I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 2 in the Shaw’s series. Dru is a writer who’s mind is always wondering. She meets Oliver and decides to cast him as the villian in her book. His reaction just made me angry. It drove me crazy how bad he treats her. It’s like its a book get over it.

I was entertained by this story. Dru is writing a story - for her own personal enjoyment, which takes several details from London Society. After meeting Oliver, she incorporates him into the story. After they decide to get married, she orders a maid to burn her pages.

Oliver carries guilt from a terrible accident with his brother years before, Dru becomes wracked with guilt after seeing her book getting published. They need to fight their personal demons and learn to be honest before the omitted truths force them away from each other.

One thing I really enjoyed was Dru's family - they were this close knit family and seemed like there is nothing they would do. The short snippets you got of them was not enough.

Lots of twists and turns in this roller coaster romance that kept me reading until the end.

~Reviewed by Amy~~

Sometimes I wonder if authors enjoy instilling anxiety in their readers. Do they giggle when writing scenes they know will make the reader want to scream, jump into the story and set everyone to rights? That’s exactly how I felt in new-to-me-author Lynne Connolly’s Dauntless. It was a good anxiety though since it kept me turning the pages in this lovely story with twists and turns, mystery, danger, and secrets. But to get past all this, the hero and heroine had to first love and forgive. I had my doubts they’d make it through and I have to tell you, the suspense was killing me. In a totally delicious kind of way.

Drusilla Shaw came from a family that skirted scandal because of their wealth and influence. Drusilla was quite the introvert. Unlike her siblings who seemed to live in scandal, Dru only wrote about it. She poured all her dreams into her stories, or as her family called them, her scribbles. She wrote them and then burned them. Knowing her stories would never be read, she let her imagination go. And Dru had a vivid imagination. She “preferred to make fantasy real and draw on the people she loved and the ones she disliked to create something totally impossible but as scurrilous and amusing as she could make it”. Dru could make terrible or wonderful things happen to the characters based on her reaction to them in real life. But while she enjoyed creating these characters based on those around her, she wondered if she would ever meet the man she’d written about all her life. A real-life hero who would make her world shine.

Oliver, Duke of Mountsorrel, usually avoided single eligible ladies. He had too many responsibilities as a duke and caring for his invalid brother, Charles. But to appease his mother, Oliver was making a half-hearted attempt to find a wife. A mature female with sense and gravity. A sensible, amenable partner to provide heirs, share some of his duties, and help with Charles. He certainly didn’t need a woman from a family like Drusilla Shaw’s. Yet there was no denying the desire that swept over him when they met.

Dru was quite taken with Oliver as well. He scrambled her senses but his unmistakable air of command made her feel safe and secure. Dru was an avid reader of books her mother would never approve. With Oliver, she was eager to experience some of what she’d read in those books. Oliver felt rather eager too. He liked Dru’s outlook and her tart remarks. And he certainly couldn’t deny his body’s reaction nor the lurid thoughts that filled his head. Their feelings for each other fascinated and alarmed them both. Was it just attraction or could it be more? Oliver didn’t want anyone to have control of his emotions. He had too many responsibilities. He needed to keep his head.

Needless to say, they were soon engaged. But when Dru’s newest manuscript is stolen and published, it could destroy everything. Not only does the story resemble much of Oliver’s family, someone is attempting to recreate some of the more sinister scenes, putting Dru and Oliver in danger. And Oliver has no idea who the author is. For Dru, keeping a secret for life from her husband did not appeal but losing him would be worse.

As I said earlier, this book made me want to jump in and fix everything. There were times I wanted to shake Oliver and Dru. Oliver reminded me of my husband. One minute I wanted to kiss him and the next I wanted to give him a swift kick in the rear. Oliver guarded his privacy and expected honesty. He was hurt by Dru’s actions so acted coldly and said some hurtful things, but also at times he treated her tenderly. He wanted to get past it but he wasn’t sure how. He wanted to maintain a wall of indifference but he found himself softening. While his emotions and actions were believable and understandable, he needed to get past the guilt he carried over his brother and learn to trust. Dru caused me anxiety as well. She felt guilty for her actions and wanted to atone for them. But Oliver’s indifference kept her from speaking in her own defence at times. I wanted to jump in and make him listen. I had to keep reminding myself that they still knew so little of each other and had to build their trust. Dru was definitely the dauntless one. As much as she was hurt by Oliver’s actions, she was determined to prove her love for him. She wasn’t a doormat by any means, but she wanted and deserved forgiveness.

