King of Hearts

Eileen Putman

Sept 2017 · Maitland's Rogues Book 1 · Anglesey Press/ Eileen Putman

About this eBook

Not for nothing is Gabriel Sinclair known as the King of Hearts. This rootless scoundrel won't be tamed. His wit beguiles, his charm seduces, and he's never met a woman he couldn’t captivate. He shuns any whiff of permanence. 

Widowed Louisa Peabody tolerates no man's touch. Her past has shown her men are seducers and abusers. After she inadvertently saves Gabriel’s life, she persuades him to help her stage a daring rescue from a prison hulk in the Thames. But it’s a devil’s bargain: Can she protect herself from that wild, reckless fire in his eyes? Can he care for anyone but himself?

Book 1 in the Maitland's Rogues series of Regency historical romances featuring daring rogues who risk all for their country during the Napoleonic wars. Hardened and deadly, they have no use for love -- until it ensnares them.

Ratings and reviews

Two wounded people from life's experience end up together by an act of fate. Yes, I would have to say fate because Louisa Peabody and her friend David attempted to save a woman from hanging. Instead they ended up with Gabriel Sinclair. To say the beginning grabbed me is an understatement!! A drunken foray into a nunnery to clip a length of hair ( oh yes you will have to read that one!) put Gabriel under the noose and that is when he ended up being resued by Louisa and her hulking side kick David. He ends up in her home where she rescues and takes care of abused women which is her mission. You see, men are the devil to her and she has no use for them. That is until she finds a use for Gabriel to help save the woman that she had thought she saved and was now in a prison barge. Gabriel, known as the King of Hearts because is seemed no woman could resist him. But underneath that devil may care exterior is a very wounded soul who needs rescuing himself. This is a new author to me and I truly enjoyed this well written story. Great characters and a slow build to a romance. I really loved Gabriel and Louisa and could only hope their journey to happiness would be within the cards!! Cannot wait to read more.. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I had a hard time getting into this book. It starts off from the hero's perspective, and I just didn't like him. That didn't really improve much through the entire book. I really enjoy historical romances, and one of the keys for me is to like the hero or else the book, to me, doesn't have much point. The heroine was noble in her passion for her cause, but she never quite became a relatable character for me. This is just a personal pet peeve of mine, but I absolutely hate that the use of the word “chit” to describe a young woman in historical novels as it seems like a way of trivializing women. Every time I read it, it just rankles me. That word was used a lot in this book, so that might have been part of my problem with it.

This was my first book by Eileen Pultman and I LOVED it. Her story is well crafted , word usage and character development pulled me into the story and I couldn't stop until finished. It's the story of Gabrial and Lousia and how they come together first fighting their attraction and then pulled together by their need for each other. There's action, romance and intrigue mixed with history and humor. There's a great assortment of character's especially the flowers that you will not be disappointed! Its a HEA that in the end the villains get theirs. A must read if you like whimsical wonderful steamy characters than this is the book for you! I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

About the author

Eileen Putman is the author of a dozen British historical and Regency romances. Her love of England’s Regency period (1811-1820) has inspired her research trips to England, Ireland, Wales, France and other countries — there being no substitute for stepping on the soil that Beau Brummell and his champagne-polished Hessians once trod.