Review: Duke of Sin

Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Spoilers for previous books.
This is Val's (Eve's brother) and Bridget's (the housekeeper) story. In the previous books, Val is the villain (blackmail, kidnapping) and he seem to relish it. He wants power and sees this as a way to get it. After reading Eve's story and her background, you can guess Val had a similar experience. Their father was an abusive asshole. It was worse too that Val's mother didn't seem to care for her son either. The reason given was because he looked like his father. As a result, Val doesn't know how to love and show it (he gifts Eve a dove for example). Val also came across as a bid socially awkward.
Bridget entered Val's employ to find some letters that were used to blackmail her mother into introducing Eve into a social circle (for the orphanage). Bridget shares her mother's distinctive hair color. She wasn't raised by her mother, but a foster family. Her foster mother loved her as her own. She chose to enter into service to be able to provide for herself.
I liked that Bridget really saw through Val and she sees him do some ugly things. Some of the things were necessary (what he did to the Duke of Dyemore) and not (what he did to Cal, more kidnapping) for example. I liked that they both accept the other as they are. I did think the ending was a bit rushed; glad for the epilogue. And yep- he never left England.
Next is Alf's story (and Hugh (Duke of Kyle) that was introduced in this one).

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