THE PURSUITS OF LORD KIT CAVANAUGH (The Cavanaughs #2) by Stephanie Laurens-a review

THE PURSUITS OF LORD KIT CAVANAUGH (The Cavanaughs #2) by Stephanie Laurens

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 30, 2019

A Gentleman of Means

One of the most eligible bachelors in London, Lord Christopher “Kit” Cavanaugh has discovered his true path and it doesn’t include the expected society marriage. Kit is all business and has chosen the bustling port of Bristol to launch his passion—Cavanaugh Yachts.

A Woman of Character

Miss Sylvia Buckleberry’s passion is her school for impoverished children. When a new business venture forces the school out of its building, she must act quickly. But confronting Kit Cavanaugh is a daunting task made even more difficult by their first and only previous meeting, when, believing she’d never see him again, she’d treated him dismissively. Still, Sylvia is determined to be persuasive.

An Unstoppable Duo

But it quickly becomes clear there are others who want the school—and Cavanaugh Yachts—closed. Working side by side, Kit and Sylvia fight to secure her school and to expose the blackguard trying to sabotage his business. Yet an even more dastardly villain lurks, one who threatens the future both discover they now hold dear.

••••••••••••••

REVIEW:  THE PURSUITS OF LORD KIT CAVANAUGH is the second instalment in Stephanie Laurens’ THE CAVANAUGHS historical romance series, a spin off from the author’s Cynster/Cynster Sisters Duo. This is twenty-nine year old, Lord Christopher ‘Kit’ Cavanaugh, and Miss Sylvia Buckleberry’s story line. THE PURSUITS OF LORD KIT CAVANAUGH can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Kit and Sylvia) THE PURSUITS OF LORD KIT CAVANAUGH follows the slow building relationship between twenty-nine year old, Lord Christopher ‘Kit’ Cavanaugh, and Miss Sylvia Buckleberry. Hoping for a successful upstart to his new Cavanaugh Yacht building business, Lord Christopher ‘Kit’ Cavanaugh finds himself in a predicament when the new lease on his warehouse forces a charity school, for impoverished children, onto the streets with nowhere to go. Enter Miss Sylvia Buckleberry, the school’s director and administrator, and the woman with whom Kit will fall in love. Hoping to make right his ill-timed business venture, Kit helps Sylvia find a new place for her school, but a place that doesn’t sit well with some of the locals. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Kit and Sylvia, and the potential fall-out as both Kit and Sylvia are targeted for who they are, and what they do.

Sylvia Buckleberry, the daughter of a preacher, knows that someone is following. From the destruction at Kit’s Cavanaugh Yacht building, to the numerous attempts to break and enter, Kit and Sylvia are unsure from where the threats are coming.

The relationship between Kit and Sylvia is slow to develop having previously met at Lord Randolph’s wedding (THE DESIGNS OF LORD RANDOLPH CAVANAUGH #1). Sylvia struggles with her attraction to a man whose reputation as a rake precedes his introduction to their small ton but Kit has no idea as to the cold indifference aimed in his direction. The lone $ex scene is passionate but mostly implied.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters many of whom struggle to survive the streets of 1843 Bristol, England. From destruction to thievery, desperation and loss, the number of locals hoping for a job increases as our hero gives everyone a second chance. We are reintroduced to Kit’s siblings Rand and his wife Felicia, as well as Eustacia aka Stacie, Godfrey and Ryder.

THE PURSUITS OF LORD KIT CAVANAUGH is an entertaining and engaging story; a well-written, slow burning romance between two people who battle not only their attraction to one another but an unknown force that is trying to destroy everything they love. The premise is captivating; the romance is sweet and tender; the characters are edgy and intelligent.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one THE DESIGNS OF LORD RANDOLPH CAVANAUGH.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

The Designs of Lord Randolph Cavanaugh (The Cavanaughs #1) by Stephanie Laurens-a review

THE DESIGNS OF LORD RANDOLPH CAVANAUGH ( The Cavanaughs #1) by Stephanie Laurens-a review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 24, 2018

#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens returns with a new series that captures the simmering desires and intrigues of early Victorians as only she can. Ryder Cavanaugh’s stepsiblings are determined to make their own marks in London society. Seeking fortune and passion, THE CAVANAUGHS will delight readers with their bold exploits.

An independent nobleman

Lord Randolph Cavanaugh is loyal and devoted—but only to family. To the rest of the world, he’s aloof and untouchable, a respected and driven entrepreneur. But Rand yearns for more in life, and when he travels to Buckinghamshire to review a recent investment, he discovers a passionate woman who will challenge his rigid self-control…

A determined lady

Felicia Throgmorton intends to keep her family afloat. For decades, her father was consumed by his inventions and now, months after his death, with their finances in ruins, her brother insists on continuing their father’s tinkering. Felicia is desperate to hold together what’s left of the estate. Then she discovers she must help persuade their latest investor that her father’s follies are a risk worth taking…

Together—the perfect team

Rand arrives at Throgmorton Hall to discover the invention on which he’s staked his reputation has exploded, the inventor is not who he expected and a fiercely intelligent woman now holds the key to his future success. But unflinching courage in the face of dismaying hurdles is a trait they share, and Rand and Felicia are forced to act together against ruthless foes to protect everything they hold dear.

•••••••••

REVIEW: THE DESIGNS OF LORD RANDOLPH CAVANAUGH is the first instalment in Stephanie Laurens’ historical, romance THE CAVANAUGHS series. This is Lord Randolph Cavanaugh aka Rand, the younger half-brother of Ryder Cavanaugh, Marquess of Raventhorne (The Taming of Ryder Cavanaugh), and Felicia Throgmorton’s story line. THE CAVANAUGHS is a spin off from the author’s Cynster / Cynster Sisters Duo where we met Ryder Cavanaugh and his wife Mary Cynster.

Told from several third person perspectives including Rand and Felicia THE DESIGNS OF LORD RANDOLPH CAVANAUGH follows the building romance between Randolph Cavanaugh aka Rand, and Felicia Throgmorton. With the approach of Birmingham Exhibition only days away, Lord Randolph ‘Rand’ Cavanaugh sets out to check on Cavanaugh Investments current expenditure- an exclusive stake in the Throgmorton Steam-Powered Horseless Carriage. All too aware of the potential for sabotage from competing firms, Rand takes notice of a new stranger who appears to have designs on Felicia Throgmorton, a stranger with the gift of an artist but secrets to hide. What ensues is the building romance between Felicia and Rand; the preparations for the upcoming Exhibition; and the potential fall-out as the Throgmorton Steam-Powered Horseless Carriage is targeted.

The relationship between Rand and Felicia falls victim to a lack of palpable sexual attraction. The limited interaction between the couple squashes any chemistry that could have otherwise turned passionate and romantic leaving this reader neither intrigued nor interested in the couple’s growing love. The emotional build up is absent.

The Cavanaugh siblings play secondary and supporting characters including Christopher aka Kit, Eustacia aka Stacie, Godfrey and Ryder. We are introduced to Felicia’s brother William John, and Clive Mayhew, an artist who has found himself in a precarious situation.

THE DESIGNS OF LORD RANDOLPH CAVANAUGH is a well-written but slow building story line that gets caught up in the historical and technical information of building a steam-powered engine. As our trio struggle to perfect their entry into the upcoming Exhibition, the story line follows a path of industrial and mechanical jargon rife with bits and parts, and steam-powered details that deviated from the growing relationship between our leading couple, as well as the build up towards sabotage and ruination. The building romance falls victim to the constant return to the mechanization of the steam-powered, horseless carriage; the conflict resolution was quick and anti-climactic.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Share