Ravenels, 4
Lisa Kleypas
Avon Romance
February 27, 2018
New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas delivers a scintillating tale of an unconventional beauty who finds passion with the spy who can’t resist her
A woman who defies her time
Dr. Garrett Gibson, the only female physician in England, is as daring and independent as any man—why not take her pleasures like one? Yet she has never been tempted to embark on an affair, until now. Ethan Ransom, a former detective for Scotland Yard, is as gallant as he is secretive, a rumored assassin whose true loyalties are a mystery. For one exhilarating night, they give in to their potent attraction before becoming strangers again.
A man who breaks every ruleAs a Ravenel by-blow spurned by his father, Ethan has little interest in polite society, yet he is captivated by the bold and beautiful Garrett. Despite their vow to resist each other after that sublime night, she is soon drawn into his most dangerous assignment yet. When the mission goes wrong, it will take all of Garrett’s skill and courage to save him. As they face the menace of a treacherous government plot, Ethan is willing to take any risk for the love of the most extraordinary woman he’s ever known.
Oh my gosh, this was simply a marvelous book. First off, this book made me appreciate the advancement in medicine. Some of the things in this book seem kind of archaic, but they were cutting edge for the time. So, seeing how some of those things were performed backed them made me grateful for how they have progress since then. Now about Hello Stranger. Yes, you could read this book without the previous books, and be somewhat fine. However, there are some things that happen in previous stories that help you understand this particular story. What happen in Devil in Spring kind of leads up to what happens in Hello Stranger. I would recommend reading the books in order.
So, the medical stuff and the political unrest is a big part in this story, but we also have a love brewing here. We have level-headed Garrett Gibson. Poor girl. She's the only female doctor in all of England, so she has to prove that she's the best. However, some tall dark stranger strolls into her life, because honestly she does need saving from herself, here and there. She can be pretty stubborn. Now Ethan Ransom can be pretty stubborn too, but he's always looking out for Garrett. Plus, he feels that she could be a weakness to him, so the best solution would be cut himself off of her. Because that always works in the long run. Yet these two work better when together. Both independent, but somehow they know how not to stifle one another.
I found Hello Stranger pretty fascinating read. I mean with all the medicine Garrett is doing, Ethan trying to save England. I like how Lisa made Ethan come realize he doesn't have to be like his parents, the ones who raised him, and the one that helped sired him. I wonder if there will be more Ravenel children popping up in this series or if the ones we have met are it. I can't wait to read West story. He sounds like he's going to be a hoot. Overall, Hello Stranger was a pretty good read.
Copy provided by Avon
Excerpt:
He heard her muffled chuckle. She
continued to lean against him while the trio of constables expressed sympathy
for the unfortunate patient. Eventually the men departed with a chorus of
hearty farewells. Ethan discovered that his other arm had stolen around
Garrett. Making himself let go of her was like trying to uncoil a steel spring.
“You should go up to your father
now,” he said with difficulty.
“Eliza will look after him while I
take a few minutes to show you some slides. I have insect wings . . . pollen
grains . . . flower petals . . . What would you like to see?”
“The inside of a hansom cab,” he
said softly. “I can’t be alone with you, darlin’.”
Garrett touched the edges of his
vest, fingers clamping on the thin leather. “Ethan.” A blush rose in her face,
like light glowing through pink frosted glass. “I don’t want to end this. We .
. . we could meet in secret, now and then. No one would have to know. We would
make no claims on each other. We’ll just . . . do as we please.”
The way she fumbled with the words,
so unlike her usual precise way of speaking, devastated Ethan. He could only
guess what it cost her to lay open her pride like this. He wasn’t certain what
she was offering, or even if she knew. Not that it mattered. He wanted, craved,
needed anything she was willing to give. But he had to make her understand that
it was impossible. And even if it were, the idea was beneath her.
“Have you had that kind of
arrangement with a man before?” he brought himself to ask.
Her eyes were the green of deep
summer and lush growing things. “I’m a woman who makes her own decisions and
handles the consequences.”
“That means no,” Ethan said softly.
At her silence, he continued, “You’d be risking your reputation. Your career.”
“Believe me, I understand that
better than you.”
“Have you ever shared a bed with a
man? Even once?”
“Why is that relevant?”
Her evasive response sent a
pleasure-pang down to the pit of his stomach. “That means no,” he said again,
his voice even softer than before. He took a slow breath, trying to steady
himself, while his blood sang with the knowledge that she’d been waiting for
him. She was meant to be his. God, he wanted her beyond any reckoning of earth
or heaven. But her well-being mattered a thousand times more than his own
desires.
“Garrett . . . I’m a man full o’
trouble. When I vowed to let nothing harm you, I included myself on that list.”
A frown crimped her forehead. She
closed her grip on his vest until her fists were tight as pine knots. “I’m not
afraid of you, or your trouble.” Her green eyes were narrowed and intent as she
tugged him closer. “Kiss me,” she urged in a whisper.
“I have to go,” he said shortly,
and pulled back while he was still able.
But Garrett moved with him, her
hands reaching up to grip his head on either side, the way he’d taught her at
Baujart’s. The strength of her fingers electrified him.
“Kiss me,” she commanded, “or I’ll
break your nose.”
The threat startled a ragged laugh
from him. He shook his head as he looked at her, this fearsomely capable woman
who loved geese and was afraid of spaghetti, and could either wield a scalpel
in a complex surgical procedure or use it as a throwing-knife.
There had always been a cold streak in him,
but he couldn’t seem to find it now, when he needed it most. He was breaking
apart inside. He would never be the same after this.
“Christ, you’ve ruined me,” he
whispered.
His arms went around her, one hand
gripping the heavy silken mass of her braided chignon. She guided his head
down, and he lost the battle, all his will vanquished as he began to kiss her
as if the world were about to end.
For him, it was.
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ABOUT LISA KLEYPAS
New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. She is a RITA award winning author of both historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction. Her novels are published in fourteen different languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband Gregory and their two children.
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