Darius (Suite 1) Mass Market Paperback – 1 April 2013

Aaah! Where to begin?Darius from the Windham books makes an appearance in his own novel. A beautiful character having found himself having to do unbeautiful things. That's not a word is it? Oh well the character deserves a new word made in his honour.Vivie, daughter of an earl, wronged by a stepfather and it seems perpetually in service in one way or another is manoeuvred for her own good by her dying husband. A canny chap wisened by years and love for his first wife.He puts Vivie and Darius in what appears to be an untenable position but is actually good for all.To maintain a line and rescue two deserving people from and undeserved fate.I would have liked to have had more depth to Darius' childhood and John's mother but one can't have everything.Brilliant.

This is numbered One in the Lonely Lord Series - although it parallels number Two (Nicholas). I had read Nicholas first and was intrigued by the secondary character, Darius, who appeared in it, and rushed off to acquire his story.I was not disappointed. Darius is a typical Grace Burrowes hero - flawed by circumstances, but inately noble. I loved him and the book! The heroine, Lady Vivian, is also well drawn, and I could generally sympathise with her. The storyline is fairly complex, as befits a good, well told tale! However, at its essence is the fact that Darius, a second son of an unsympathetic and brutal father, has been abused by him as a child, and, as an adult, his father has left him with a small and unproductive estate and no other income to keep it and him afloat. He has also taken on the responsibility of bringing up a small boy, and helping out a sister who has been badly treated by their father as well. His need to get ready money from any source has lead him into deep waters, culminating in his descent into becoming a high-class male prostitute. However, being a man, Society allows him to frequent its halls and balls, provided he acts with discretion.Vivian is the second wife of a very elderly man - the last of his line, a very ancient family. His two sons from his first marriage both die unexpectely - one in the Peninsular War, and one in an accident. He convinces Vivian that she needs to concieve a child to retain the estate and stop it returning to the Crown, as this would undoubtedly lead to difficulties for her as a widow. With her consent, William, her husband, has employed Darius to be the father of this child.It is not hard to see the difficulties which could arise for all the participants, particularly if anyone could prove that the hoped for child was not William's blood heir. Obviously, legally, if William acknowledged the child as his own, the child would inherit. But the scope for gossip, intrigue and social ruin for Vivian was enormous.I was totally involved in the plot and evolving relationships - at which Ms Burrowes is a pastmaster! Did reading Nicholas first cause me difficulties? Or would my enjoyment of Nicholas have been altered by having read about Darius first? I don't think either way really matters, although there is more about Darius's dysfunctional family in the second book - which I felt knowing about gave greater depth to Darius's character. However, this is again a super read which I would recommend highly.

Loved the vulnerability of Dare and the strength and tenderness of Vivvi. A different type of romance and all the better for it. This book was sweet and sexy. I like most of Ms Burrowes' novels and this one shone. It was not overwrought and you'll be hard pressed to find any real tension but the characters were full and the writing truly wonderful. Well worth picking up although you may not want to put it down.

I had read a couple of other books by Grace Burrowes and thought I would give this a try and really enjoyed it. It is the story of Darius Lindsey, an improvished younger son who sells himself to married/older ladies for sex. That is until he is approached by Lord William Longstreet asking him to spend a month with his much younger wife Vivian and get her pregnant (this is to ensure that when William dies she will be provided for through the child). Obviously Darius agrees and after a shaky start he and Vivian get closer and learn to love each other. She does get pregnant and returns to her husband who subsequently dies and this is where the evil step father steps in and tries to ruin things for Vivian and Darius but love wins out.

This is the second book I have enjoyed reading by this author. Darius is an engaging character, good looking and much too sexy for his own good.I still found the names of some of the other characters a trifle confusing throughout the novel, working out who is who and who is related to whom and how can be a bit of a minefield.The main story is enjoyable, the story laced with humour and sensuality as is often the case in these novels.Not deep, heavy reading, ideal read for dark winter nights, escapism at its best.Shame they don't make, men like Darius any more. Think we ladies would be queuing around the block!

I loved this book. Of course, the reader knows from the very start who will end up with whom but the characters developed so exactly rightly that it is with the greatest pleasure that I would recommend this author wholeheartedly.

I found the emotional content in this book nicely-judged and well-balanced. I worried a bit about Darius's extra-curricular activities being known to some people yet not making him persona non grata in polite society. But he's a delightful hero and the relationship with Vivian works very well.

I have read all the books in this series and they are well worth a read if you like historical romances and the stories of a family. Grace Burrowes is a marvellous author bringing the books to life.