Last Night With the Earl is the second book in the Devils of Dover series by Kelly Bowen. I did read the first book in this series, but think that while some of the characters and situations are set up and developed in the first book, they can be read alone as well.
Earl. War hero. Notorious rake. After the Battle of Waterloo, Eli Dawes was presumed dead-and would have happily stayed that way. He's no longer the reckless young man he once was, and only half as pretty. All he wants is to hide away in his country home, where no one can see his scars. But when he tries to sneak into his old bedroom in the middle of the night, he's shocked to find someone already there. Rose Hayward remembers Eli as the arrogant lord who helped her late fiance betray her. Finding him stealing into her art studio doesn't correct her impression. Her only thought is to get him to leave immediately. Yet the tension between them is electric, and she can't help but be drawn to him. He might be back from the dead, but it's Rose who is suddenly feeling very, very much alive.
Last Night With the Earl is an engaging read and I found myself very interested in the characters and what makes them tick from the very beginning. Eli might have once been a golden boy and a rake, but war and life have forced him to grow up, and he wants to do better, be better. He is reluctant to face his demons, but does what he must to gain what he wants. Rose has been hurt, and has emotional scars, but has turned her lesson into fodder for art and helping others see themselves as they truly are rather than how society talks about them. She still has her own issues with taking her own advice, but does the best she can. When these old friends come together they have to face those demons and issues, as well as betrayals. I like how honest and open they were with each other, and how hard they each had to work with their own issues, and helping each other face up to the things they did not really deal with. That pushing each other and coming to terms with their own faults, wounds, and worries was very well done. I thought Eli and Rose were well matched, and complemented each other, and challenged each other, almost perfectly. I enjoyed the read, and was glad that I picked this one up. I think I will be continuing the series, mostly because of my curiosity about just what is going on with Rose's brother Harland.
Last Night With the Earl is an entertaining read. I enjoyed returning to a good group of characters, and am curious about what will happen next.
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