Goddess of the Hunt
83. Tessa Dare, Goddess of the Hunt
Lucy Waltham has been in love with her brother’s friend, Sir Toby Aldridge, for years, but he’s always seen her as a playmate rather than as a woman. Now that she’s all grown up, she hopes that Toby will see her in a new light; but when he and his friends visit her brother’s estate for their annual hunting party, he is on the brink of proposing to another woman. Undaunted, Lucy decides to seduce him - but in order to do so, she’ll need to practice on Jeremy Trescott, the Earl of Kendall and one of her brother’s closest friends. At first, Jeremy is horrified by the idea and tries to convince her to give up the scandalous plan. But the more persistent Lucy is, the harder Jeremy finds her to resist.
I’ve been curious to read this book since seeing a positive review by dreamilywistful, and I’m glad I finally picked it up. This is a pretty typical Regency romance, complete with some bodice-ripping, but the good writing makes it a fun read. I’m a sucker for a hero and heroine with a faux-antagonistic relationship, and Lucy and Jeremy do really enjoy irritating each other. Since this is a romance novel, I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that they eventually get married; but I liked that the book takes us beyond their wedding and reveals some conflicts that must be resolved within their marriage as well. A tragedy from Jeremy’s past gives some depth to his character and provides a source of miscommunication for the couple. Some of the declarations of love were very over-the-top, but overall this was a fun romance and an easy way to spend an afternoon.