Captain Jack's woman by Stephanie Laurens

Bastion Club 00 Captain Jack's woman
A leader of the smuggling gang..and a "properly" bred Lady..(so Kit thinks) or a gentleman and the illegitimate grandchild of a baron..(so Jack thinks) entangled in a relationship that according to them has no future..no tomorrow only the today..the seizing of the moment and living it to the fullest. Both of them are revelling in this temporal bliss. However Jack realizes that Kit indeed is the legitimate Miss Cranmer.

When she is shot by a revenue officer..Jack takes her home, tends to her all the time his heart in a vise-like grip at the thought, the fear of losing her. To protect her from the officer he tells everyone they are to get married. Kit heals and discovers that the smuggler "Jack" "Lord Hendon" the high commissioner of revenue and the man the grandes dames of the town had set sites on for her husband. The man she wantonly loved as Jack..is Lord Hendon..one man on both sides of the law. They get married and what comes next forms the crux of the story from my point of view.

Kit married Lord Hendon for love..But she wonders does he love her? With his smuggling escapades still continuing..She wonders why he does that? Doesnt he trust her enough to explain? Why his sudden urge to chain her wilder side..the nighttime smuggling, riding in breeches..wasnt that an integral part of the woman he fell in love with?

Jack marries Kit..but wonders what it would take to keep her safe and out of harm's way..though he loves the wild side of her too the thought of losing her is scary..He cannot tell her what he is involved in, partly out of sense of duty for his country and partly because if she knew..she would be by his side trying to keep him safe and putting her .."a part of him" at risk. How complicated could a marriage based on love get?

Review -
An alpha male hero nicely complemented by a spirited and intelligent heroine. Makes one relish all the adventurous moments one spends with Young kit and captain jack one also enjoys the dilemmas of Lord and Lady Hendon about trust, love and marriage. A potent blend of adventure, desire and the finer details of "love". A gripping read hard to put down once you have started.

rating 9/10