After Dark with a Scoundrel: Lords of Vice [Mass Market Paperback]

After Dark with a Scoundrel is the best of the books Alexandra Hawkins has written in her Lords of Vice series and it is mostly due to the heroine. She is a bold woman who is steadfast in her love for the hero.

When Regan was only fifteen she was wildly attracted to her brother's friend Dare. He was older but when they shared a kiss quite unexpectedly it cemented in Regan's mind that Dare was the one for her. Her brother had a different view and shipped the curious Regan off to a finishing school. Five years later she arrives in London partially to bedevil her brother and she also wants be with Dare.

Dare is fascinated even more by the very grown up Regan but he is also aware that her brother would never countenance a relationship between them. They belong to a club that is quite frankly full of sin and I actually found their non-stop hedonism tedious. Dare is from a rather screwed up family. His older brother stole his true love at sixteen and Dare is still entangled in his brother and sister-in-law's problems.

Dare realizes that Regan is a target by the young bucks of the ton and when trying to protect her from others ends up falling for her himself. Regan is at first thrilled but soon discovers that she wants more from Dare than he is willing to give.

Regan is the engine that runs this story and she keeps the reader entertained. She is unexpected, having been raised by her brother she is a free thinker, athletic and courageous. She is quick to take responsibility for her actions, one very fine quality about her is she does not blame shift.

Her relationship with Dare was a romantic lively journey and it started as soon as she arrived in London. The leads have instant chemistry and Regan's less than proper upbringing puts her into a class by herself. She is both a lady and a rebel, but she is not hurtful toward others and her actions are not annoying. This couple is interesting and unpredictable, making this a genuine page turner.

This is the third book of "Lords of Vice" series, and there are seven of them. Lords of Vice are seven friends, very close, more like brothers. All seven are titled, rich, Rouges, Rakes and Scoundrels and very proud of it. Rules for these men are there in order to be broken.

We meet all of them, (Sin, Vane, Hunter, Saint, Frost, Dare and Reign) in "All Night with a Rogue", where we can't but fall in love with Sin, who is one sick Rogue. I just loved everything about that story. All the characters, the plot, pace, dialogue and humor. In this first book we get a glimpse of each of these men, and we are intrigued with each one. From the beginning, from the first moment our Hero looks into Juliana's eyes, we're hooked. We root for these two and we are rewarded with telling of a wonderful love story.

In the second book "Till Dawn with the Devil" the boys are back and Reign's story is just full of twists and turns and once more we're just lured into their world with a very compelling story in which one more Lord of Vice succumbs to love. Ms. Hawkins yet again did a wonderful job in telling the story of Reign and Sophia. All the characters were very well developed, and we've gotten to know more of our Lords and their lives, and at this point we are well into the series that we need to know more of Dare and Allegra. What happened, how it happened and why it happened?

"After Dark with a Scoundrel" opens with Regan, Frosts sister at fifteen who was basically brought up with the Lords of Vice as brothers. She had a fancy for one in particular, Dare. And here is where I encountered my first problem with this book. Dare is eight years older than Regan, and while at her twenty to his twenty eight, all is well and good, I had a big problem with a twenty three year old dallying with a fifteen year old sister of his best friend. I just didn't buy it. It felt wrong. On top of all that, Frost's only reaction upon finding those two kissing is to send Regan to a Boarding school. Dare gets off scot free. Fast forward, and I mean FAST, five years and we get to meet the little Regan at twenty, back from school and still what? In love, in infatuation with Dare that she set out to seduce him? Yet again, I'm not buying it. As for Dare, at sixteen he falls madly, passionately in love with Allegra, who is his age as well. He loves this girl with all of his heart and soul, and she cheats on him with his older brother Charles, (the future Duke), who has no qualms of getting the stupid chit pregnant and passing her off on his younger brother. When push came to shove, Allegra admits to Charles having fathered her child and in that moment Dare's heart breaks, but still he would have married her, however question still remains if he would have forgiven her.

Eleven years later, we see Dare living with the consequences of this triangle. Allegra's panting for him, demanding his presence, Mrs. Randall wants him for her lover, and Regan is after him also. What's a poor Scoundrel to do, but seduce his friend's sister and never even thinking much of the consequences of the liaison? NOT BUYING IT! NONE!

I wish this story was thought through better. It had so much more to give us. It was rushed, and it suffered. BIG TIME! I wanted to feel the pain of a boy who was mentally abused by his father as well as physically by his brother. A young man who was badly used by a girl who played him falls, who has broken his heart, and afterwards for years played on his sympathies. I wanted to know that at twenty three he knew better than to kiss a girl that was vulnerable and innocent. Yes, I know. He's a Scoundrel. But even though he is, I needed him to have honor. To have shame. He showed none. Frost baffled me as well. He finds out that his best friend takes his sisters virginity, and he coldly throws him out. Really? Seriously? That's it? NOT BUYING IT!

I've anticipated this book for a while and it let me down. I expected more of this story. Dare's story should have been as compelling as the other two. I will buy the next four in the series. At this point I'm invested in these men. I like them. I want to meet the women they fall in love with. I also want to let Ms. Hawkins know that she can do better than this book. I know it. I read the first two books and I LOVED both.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 White Roses.

Lord Hugh Mordare, better known as Dare, is one frustrated man. For most of her life, Lady Regan, trailed after him and the rest of the Lords of Vice due to the fact that her older brother, Frost, is a good friend. Needless to say the young lady did not have quite a conventional upbringing. When Dare had noticed she was starting to... well, blossom, he knew it signaled a temptation that would eventually be hard to resist. As Frost is one of his closest friends, he knew it would be wise to simply steer clear of the young lady instead of possibly risking one of his long lasting friendships. However, after Frost caught them in a tender embrace and sharing a kiss, Frost packed her off to boarding school, away from the rest of the Lords of Vice and away from him.

Five years later and she's back. She's more beautiful than ever and Dare can't seem to get his mind off of her or forget that kiss.

~*~*~*~*~

I loved this story. Loved it. And the only reason I did not rate this a 5 out of 5 was for the simple fact that while Dare implied how much he loved and cared for Regan he never said the words. Actions may speak volumes, but the words "I love you" still has a nice ring to my ears. Ignoring that one fact, I still say that After Dark With A Scoundrel is deliciously scandalous. It is so good, I find a desire to actually read it again.

Now, some people might have issues with the fact that Dare was already in his early twenties when he started to really notice Regan, who was only 15 when they shared their first kiss. However, if one does consider the time in which the story takes place, then it definitely wasn't out of the ordinary. As a historical romance novel, it fits the bill.

Personally, the story is refreshing, tantalizing and I just couldn't get enough. After Dark With A Scoundrel has made me want to look up the other books in the Lords of Vice series as well so I can read them to tide me over while I anxiously await the next book in the series. Consider it officially on the must keep shelf.

Hugs & Kisses,

The Lustrous Courtesan

readinghaven.com

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