Between the Devil and Desire (Scoundrels of St. James, 2)

Heath makes you fall in love with these scoundrels of the street, and for good reason. Jack Dodger has managed to build one of the more exclusive gentleman's clubs in London his greatest achievement from being one of the best pickpockets to Feagan the kid's man who ran one of the best crews of child thieves in London. Jack knows the street, and couldn't care less about London society seeing them as nothing more then a cash cow to milk at his leisure hence why he's shocked that he is the proud recipient when an Earl dies and receives his London town house and the man's widow and son. Olivia is shocked that her husband left so much to one of the more bigger vice lords in London, since she is one of the more stoic, and proper of London ladies. Jack soon becomes a de-facto father figure for her son and Olivia starts to see Jack as a damaged, caring, and handsome man she has ever met. And Jack sees one of the more beautiful, enticing, and wonderful woman he's ever come across.

Jack Dodger was sold by his mother when he was very young, and escaped the perverted man whom he was sold to. He was lucky to be rescued by Feagan's a kind old man who had the best gang of thieves in all of London. Now his passion is making money and he is doing very well for himself due to the popularity of his game hell being the most successful and notorious club in London. Olivia Stanford, the widowed Duchess of Lovingdon doesn't know why the notorious and ill behaved Jack Doger is doing in her house, just as her lawyer is about to read her husband's will. Little does she know her chaste and roper life is going to be turned upside down when the solicitor states that Jack Dodger is now the legal guardian of her 5 year old son Henry - the legitimate heir and next in line to the Dukedom and is the new owner of her home! Jack is just a shocked to hear that he has been appointed guardian to a 5 year old boy and has to put up with the sharp tongued, proper and furious Olivia. Though when he finds out that he is now the owner of one of the most beautiful houses in London and being the greedy bugger he has been all his life - he is not about to pass that up - specially when he has to figure out why the Duke of Lovingdon, a man he barely knew has bequeathed him with his fortune and this type of responsibility. Olivia is just as shocked. She has been a faithful wife all these years and cant believe her husband would be so callous as to select this notorious thief and low born man the guardian to her son. Obviously her husband kept secrets and now he has taken them to his grave. Jack and Olivia start a battle of wills and there is no reservation in how much they detest each other. Jack hates the proper upper classes and all that Olivia stands for and Olivia wont let an upstart thief with the worst reputation get near her son. Slowly, Olivia comes to the realization that Jack has a kind heart and watches in wonder how her son Henry takes to Jack and his no-nonsense manner of dealing with a young boy. In turn, Jack admires Olivia for her love and tenacity concerning her young son. Another marvelous love story by the talented Ms. Heath. She never disappoints and she just keeps getting better! Nobody does a better job at creating an emotionally told, gripping tale with the typical scorching Heath sensuality. It grips your heart from the beginning and you almost become one with the characters. BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND DESIRE is a lovely story and one that will stay with you long after you have read the last page. Thank you Lorraine!

I had been waiting for Jack's book ans I wasn't disappointed with this latest offering by Heath. Really hated the bad thing that happened to Jack as a child but it helped to understand him as an adult. Why he held himself back and all. Kinda disturbing to think about his relationship with Olivia too. So kinda tried not to think about her first husband and the whole thing. You will see what I mean if you give this book a shot. Also really didn't need the whole villian there. He didn't seem to add to the story. Almost like the author was just trying to obtain some form of closure for Jack but really that wasn't necessary. It didn't move the book forward of course it didn't hold it back either! I think Jack and Olivia did that all on their own. Liked hearing from some previous characters too like Frannie, Dr. Graves, Swindler, Luke and Catherine. Nice to have met the infamous Feagan too! Won't be a bit surprised to find out that he is actually a closer relation to someone that previously thought.

The thing I think I like the most in Ms. Heath's books is she allows us to really get to know the two main characters as they are falling in love and as that happens the reader falls in love with the characters as well and a real story is developing along the way.There is a lot of dialogue happening between the hero and the heroine whether they are arguing, bantering, yelling, joking, or just talking and therefore they get to know each other as we do and then we start to believe these two belong together. Which makes a very enjoyable journey along the way. I became totally enthralled once again and had a hard time putting the book down at times. I wasn't really sure she could top her last book and while I don't know if I can say she "topped" it it is every bit as good and enjoyable and was a real pleasure to read. I wasn't sure in her last book if I would even like Jack Dodger ,but, as the book progressed so did his character and a real hero was revealed in him. Of course I liked him! He was the hero in every sense of the word. People just aren't always as they appear....many have a hidden depth and story behind who they appear and we get inside that story with Jack and learn who he is. We find out why he is the way he is and how he became who he is. Isn't that the point? I came to not only care for him and about him ,but, fell in love with him myself so how could the heroine not and why shouldn't she? He may be a bit of the devil on the outside ,but, wow he was oh so charming and handsome. I so enjoyed the side story with little Henry, Olivia's 5 year old son. The comradarie that develops between he and Jack is so sweet. Children in these books to me is a bonus. I hope all children weren't just cast aside by their fathers during this period in time. I'm sure many fathers did bond with their sons but sometimes I wonder. I would highly recommend this book. Its charming and it will make you smile and even feel tingling all over at times. I didn't want to put it down and I know I will reread it as I will many of Ms. Heath's books. Well done again!

I really enjoyed this story. It is now one of my favorite Heath novels. I felt like the hero/heroine complemented each other tremendously, and the whole dynamic of the story flowed well. This sort of reminded me of "Dreaming of You" by Lisa Kleypas, in that the hero is off the streets and in charge of a successful gaming hell, the heroine is uptight, etc. The heroine is somewhat of a shrew at first, but Jack tears down her walls as she does likewise with him. The thing that stumbled me, though, was the end of the book and the twists that are revealed. It turns out the heroine was married to the hero's father, and had a young son by the father. So the heroine is married to her late husband's son, and has a young boy by the late husband. That makes her husband and her son half-brothers...I'm my own grandpa, or something like that. ew? I don't know...that sort of killed the charm for me at the end. But a great romance novel, overall.

In 1851 Jack "Artful" Dodger knows he has come a long way from his thieving days on the streets of London to where he is now, the owner of an exclusive gentleman's club, which means aristocratic women hate him. However, his dirt poor begging days have left a mark on his soul; he wants more and more money with no entanglements. Changes abruptly occur when the notorious rake is named guardian by the late Duke of Lovingdon of his heir, four years old Henry to the appalling shock of the child's mom, Widow Lady Olivia. Initially Jack is bewildered with why him from a highly regarded lord and unhappy with the task as it interferes with his womanizing and money-making; that is until he begins to see the lioness lady. He wants her and plans to have her; she wants him and plans to avoid him. As they argue while taking care of her son, they fall in love. However, before they can consider a family, the identity of his parents surfaces leaving Jack to confront danger and end his hopes of marrying the duchess The sequel to IN BED WITH THE DEVIL is another excellent adult where are they now twisting of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. The story line is character driven starting with the reading of the shocking will as Dodger and Olivia go from enemies with a common purpose to love with an even stronger common purpose. The late suspense rounds out a wonderfully passionate Victorian that does justice to Mr. Dickens' classic. Harriet Klausner