Night of the Scoundrel

I have been WAITING for this book for so long. Like so long. Why do I so adore these irredeemable bad boys? This is the story all Kelly Bowen fans have been waiting for since the first time we encountered King, I believe in Duke of My Heart. King is such an intriguing character. His back story was such a mystery and his motivations even more so.

Here he meets his true match in Adeline Archambault. Adeline is equally as fascinating and mysterious as King. They are such a matched pair - in skills, life, and experience. They both fully accept each other as they are - without seeking to change each other. Their instant attraction and love - is utterly believable and maybe understandable because of their backgrounds. Like recognizing like.

King has had one heck of a difficult life. He is patently not a good person. But he isn't bad either. He has been portrayed as ruthless and utterly disinterested in anything that doesn't directly benefit himself. In this book, we see that while he certainly is a ruthless businessman, he is also a protector. While he keeps most at a distance, of those he is close to he protects with fierceness and loyalty that they themselves may not recognize.

Adeline is somewhat of a robin hood - or justice-bringer. She has not had an easy time of it either. She encounters King for the first time as she is trying to bring justice to someone else. King is utterly at ease with her skills and persona. She, in turn, is totally secure in herself and her past.

You can see that being together brings Adeline and King so much peace. Even there temporary separation at the end isn't overly dramatic - there is no begging or pleading. Just sadness and acceptance and a lot of regret on King's part.

Overall - I loved this mostly bittersweet and ultimately happy story.

I received an ARC of this story - but these opinions are my own. This one goes on the keeper shelf for sure. LOVED it. As a side note - it could certainly be read as a standalone - but you won't get the full level of awesomeness if you haven't read some of Kelly Bowen's other stories.