A Warriner to Protect Her

Virginia Heath

May 2017 · Harlequin

About this ebook

A runaway heiress finds love and protection with a handsome earl in this Regency era romance, the first in a series about brothers beset by scandal.

When heiress Violet Dunston escapes from an abduction, she finds an unlikely protector in Jack Warriner—a member of one of England’s most infamous families. Ensconced with mysterious Jack behind his manor’s walls, soon escape is the last thing on Letty’s mind!

Jack may be an earl, but his father’s exploits have left him with nothing to offer except a tarnished name. He’s turned his back on the ton, but with Letty tempting him day and night, he finds himself contemplating the unthinkable—a society marriage!

“The first of the Wild Warriners series will have readers asking for more.” —RT Book Reviews

Ratings and reviews

This is the first book in author Virginia Heath's series The Wild Warriners based on the four Warriner brothers. I am so glad I finally got around to reading this because this book was absolutely perfect and I loved it! What a fantastic start to what I expect to be an excellent series!  Jack Warriner is the eldest of the brothers and the one who takes everything upon his shoulders. He's a proud man and one who is used to being in charge and doing things his own way. He's been trying for the last seven years since his father's death to repair the damage to the family name, the estate and the finances. When he comes across heiress Violet (Letty) Dunstan in the middle of the night escaping from her kidnappers, the last thing he needs is another responsibility...  Letty was an interesting heroine and it didn't take long to see she had much more going for her than just beauty and money. She was a strong and resilient woman but yet lonely... the more I got to know her the more I liked her. She was the perfect heroine for Jack even though he felt he wasn't good enough for her.  With kidnappers, four handsome brothers and Virginia Heath's wit and mastery at weaving a captivating and entertaining story, I was hooked from the very first page! I highly recommend this story and am looking forward to getting to know all the Warriner brothers!

A WARRINER TO PROTECT HER could be described in one word: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! A month short of her majority, 4 January 1814, Letty is given to the Earl of Bainsbridge by her greedy uncle. Letty is bound and gagged, and the carriage is bound for Gretna Green. Letty had been drugged, but wakes up and tries to find a way to escape, and finds it. The Earl is asleep and Letty throws herself outside in the rain and mud and runs for her life. The awful men will not get her inheritance if she can help it. Jack Warriner has drunk too much in an attempt to drown in woes. The family estate is in debt, Markham Manor is decrepit; it’s been seven years since the Warriner patriarch died, and nothing seems to be improving. Riding back home on horseback, Jack sees Letty, who is terrified and so exhausted that she faints. Jack takes her home, she needs immediate care; she is bruised, chilled to the bone to a point that he fears for her life. It’s a good thing that one of Jack’s younger brothers is proficient in medicine, even though Joe cannot attend university that year, money being too scarce. Letty, Violet Dunston the Tea Heiress as she is commonly known, feels that she can trust the brothers to a point, but does not say everything, and Jack understands even if she senses her slight deception. They must find out what is really going on, and brother Jamie – who was a soldier in the war – is the man to do that. I was immersed in the story from the very first pages, as Ms. Heath creates a climate of tension, and I immediately felt for Letty. The descriptions are crystal clear, and so splendid that I saw everything as if I were on the premises. PROTECT is one of the smoothest introductions to a series I have ever read: it felt so organic, given the context that the brothers should work together, which gave the author the opportunity to tell us about them without burdening the narrative. Jack is the head of the household, has been for years, he finds it hard to delegate, while Letty is spoiled and unknowingly selfish, and it is a thing of beauty to watch Virginia Heath navigate those waters, while maintaining a delicate balance and creating such splendid interactions between the Letty and Jack, and the other brothers as well. I laughed myself silly at reading Jack’s internal conflict; Letty drives him crazy with her demands and with lust, all the while needing to protect her. Letty tries so hard to please Jack, thinking he doesn’t like her; she nearly works as hard as he does. And I thought it was wonderful that Jack is a working man, as are his brothers; he’s a farmer and he is exhausted. And has those stupid sheep, which are truly wonderful in every sort of way. The writing is spectacular, so gorgeous, so in tune with the era, I was nearly swooning! The story is fast-paced, there is not one single superfluous sentence; it’s dynamic, witty, intelligent, and so very romantic in a real way. I adored Letty and Jack, and Joe and Jamie, and Jacob. There is action that will take your breath away, and Letty’s plight is superbly resolved. A WARRINER TO PROTECT HER has to be the most dazzling, brilliant, extraordinary debut to a series ever. I thought it was a perfect book, absolutely flawless,I loved it, and I will love it forever. Absolutely magnificent! I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

About the author

When Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. But it still takes her ages to fall asleep.