This was a fast-paced and, at times, adrenaline-charged read. I have to say, I found myself eyeballing more than one character trying to figure out whodunit. The love scenes were steamy and truly showed how perfect Dru and Oliver were for each other and how deeply they loved each other. Even if they didn’t quite see it yet. There were even some humorous moments. I loved how Dru’s books were her own personal literary voodoo doll. And I couldn’t stop chuckling through Oliver’s proposal. I think that’s when I fell in love with him. I enjoyed how the intricacies of their relationship and the mystery of the manuscript slowly unfurled. In spite of all my angst, the danger and romance resolved beautifully. I’m hoping in future books, we’ll discover Dru has become a famous author. While part of a series I’ve never read, this was easily read as a standalone. I’ll definitely be reading the earlier books in the series though as I want to know more about those infamous Shaws. Especially Darius.

Ms. Connolly delivers another brilliantly written chapter in the Shaw family saga. Even as this tale features many of my favorite characters from the series and the mystery is well executed, this story did not have the same emotional intensity that I've grown to expect from this author.
Drusilla lives in her head spinning stories close to giving up on her dream to find true love. Her first meeting with the Duke of Mountsorrel evokes a strong chemical reaction but then he abandons her in the middle of the dance floor in a society ballroom? Clearly there could be no future for them? or could there be?
Nattily dressed he shows up in her mother's drawing room to apologize and make amends. Except the carriage ride her mother deems as the proper approach to restore her daughter in the eyes of society ends up with a broken wheel and the two of them thrown on the road entwined together while the duke attempts to spare Drusilla injury. At this point the only recourse left to them is to marry. The Duke needs to set up his nursery and Drusilla needs a society match.
Drusilla in a fit of anger after the ballroom incident painted Oliver as a villain in her latest manuscript which has subsequently disappeared and is now making the rounds of London society. As if a new marriage, meeting Oliver's family and sizzling hot sex isn't enough to occupy Drusilla there are the random accidents that seem to involve her. Who is targeting Drusilla and why? It took me a while into the story before I twigged to the villain but the question that continues to gnaw at me is how did the villain know so early in the game to steal the manuscript?
While this might not be my favorite story in the series I can't wait to see how the remaining Shaw's find their happily ever afters.

Stevie‘s review of Dauntless (The Shaws, Book 2) by Lynne Connolly
Historical Romance published by Lyrical Press 26 Jun 18

I utterly adored Lynne Connolly’s Emperors of London series, with its grand political intrigues, but I’m growing to love the spin-off series about the Emperors’ cousins, the Shaws, almost as much, even if the politics are often more domestic in nature. This time the focus turns to the middle Shaw daughter, Drusilla, a singleton in a family of twins, and her somewhat thwarted plans to make her own way in the world. Of course, those plans end up being thwarted in the best possible way for a romance novel, but there’s plenty of intrigue and danger along the way before Dru gets her happy ending and her Duke.


Dru never seems to attract the right sort of eligible bachelor during the Season, but she doesn’t really mind since she has enough money of her own from an inheritance to live quite comfortably once her family decide she’s off the marriage market, and the novels she enjoys writing keep her busy, even if she has no plans to ever share their plots with anyone else. All that changes when she trips – quite literally – over Oliver, the Duke of Mountsorrel.

Oliver has no love of society. He’d much prefer to stay on his country estate with his reclusive younger brother – disabled in a carriage accident for which Oliver blames himself – but every duke needs an heir, and thinking his brother is unsuited to the job, Oliver is on the hunt for a bride. While Dru doesn’t meet all Oliver’s requirements, she does intrigue him against his better judgement. Until a chance teasing remark hits Oliver harder than Dru intended, and their very public parting midway through a dance threatens to ruin Dru’s reputation for good.

Oliver tries to repair the damage, but one catastrophe leads to another, ending with the publication – against Dru’s wishes or knowledge – of Dru’s latest novel, in which several characters and events are based heavily on Oliver’s family and their history. Seeking to end the scandal, but also to punish Dru, Oliver declares that they should marry, but that she is to act as companion to his brother as well as begetting the heir and spare he so greatly requires.

Dru goes along with the plan: she’s fallen heavily for Oliver after all, but suspects they have an enemy who is determined not just to ruin her, but now wants to do away with her altogether. She might be just another Catherine Morland of Northanger Abbey fame, or she might well be right – and in grave danger.

In the end, the villain of the piece was rather predictable, but I did like the fact that their motivations stretched back far beyond the obvious turning point in their life. I was also very taken with Oliver’s mother, who survived a loveless first marriage to find happiness later in life with her second husband. Not my favourite book in the series so far, but a very worthwhile addition nonetheless.

