloroso, pero se ha hecho a sí misma. Es una mujer fuerte y valiente, a pesar de sus miedos, y no ha perdido la dulzura en medio de la traición. Ha sido muy bonito ver cómo la pasión física que despierta en ella Nick se va transformando, poco a poco, en un amor incondicional que la va volviendo más fuerte y más segura de sí misma. A pesar de los intensos encuentros sexuales que la dejan satisfecha, siente que necesita algo más de Nick, necesita tocar su alma y sanarlo.

No es solo el estilo impecable de la Kleypas lo que te atrapa de esta historia, sino que la intensidad de los sentimientos expresados por los protagonistas se te va metiendo bajo la piel y envolviendo tu corazón, convirtiéndose así en una historia difícil de olvidar. Muy recomendada.

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read

It was good, but not as good as I originally thought. Or my reading taste have changed.

Liked all the characters.

It was all pretty predictable.

Enjoyable though.

[Jacqueline's Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 An Oldie but a goodie Stars

I really like Lisa Kleypas older stuff, here’s a secret, it’s dirtier.

I have enjoyed the Bow Street Runner series. I think if you read most of the historical fiction stuff and you are looking for a classic, you can’t go wrong with these.

I enjoyed listening to Nick and Charlotte’s issues. I liked how Nick was slightly damaged, but he was tough and very masculine. I like that Charlotte is on the run and she refuses to marry the man her parents promised to marry her because the suitor is crazy.

So, there was a little damsel in distress storyline with a little smut and alpha Hero, it’s what I cool a good recipe for fun time listening.

[CB · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW

Rating: 4.5/5
POV: 3rd; Dual
Tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine; Marriage of Convenience; Virgin FMC; HR-Victorian
Heat Level: 5+/5
Kinks: Edging

Likes:
* Lottie is my favorite FMC of all the FMC's in this series. She has such a good heart and she goes through a really good character growth. We get to see how she overcomes her fears and she's very strong emotionally by the end.
* I liked Nick/John, he's very gruff/grumpy but has such a soft spot for Lottie and I really liked them together

Dislikes:
*Truthfully I can't think of anything

Conclusion:
Great finish to the Bow Street Runners series. I'm really happy that I reread this series.

Nick Gentry is very grumpy and has a very sad and emotional past/childhood. He marries Lottie in a marriage of convenience to save her from marrying her molester who is a pedophile. This happens fairly early on in the story so most of the book is their marriage which I really like that in my HRs.

I think that's one reason why I like LK so much, in most of her books the marriages happen early on so we get to see her couples grow together to have that strong and love match marriage.
Nick/John and Lottie both have sad and emotionally damaging childhoods and they really come together to help one another heal. It's actually very beautiful.
It also doesn't hurt that Nick is pretty hot and likes to edge his wife, lol.

Strangely enough I loved the story but when I completed it I didn't have that like "oh wow this was amazing" feeling which is why i'm giving it 4.5 lol. I don't know what it's missing but it's...something. It's probably worth 5 stars I'm just being weird. Read this book lol.

4.5/5

[KatieV · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kleypas proves once again that a good writer can take plot elements that normally don't appeal to me and make them work.

***spoilers***

In this case, I'm speaking of a sexually abused hero who has only been with one other woman prior to the h and still make him a very convincing and sexy alpha...of course that 'other woman' taught him far more than anyone else could have ;) Yes, my assumptions are sexist. I am aware. I don't expect romance to be PC (or realistic).

There was one glaring plot hole that bothered me. How in the heck did Nick not figure out within 2 seconds that the villain planned to take Lottie's sister as a replacement? The guy was a famous Bow Street Runner with a keen understanding of how depraved, criminal minds worked! I knew from the first 2 minutes of the visit to Lottie's parents' home that this was the plan. I can excuse Lottie for not catching on, since she was relatively naive and these were her parents. Many of us have a blind spot when it comes to what our family is capable of. But what was Nick's excuse?