A Hero and a Rogue: Gentlemen Undercover Book 2

JoMarie DeGioia

Jan 2019 · Bailey Park Publishing

About this ebook

A gentleman who solves the most challenging cases

 A young woman who keeps her own secrets close

 Will the threat of danger draw them closer together?

 Or will he let his painful past keep him from seeing his future?

Robert Shelby was beaten, betrayed, and held prisoner for months. Now, a year after his rescue, he loses himself in his work. A gifted private investigator, he takes cases of missing persons and missing goods. He turns a blind eye to smugglers who ply their trade close to his estate in Sussex, leaving the matter to the law. He also seeks to ignore the constable’s inquisitive daughter, despite his attraction to her.

Diana Ashley keeps watch over her brother as he works with the smugglers on the River Arun. She made a promise to her late mother to see to his safety and her father, the constable, cannot know of her brother’s involvement or her concealment of it. She is tired of her duty, and longs to convince her brother to give up the dangerous work. One night Robert finds her on the bluff near his home, but despite his probing questions she won’t reveal the true reason for her nightly vigils.

There is more than smuggling going on in Sussex, and when her brother is accused of a horrible crime she goes to Robert for help clearing his name. Mutual attraction swiftly turns to passion, and she suspects that her heart is in more danger than she herself had ever been while keeping an eye on her brother. Robert is drawn to her sweetness, beauty, and quick mind, but believes she is better off without a scarred man like him.

Can Robert make room in his heart for her?

Or will past pain and betrayal drive him to deny the love they share? 

Ratings and reviews

A man with as many scars on his soul as on his body, Robert Shelby is a private detective who finds himself embroiled in the mysterious affairs of the small town of Arundel. Diana Ashley, the Constable's daughter has her own set of problems trying to keep track of her wayward brother. When their investigations collide and a horrible crime is discovered, Diana knows that she has no recourse other than to approach Robert for help. There is an attraction between them that keeps tripping them up, however, Robert's past deters him from fully letting go of his feelings. The investigative part of the plot is well thought out, but I did find the romance a little stilted, as the characters really only gelled in a believable way right at the end of the book. Nevertheless, the story kept my attention and whilst this book is part of a series, it is a standalone and comes to a successful conclusion. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.

About the author

JoMarie DeGioia is a bestselling author of Historical and Contemporary Romance. She’s known Mickey Mouse from the “inside,” has been a copyeditor for her tiny town’s newspaper, and a bookseller. She is the author of over 40 Romances, and writes Young Adult Fantasy/Adventure stories and Paranormal Romance too. She gets lost in DIY projects around the house and works out plot ideas during long runs. She divides her time between Central Florida and New England, and you may contact her at [e-mail]