Raphe and his sisters lost their parents young with no welcoming family to take them on and creditors beating down the door Raphe does the only thing he can do and that is to go to work for one of the creditors. As he grows he trains to be a bare knuckle fighter and starts paying off his father's debt that way. Fifteen years Raphe and his sisters have lived in St. Giles just barely scraping by, Raphe has no love the aristocracy. One night Raphe receives a message that changes everything, he is the sole heir to the Huntley dukedom.
Lady Gabriella use to be the wild one, she was the peculiar one, but once her sister ran off and married a man against her parents wishes all the while breaking of the engagement to a Marquess. Gabriella's choice of wanting to marry for love was thrown out the window and now she must do as her parents wish to set straight the reputation of the family, even if the man is detestable. The Earl of Nugent is the detestable man who (like most men back then) is just looking for pretty arm candy. Gabriella however has a brain and likes to use it especially when it comes to entomology. Gabriella is also unaware of her looks, her sister was always the pretty one to her.
Raphe and his sisters, Amelia and Juliette, move into the Huntley townhouse right next door to Gabriella and her family, they make quite the impression. Gabriella feels sympathetic for the sisters and against her parents wishes she offers to tutor them in the way of high society. Despite the rocky introduction Raphe and Gabriella start to fall in love. Gabriella wants to do right by her family but her feelings for Raphe have grown strong enough that she finally stand up to them. Raphe has only confided the truth about his past to two people Gabriella and Duke of Coventry, who proved himself a good friend. Gabriella's father not trusting Raphe dug until he found out and forbid the match, it's isn't until after Victoria, Gabriella's sister, shows back up that their father has a change of heart. Raphe's past however is not done with him and it just maybe the one thing to ruin the reputation and his sister's chances of making a good match.
Overall, this was a great read. The Raphe and Gabriella were first and foremost the majority of the storyline, several little things that deviate from them but ultimately add to the building of the relationship. All those little things build up to a great ending and a wonderful romance. Raphe proved himself to be a loyal protector and so sweet.
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