Whispers in the Dark

Roger, Earl of Whyth, wants Joan Lecrox with a fiery passion the hardened rake hasn’t felt before; however, she will have nothing to do with him. Joan is only in London for the season to please her Uncle Willy. She wants nothing to do with the gossiping ladies of the Ton, nor is she planning to find a husband. Against her will though, her desire and ardor for Roger grows. At first, all she saw was the rake, the man who seduced women with little thought for their feelings. Joan comes to realize that Roger is merely playing the role society has allotted him. Nobody seems to see the vulnerable man beneath his façade; nor do they see that he is a man very deserving of love.

Roger is alarmed at his growing feelings for Joan. Though he has wanted her from the moment he laid eyes on her, as he gets to know her both intimately and personally, he realizes that she is a woman he could easily lose his heart to. Their affair blossoms as the season goes on, but will the end of the season signify the end of their relationship, or can Roger convince Joan that what they feel for each other is too precious to let go?

Whispers in the Dark is a phenomenal read from Gayle Eden. Fans of historical romances will not be let down by this intense love story. Roger and Joan start off as the stock characters one expects in any Regency romance, the faithless rake and the shy maiden. Yet, as the story unfolds, Roger and Joan become three dimensional, endearing, and very realistic characters with quirks, tempers, habits, and foibles all their own. Joan stands out because she is the very opposite of what one expects in a Regency miss. She is brave, cynical about love and the Ton, and would rather spend the day in her country home riding her horse or chatting with her hired help. Roger seems to be the perfect caricature of a cad, but this is an affectation he puts on for the reader and for Joan. As he comes to trust and care for Joan, he lets her into his heart and lets her know who he really is; a man who loves adventure, who likes collecting rare treasures, and enjoys renovating Black Cross, the abbey he has recently purchased. Roger loves hard and plays hard, but he also longs for the simple things in life, though he’s afraid to give voice to those dreams.

Exciting characters, an exhilarating romance, interesting characterizations, and snappy dialogue make Whispers in the Dark a fantastic read for every historical romance fan. Roger and Joan’s story will have you hooked from beginning to end.

Reviewed by: Sarah W