I've rarely read a book about a mistress who is voracious about sex but still a likeable character. Lydia is brilliant in math, logic and has calculated odds for winning in cards. Will -brother of Theo- who is only mentioned in book 1 has returned from the war and is a dark character. He sees Lydia, not the most beautiful of the "ladies" one night, and is intrigued by a woman who he believes has hidden facets. He doesn't like obvious beauties and has a thing for finding out what those women are like. When her current sponsor begins to discuss her sexuality publicly, Will Blackshear is furious. He works hard to treat Lydia like a lady but is intrigued by descriptions of her appetites. These are 2 unlikely main characters and once again as in A Lady Awakened it takes some time to like them. But it is worth the wait as Will wears away Lydia's walls, she chips away at his through her unapologetic sexual wants and needs. The 2 combine forces to win money - she to buy her independence and he to help a war widow. Not a typical romance at all as it is not about the first or second born son or an aristocratic family. Will is not the strong jaw alpha male. It is a book where you are not sure where the plot is going. Theo reappears and is still a sympathetic feminist, but the rest of the family reactions to Lydia and Will's choices are believable. It got a bit too dark toward the end and the epilogue let me wanting a bit more of what happened prior which is kept me from ranking it 4 stars. Re-read this 1/4/14 up on Decatur on the second to last day of my winter vacation; not quite sure how I'm supposed to return to working at 6am Monday when last night I was up until 2am and tonight it's already 12:30am... NOTE: This is more a detailed plot summary than a review. I write these so I can remember what happened in any given book, especially those in a series. But if anyone else finds this helpful - awesome.Will Blackshear has returned from the war traumatized: in trying to save one of his men, he ended up just prolonging his death, causing hours of indescribable pain and ultimately having to kill the man himself, with his bare hands. He’s privately vowed to himself to make this up to his widow and young son.Then at a gaming hall, he meets Lydia Slaughter, a brothel-trained courtesan, with both a photographic memory and a math prodigy… and the current mistress of a peer: Roanoke. For a respite, Will finds a private library, which Roanoke and Lydia soon retire to as well, but not before Lydia notices Will but proceeds regardless. Embarrassed, Will flees when their attentions are occupied, but suffice to say, by that point Lydia has made quite an impression. She makes it known that she was aware of his presence when later that evening she fleeces him at cards after Roanoke falls asleep at the card table and she takes up his hand.Lydia knows that the life of a courtesan is neither safe nor secure. She met this fate after her titled lover didn’t make good on his intent to marry her, leaving her with child. Her brother having died in service, her parents were out together when they died in a carriage accident. She lost the child via a feverish miscarriage, and never bled again - setting her up as an ideal mistress. But she has an escape plan: to use her card skills to win extra earnings that she will put away until she has enough to retire from the business with her future secure.Because Will needs every penny to support himself and his fallen comrade’s widow, he seeks out Lydia and confronts her, demanding the 180 pounds she ‘cheated’ from him. She refuses - but they both learn of each other’s character in the process.Lydia and her maid head to the bank to invest what she’s saved so far: 300 pounds out of a 2000 pound goal; she figures that invested properly, she can live off the interest. But the banker recognizes her from her days at the brothel and won’t do business with her. So in defeat, she heads home, which is when Will and Martha (from Blackshear #1) happen upon them in their curricle and offer assistance (as the maid is limping quite badly at this point.) While Lydia appreciates the help for her maid, she is somewhat put out having to walk home with Will. Nonetheless, when they meet at the card table the next night, she arranges a hard that earns his 180 pounds back, plus 20.Will is left confused to ponder Lydia’s intentions as he meets with Jack Fuller the next day - a fellow comrade who’s now turned to the American import business. Will is also trying to save 3000 pounds to finance Jack’s next venture, an investment he believes will pay off in spades to his, the widow’s, and Jack’s benefit.When Will sees Lydia next he confronts her in private - how did she set up the cards to win him 200 pounds in a single hand? Lydia takes a chance and tells him to close the door - and then she demonstrates just how she was able to rig his hand the night before. Will openly shows how impressed and amazed he is, and in return Lydia offers to teach him, if he’ll find her a man of business to help her invest in an annuity. They agree to meet at midnight the following night…Their lessons are characterized by Lydia trying to teach Will logic, odds, and calculations, yet Will's frustration with her superior ability to calculate small percent-dfferences that influence odds limits his learning. But they grow as friends, and at some point Will makes his romantic interest in her clear. But as an expert in calculating risks, she knows a secret affair with him is a risk she can’t take. As for their lessons, they decide a better course is to devise a system of Lydia informing Will how to play - letting Lydia do the math and Will act out following her instructions. Will arranges for them to met at Jack’s to practice since Lydia’s friends informed her that her routine absences were at least being noticed by them.As they hit the high-stakes gaming halls, they initially have great luck. But also find time for liaisons in dark hallways that leave Will feeling guilty (b/c Lydia deserves better) and Lydia feeling unfullfilled (what? she’s not good enough for a bang in the hallway? … misinterpreting Will’s “this is not what I want” … for you. And then Roanoke holds a house party. And during a game of billiards, Will scores a night with Lydia for winning the game (at his suggestion). Needless to say, this does not end well. Lydia’s hurt, they don’t sleep together, and ultimately Lydia loses her protection from Roanoke because of it. (Though most mistresses have future trusts put in place, because she came from a brothel, she was not in a position to set up such an arrangement.) And when Roanoke threatens to rape her maid under the guise of making her his new mistress, Lydia slaps Roanoke, which Roanoke repays in kind. Which is when Will enters, punching Roanoke and challenging him to a duel.On their way back to London - Will, Lydia and Cathcart (Will’s second) - they are attacked by highwaymen. After they survive the attack, it is revealed that Lydia’s parents didn’t die in an “accident” per se - they were murdered by highwaymen as they shopped for a new home and life for the three of them. Lydia - now lodging with Will - shares that she doesn’t think she can ever love again, while Will reveals that he’s already in love with her. But neither protection nor marriage seem an option and they both fall to sleep in dismay.Will shows up at his family’s house the next day, telling them he has a duel in several days time and that should he survive, he will marry his love: a courtesan. Andrew (the eldest) and Kitty (the next eldest) are appalled, but Nick offers to be his second and Martha & Theo indicate that they will always be welcomed with them. Next, Will pays a visit to Jack Fuller to inform him he likely won’t be able to deliver on his promised investment; Jack understands and even promises him a salaried position if he survives the duel.Meanwhile, Lydia takes all of her and Will’s savings and pays a visit to the widow, informing her that an investment has paid off and she in now in receipt of enough money to leave her in-laws and live comfortably and provide for her son the rest of their lives. The widow is so happy, she asks if there’s anything she can do for Will or Lydia? Yes - now the loose-end with the maid is tied up.Happily Will survives the duel and the epilogue fast-forwards 3-months, to where Martha & Theo are visiting Jack’s, where Will & Lydia are both now employed - Lydia’s in charge of all the numbers :)
What do You think about A Gentleman Undone (2012)?
Fine writing but I didn't connect with the characters which is a major issue for a romance.
—mlibarian
Esta pareja me gusto mucho mas que la de la novela anterior .Ya empecé a leer el tercero !
—kanet
One of the best regency books I've read in awhile.
—Arlene
If I could rate this 10 stars I would!! Loved it!
—FrankieLovesMCR
