To Love a Dark Lord

I'm pretty sure I read this a while ago, but I didn't mind the reread as this is a really good story. Anne Stuart has a mode of combining two different romances in each story and she does the same here. Often, I don't care about the secondary romance that much but I enjoyed both in this story. Nathaniel and Barbara have a really good story.
Of course, Emma and Killoran are the main romance and it's delicious. He's one of those dark wounded males who disdain society while Emma is the strong woman who understands him and stands up to him while enticing him. It's a standard story trope, but Ms. Stuart does it so well in her books, and this is one of her best.

I thought this book had potential, but I think things were smoothed over between the hero and heroine waaaayyy too quickly, and I wish more time was spent actually developing their releationship. I think Killoran had a lot of penance to do for his treatment of Emma, and I think she forgave him waaay too easily. Killoran was honestly a total creep, tortured past or not. I really, really liked the romance between Barbara and Nathaniel and wish there were more parts with them in it.

This book reminded me of The Serpent Prince which I also didn't like. The heroes in both are bent on revenge from start to end, are foppish Georgian lords, full with their laces and jeweled heels, and dark, tormented men underneath a cold veneer.In this one, the hero plans to use the heroine to attract his enemy even if it means putting her in danger. So, after taking the responsibility if a murder SHE commited and rescuing from another's man clutches, he takes her in his house, dresses her in provoking clothes and flaunts her in the ton as his mistress. This draws out his enemy, but also her fanatical cousin who wants to kill her so she may win her inheritance. But the heroine believes there is something good in him and that he really show more does care for her. He seems determined however to get his revenge even if it takes her sleeping with his enemy to achieve it... but can he go through it in the end?There is also a very interesting secondary romance, between the hero's distant cousin, an innocent, idealistic country gentleman and a debauched, cynical lady of the ton. I actually found their romance more captivating that the main story:)To be honest, I was bored reading this, even when the last 60-80 pages were filled with action and suspense as both villains tried to kill the heroine with the hero on their heels. I guess I'm not too much on revenge-at-all-costs plots after all as the hero's ruthlessness was too much for me. However people who are, will probably enjoy this one. show less

I was recommended this romance, and it definitely wasn't a letdown. Emma is a spunky heroine who is painfully living under the watchful and sadistic eye of her cousin, Miriam. Lord Killoran is your typical black-hearted, bored aristocrat. Fate has him running into Emma everytime she stands over a dead body and he generously take the blame because he won't get in trouble over it and it is a way to amuse himself. Eventually he realizes that he can use Emma to gain revenge on his long-time enemy and Emma accepts this role so she can escape her own terrors and try to release the inner pain Killoran hides beneath his veneer. There was good sexual chemistry in this book and I really liked how creepy cousin Miriam was.

it's a bit darker than fluffy historical written more recently. Kept me engaged. I liked it.

Decent historical. The heroine was well written. The secondary characters were well written too and the secondary love story was good.

I felt like the guy in this book was just to much of a jerk for even me to deal with