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The Last Hellion
Unavailable
The Last Hellion
Unavailable
The Last Hellion
Ebook425 pages6 hours

The Last Hellion

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this ebook

A ferocious conflict of wills …

Vere Mallory, the Duke of Ainswood, has everything—he's titled, he's rich, he's devastatingly good looking—and he seems determined to throw it all away. Disreputable, reckless, and wild, the last of the Mallory hellions is racing headlong to self-destruction … until a mind numbingly beautiful blonde Amazon knocks him off his feet—literally.

An incendiary passion …

Lydia Grenville is dedicated to protecting London's downtrodden. Dissolute noblemen like Ainswood are part of the problem, not the solution. She would like him to get his big, gorgeous carcass out of her way so that she can carry on with her work. The problem is, Ainswood can no more resist a challenge, especially in female form, than he can resist the trouble she seems to attract.

If they can only weather their personal firestorm …

They might survive the real danger that threatens all they hold dear.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperCollins
Release dateMar 17, 2009
ISBN9780061748158
Unavailable
The Last Hellion
Author

Loretta Chase

Loretta Chase has worked in academe, retail, and the visual arts, as well as on the streets—as a meter maid—and in video, as a scriptwriter. She might have developed an excitingly checkered career had her spouse not nagged her into writing fiction. Her bestselling historical romances, set in the Regency and Romantic eras of the early nineteenth century, have won a number of awards, including the Romance Writers of America’s RITA®. For more about her past, her books, and what she does and doesn’t do on social media, please visit her website. LorettaChase.com

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Reviews for The Last Hellion

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Complex plot and interesting characters. Outstanding read! x x x
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is my first Loretta Chase book, believe or not, and I liked it a lot. The chemistry between Lydia and Vere was excellent; the dialogue was pitch-perfect and hilarious; the pacing was zippy. I loved Lydia's hijinx and Vere's butting into each. They are such strong-willed characters that it was inevitable that there would be lots of sparks. However in the last quarter of the book, when the focus turned more towards the revelations of Lydia’s family, I started to get bored. It felt a bit off; it was treated as such a bombshell, but it didn’t really affect anything. Yes, Lydia felt the loss of mother and sister deeply, but she’d just think about it briefly, sigh, and then move on to battle wits with Vere again. Moreover, the fact that she wasn’t high-born wasn’t ever an obstacle for her in the least, nor did it dampen Vere’s fascination with her. So I just didn’t buy the sudden shift to this storyline. I’m willing to make excuses for the last part of the book--maybe the chemistry and love story was so great that all other plot points failed to register in comparison and that’s why Ms. Chase’ turn to the family issue seemed abrupt.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really liked this one. I enjoyed Chase’s sense of humor and the bantering between Vere and Lydia. Although I’m not a big reader of humor, when I have it included in something I’m reading, it just compels me to stay up later than I should to giggle some more. So, yes, I stayed up too late last night and my focus on my job is close to nil today.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A fiercely independent writer and an infamous rake come to blows (both figuratively and literally). And it’s marvelous. A great romance and adventure wrapped all in one. This novel has elaborate disguises, undercover reporting, evil pimps, a high-stakes carriage race, a GREAT heroine, an engaging hero, hilarious supporting characters, and astounding chemistry between the two leads.While I personally preferred this one to Lord of Scoundrels, I really would recommend reading them together. There’s more overlap between the two than the brief cameo appearances prevalent in most romance series.This is easily my favorite Loretta Chase book so far, which is saying a lot.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really liked this book. The humor was good and the story moved along nicely. Not nearly as good as Lord of Scoundrels, however. I really liked Vere, but Lydia was a little stiff for me. Also, I wished to see more of Dain and Jessica and how things were going for them. Jessica's brother's story was a great light touch.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I'm sure it's a truism that Loretta Chase's best competition is herself. The only reason The Last Hellion didn't get five stars from me is because Lord of Scoundrels came before it, and really what romance can top that? So even though The Last Hellion is wonderful, delightful, and awesome as can be - it's still not as awesome as Lord of Scoundrels. But I'm by no means complaining. I devoured this book. The characters, the romance, the prose - all of it was pure pleasure to read. Vere Mallory is the eponymous hero - we first met him in Lord of Scoundrels as one of Dain's drinking buddies. He's a rake and a wastrel with no interest in shouldering the newly acquired responsibilities of being a duke once all the many relatives standing between him and the title have passed away. Poor Vere has been to a lot of funerals. He seems like your typical pickled manwhore - even with his tragic past. That's my only complaint about the book, really. The darker issues that are supposed to give the story depth aren't quite as poignant and powerful as they are in Lord of Scoundrels. I still love Vere’s character, and he's by no means shallow, bland, or clichéd. He just doesn't pack the emotional punch that Dain does, so that The Last Hellion comes off more like Lord of Scoundrels Lite - but like I said, I can't hold that against either Vere or the book itself.Vere more than makes up for it in being adorable, hilarious, and so endearing in how hard he falls for the heroine, Lydia Grenville. She is easily one of my top favorite heroines of all time. I feel like a squealing fangirl, but I'll go with it. She's a hardnosed journalist as well as fiction writer. Courageous, strong, and savvy, she gets to go on so many adventures as she pursues story lines for her newspaper. This entails trying to do her bit to make the world a better place, rescuing girls from prostitution, midnight escapades, and, best of all, sparring with Vere as he pursues her without at first knowing why or how he's become so obsessed with this "beautiful monster." At their first encounter, the sparks fly, and it doesn't let up once - their banter and antics, their fighting and flirting had me constantly laughing and grinning. I haven't had such fun reading a book in a while. They're a great couple and are perfect for each other. Even though there were some flaws in the plotting - there's a random kidnapping of Vere's two wards near the end that kind of dragged - The Last Hellion is a definite keeper. Thank you, Loretta Chase.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Duke of Ainsley only inherited the title after a number of dukes and heirs died early, including his beloved cousin and cousin's young son. He has become bitter and cynical as a result of his losses. Lydia Grenville is a crusading journalist, daughter of an actor and a disinherited lady. They clash. Delightfully.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a frequent reread for me. Not quite as delicious as Lord of Scoundrels, but still a masterly take on the classic depraved Duke and his blue stocking love. Here Vere Ainswood is a really delicious character, one we would all love to fall in love with (okay, one I woudl love to fall in love with! but you will too once you meet him) And the on ly person who could get him in line was not some missish society lady, but the iron willed and tightly black corsetted Grenville (he calls her by her last name even as he falls in love with her) who takes no nonsense. Witty and fun to spend time with, the pages just slip by..