Third Son's a Charm

Shana Galen

Nov 2017 · The Survivors Book 1 · Sourcebooks, Inc.

About this ebook

Ewan Mostyn thinks a job as a duke's daughter's bodyguard will be easy—but Lady Lorraine has a few tricks up her sleeve that spark an undeniable passion.

"I know we aren't suited. You are silent, and I speak all the time. You're a younger son with no fortune or title, and I'm the daughter of a duke. You are a brave war hero, and I've never done anything of any note. But I cannot seem to help how I feel when we are together. You are the only true thing in my life. Don't you see? Everything else is a diversion."

Fiercely loyal to the survivor's club that make up his friends and comrades, Ewan Mostyn is the toughest in a group of younger sons of nobility who met as soldiers and are now trying desperately to settle back into peaceful Society. Ewan trusts his brawn more than his brains, but when he's offered a job watching the Duke of Ridlington's stubbornly independent daughter, he finds both are challenged.

Lady Lorraine wants none of her father's high-handed ways, and she'll do everything in her power to avoid her distressingly attractive bodyguard—until she lands herself in real trouble. Lorraine begins to see Ewan's protectiveness in a new light, and she can only hope that her stoic guardian will do for her what he's always done—fight for what he wants.

Praise for Shana Galen's Regency Romance Third Son's a Charm:

"Shana Galen's deliciously brooding hero and delightfully quirky heroine turn this tale of adventure into an endearing love story that kept me up all hours reading... Wonderful!"—SABRINA JEFFRIES, New York Times bestselling author

"Shana Galen delivers again!... A sharp, poignant battle of wills between a wonderful wounded hero and the only heroine brave enough to get past his defenses. Don't miss it!"—EILEEN DREYER, New York Times bestselling author

"Galen charms readers with poignant and unforgettable characters, humor, and a passionate page-turning tale that's impossible to put down"—LORRAINE HEATH, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

Ratings and reviews

Lady Lorraine Caldwell is too headstrong for her own good, which prompted her father, the duke of Ridlington, to find a way to eliminate unwanted fortune hunters. When he witnesses Ewan Mostyn take care of brawlers in a club, the duke requests a meeting with the former soldier. Ewan doesn’t want to act as chaperone, but when he learns the name of the man Lorraine has set her sights on, he accepts. Lorraine is trouble; she is attracted to danger, and while she deeply resents having someone follow her every footstep, it could be worse than the big, brawny man who looks like a Viking. Lorraine is a great heroine, I found her relatable: she is kind, generous, and resents having to subdue her sensual nature because of the established moral codes. Her attraction to Ewan is realistic, as they are both very physical people and in need of attention and affection. Ewan is the (very) strong, (very) quiet type; he is a bit of a Neanderthal, really, and his conversational skills left so much to be desires that, honestly, I found him a bit dull. His propensity to violence did not endear him to me either. The world of The Survivors is quite an intriguing one, and the various former soldiers who comprised the Draven special unit seem interesting chaps; the combination of their talents should provide entertaining for the next instalments. I am looking forward to Rafe’s story, and especially Jasper, who was the one who really captured my imagination. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

Full review appeared on Reader's Edyn on 11/05/17 ... Shana Galen is one of my go-to authors, so this review was automatic. I adore Historical and her style of writing always guarantees a world in which the reader becomes well and truly immersed. Once I start a book, I do not stop until it is complete. I was curious how in the heck she was going to make this story work initially. Ewan literally spoke very few words and didn’t seem like much of a sweep-you-off-of-your-feet kind of guy. And Lorrie isn’t your typical Duke’s daughter. She knows how to behave, but she says what she is thinking and feeling – and that doesn’t include her passionate sexual curiosity. She is an innocent, but she has some understand of what she speaks of despite her inability to process her exact feelings. She only knows she experiences an intense longing that builds when Ewan is around and the more time they spend together; the closer they get; the more stolen kisses; the deeper her longing and the closer they skate near her ruin. I absolutely loved that Lorrie knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to go after it. And Ewan in his quest to remain honorable to his word struggles to resist her and her wanton displays of desire for him. Every time he tries to gain an upper hand, she not only calls his bluff, but raises the ante. It’s a unique situation that I rarely encounter within historical characters and I loved every moment. I was thrilled with how Ewan broke out of his shell – so to speak – at least with Lorrie. And super cute addition – not only does the reader get to watch this romance blossom, they are also treated to a second romance plot within. I really cannot think of a single aspect I disliked within this book. I did enjoy most of Ewan’s combat friends and the glimpse in to their lives – and especially the end of the book that leads me to assume who the next victim to love will be in this series. 😊 I can’t wait to revisit the Survivors series and hope to encounter both Lorrie and Ewan again in subsequent books. The banter, wit, and Ewan’s no nonsense single word answers were a joy – and I frequently found myself giggling as I read, which doesn’t count the several times I was reading with a huge grin on my face. Galen crafts a world with unlikely lead characters who beautifully blossom into something charming and unexpected – characters you can’t help but adore. Underdogs, romance, a bit of suspense, heroes, strong-willed characters, wit and charm, all wrapped up in a brilliantly engaging plot – lovers of Historical are guaranteed to love this latest Galen treasure. Kindle version provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars Fiercely loyal to his friends and comrades, Ewan Mostyn, The Protector, is the toughest in a group of younger sons of nobility who met as soldiers and are now trying desperately to settle back into peaceful Society known as Draven’s Dozen. Ewan trusts his brawn more than his brains, but when he's offered a job watching the Duke of Ridlington's stubbornly independent daughter, Lorrie he finds both are challenged. Overall I thoroughly & enjoyed the book but I did find it ‘hard to get into’ & in the beginning I wasn’t enamoured of Ewan but that did change & by about 20% into the book I was firmly in his corner. I kept thinking of the Dirty Dozen film & so my image of Ewan was of Clint Walker! Lorraine was feisty & thought herself in love with Francis. Francis decried Ewan at every opportunity but Ewan, although he hated Francis, didn’t malign him just told the truth. The attraction between Ewan & Lorraine was there from the start & gradually grew & grew. The plot was well paced & kept me engrossed. I look forward to more of the Dozen having their HEAs My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

About the author

Shana Galen is three-time Rita award nominee and the bestselling author of passionate Regency romps, including the RT Reviewers' Choice The Making of a Gentleman. Kirkus says of her books, "The road to happily-ever-after is intense, conflicted, suspenseful and fun," and RT Bookreviews calls her books “lighthearted yet poignant, humorous yet touching." She taught English at the middle and high school level off and on for eleven years. Most of those years were spent working in Houston's inner city. Now she writes full time. She's happily married and has a daughter who is most definitely a romance heroine in the making.