It was hard not to love her and wish her happiness. She still sacrificed herself for the safety of her fellow villagers and that endeared me so much to her.

She wanted to do good and she wanted to be devout but struggled in silence with her faith. Nicholas is half Rom, which was an intriguing part of the story, but I felt there was made too much out of him being half 'gypsy' - as if it makes him an entirely different person. After a while he starts trusting her motives but that makes him want her even more and he finds it hard to let her go.

He doesn`t believe Clare and her good and honest motives because he doesn`t think women can have good and honest motives. Nicholas, the hero, doesn`t trust women and for good reason.

Luckily the hero wanted to ruin the heroines reputation (which is bad enough and would be a disaster back then) - he didn`t want to force her into any sexual relations apart from a kiss a day. The premise of this book sounded as if this was what it was about. I`m usually not too fond of stories where the heroine is forced into relationships through blackmail by the hero. Thunder and Roses was nominated for a RITA award and was a finalist for the RWA Golden Choice award for best audiobook of the year. And as lovers, they surrender to a passion that threatens the foundations of their lives. As adversaries, they explore the hazardous terrain of power and sensuality. Furiously, Clare accepts his outrageous challenge, and finds herself drawn into a glittering Regency world of danger and desire.Īs allies, she and Nicholas fight to save her community. Unwilling to involve himself in the problems of others, Nicholas sets an impossible price on his aid - only if Clare will live with him for three months, letting the world think the worst, will he intervene. Desperation drives quiet schoolmistress Clare Morgan to ask the Demon Earl to help save her village. Son of a rogue and a gypsy, Nicolas Davies was a notorious rake until a shattering betrayal left him alone and embittered in the Welsh countryside.

Thunder & Roses by Mary Jo Putney