It’s About Time
Finally, after a long spell of disappointing books, I found some, which made me smile. I have
previously whined about Ms. Heath’s spy series, The King’s Elite, but I also kept hearing good things about her Wild Warriner series. Everywhere I turned; it was a love fest for the Warriner brothers. So I thought why don’t I check out these books and see what all the hubbub is about. And, I did.Imagine my surprise and delight when this series turned out not to be about bumbling spies, but four charming brothers: Jack, Jamie, Joe, and Jake Warriner, and the women strong enough to take them on.
Let us begin with Warriner number 1, Jack, the Earl of Markham. There is a continuing thread in all four books about how poor the Warriner brothers are, and how much the people in the nearby village dislike them. It seems as if the previous generations of Warriners were all wastrels. They never honored any of their debts; they were wild, uncaring brutes. The people of the village have loonnnnng memories and small hearts.
The story begins one evening with a slightly drunk Jack meandering his way home pondering his poor state of affairs. Wait a minute! What’s that? Can it be a bound and gagged woman? It’s dark! It is a forest! What is going on? Well, Jack is no dummy. He knows it unusual for a woman to be wearing a gag. He can recognize a damsel in distress when he sees her. It must mean something for a trussed up woman to be wandering the road. Enter our heroine Violet Dunston aka Letty.
Letty is an heiress. She has been kidnapped by the ev-i-l Earl of Banbridge, who happens to be in cahoots with her uncle. When the story opens, Letty is in a carriage plotting ways to escape. I was fond of this Letty. Sure, she may be in trouble, but her brain is thinking. She is not a heroine in need of a rescuer, well, she is, but she isn’t waiting around for one. Her brain is busy, she is formulating ways to escape, and she does. I liked that she did it on her own. Anyway, she stumbles through the night right into Jack’s arms, and then she faints. I was pleased with Letty’s escaping on her own.
When Letty wakes up, she finds herself surrounded by four handsome men. They look kind; maybe they will help her. She seeks their aid in hiding from her uncle until she turns 21, which is only a few weeks away. After much grumbling on Jack’s part, he agrees.
Then Letty turns into someone I did not like too much. Her character becomes a spoiled rich girl who does not seem to notice how impoverished the Warriner brothers are. She expects servants to wait on her, feed her, and tidy up after her. Eventually she and Jack come to blows over her demands. Then she turns into a person who tries to help the brothers by cleaning, and cooking. Usually her attempts at helping are disasters. All of the brothers except Jack put up with her catastrophes. Whenever Jack and she are together, the sparks fly. Eventually they become friends, but then the I-don’t-need-your-money-Jack shows up. He changes into a grumpy-Gus in the middle of the story, but then he saves a drowning lamb, he is wearing a wet shirt, and all is right with the world.
During the middle part of the story, the writing becomes a little choppy, but eventually the story becomes a little bit more cohesive. Ms. Heath’s writing is wonderful in the scenes where the brothers are together. Their chemistry was great, and they seemed as if they were a real, loving family.
Overall, A Warriner to Protect Her was an enjoyable book, even with the few bumps in the road. It was a delightful beginning to a series, and I was looking forward to continuing the saga.
Time/Place: Regency England
Sensuality: Warm/Hot
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