Victoria Yelverton is all alone in the world with no home, no money, and no social standing. Her brother has been killed while taking part in a duel, and she has nowhere to turn...that is, until her brother’s opponent from the duel steps in.

They call him Satan. He is Simon St. John, the seventh Earl of Travis, and when he sees the young woman mourning her brother in the dew-slicked and bloodied grass, he experiences something unheard of in his emotionless existence – he begins to be conscious of his debauched and meaningless lifestyle; he is moved by another’s pain. He’s run from his own demons all his life, so how could he be any good to anyone else? His need for Victoria soon outweighs his self-protective instincts, and the walls he’s built around himself slowly begin to melt. But he’s earned Victoria’s hatred; can he ever win her trust or even her love?

You know, I just love a good rake, but even more than that, I love a rake who discovers his principles and decides to make something more of himself than he first appears. Author Michele Ann Young won me over completely with her portrayal of Satan St. John; his tortured and heart-rending emotional baggage really touched me and just made me like him even more. It was a joy watching him discover his softer side and, after a very short time, he became Simon to me rather than Satan. Victoria is a spunky and stubborn heroine who has not a chance against this rake’s mesmerizing appeal. Pistols at Dawn took every necessary element and slid it seamlessly into this tale; there are heaps of danger, a gorgeous maiden, a wounded hero, and a truly wicked villain. The sparks shot off by Simon and Victoria fairly burn with barely-leashed sensuality and the delightfully dreamy ending made my heart flutter. Four angels!


Reviewed by: Michelle