Grade: B

Honestly, from the description I expected there to be more than two ill-thought out plots that weren't even guaranteed to succeed. In fact, I expected a lot more from the premise than what I got.

Don't get me wrong, this book is by no means horrible, but there are a few things that I feel could have been done to improve it overall. To begin with, I wish Oliver had just listened to Dru. At the first sign of her book, he flies into a justifiable fit of anger, however if he had just allowed her to explain instead of automatically thinking/accusing her of the worst, the pair could have worked things out so much sooner. In addition to this, he believes someone is out to harm her, but not only does he not tell her about his plan, but it doesn't even dawn on him that the release of the book may have something to do with it? The same can be said for Dru, ordered her maid to destroy it, but did not question her version of events after it was exposed.

As for Dru, sure, the things she wrote were not complimentary and would have caused the ton to shun her if they dared, but even when it came out that she was the author, she still refused to tell anything the truth.

I will say that I enjoyed the twist at the end, even though I had suspected who was behind things. I would read more from this author!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

1756

Lady Drusilla (Dru) Shaw, age 26, is the oldest daughter of the Marquess of Strenshall. A large number of siblings meant that she was often left to entertain herself. She has always loved to write stories, but usually burns them afterward.

Tonight she is attending a ball. When she arrives, she trips on the hem of her gown, only to be caught in the strong arms of Oliver, the Duke of Mountsorrel. An aloof man who rarely attends society events, he has ventured out because he needs to find a wife. Asking Dru to dance, she offends him somehow while talking to him which makes hm rudely walk away from her.

Dru’s mother is worried that she will never find a husband, but Dru is content just as she is. However, her mother lists some prospective husbands for her and wants her choice by the end of the month or one will be chosen for her.

The next day, Oliver calls upon Dru to apologize for leaving her on the dance floor and offers to take her for a ride in his curricle. But when one of the horses pulling the curricle stumbles and goes lame, both Oliver and Dru are thrown to the ground, which draws a crowd. Neither are injured, but Dru especially is muddied. Later, Oliver discovers that a wheel on the curricle had been tampered with. Oliver has a brother, Charles, who lives with him and is a recluse. He was severely injured in a carriage accident where Oliver was driving.

At a soiree, Dru and Oliver slip into the garden and share a kiss. Oliver lets her know he wants to court her. They very quickly fall in love and decide to marry. Ah, but Dru’s manuscript meant for the fire ends up being printed. The ton is aghast and Oliver is livid because the story mimics him and his brother Charles. Will Dru and Oliver split up? How can Dru live down this fiasco?

I enjoyed this book but didn’t know how the ton could figure out that Dru was the author. I have to say that I felt that Dru was a total wimp and downtrodden by Oliver who tended to be a bully. But, I guess that goes with the time period.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was a fantastic read! A story of romance, intrigue, danger, passion and love. You have a mystery mixed in with a huge misunderstanding that creates distance between Dru and Oliver. A mysterious villain that posses a threat to them. Some extremely intense moments create the background for the romance which I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m looking forward to the next one. Lynne Connolly Is definitely an author I will be looking into.

I recieved a complimentary copy from the publisher, through NetGalley. This is my honest unbiased opinion.

A story with touches of gothic suspense, mystery and secrets that will keep you glued to the page! Lady Drusilla Shaw was not an outgoing person. She had a wonderful imagination and used that to writes stories with some truths but mostly imagination. She longed to find a hero as she read and writes about in her books and felt she never would. Well as fate would have it, Oliver, Duke of Mountsorrel was that man. Pushed by his mother to find a wife and marry, he found Dru, although from not the best of families, he was certainly attracted to her. They soon become engaged because the spark was definitely there. But as luck would have it, her current manuscript (that she had used Oliver and his brother as the hero and villain of her tale) was stolen and then published. The suspense and mystery comes into play when someone is trying to recreate some of the more harrowing scenes and puts Dru in danger. Can they find out who is behind all the strange things that start happening? The author does a wonderful job of keeping the reader guessing and really enjoying the characters!

Take one quiet, introverted Lady with a passion for storytelling even though she’d never actually publish her imaginings. One Duke who needs a wife but really would prefer to not love the lady for he could not possibly handle his responsibilities and love a wife as well. (eye-roll) Mix in a stolen manuscript, accidents that clearly are not and the unexpected growing attraction that just might be love between our Lady and Duke. Stir the pot with some interesting secondary characters and a hidden villain somewhere among their acquaintances and you have a delightful, intense, sexy and enjoyable romance entitled Dauntless.

I enjoyed my time in the world of Dauntless, Although I haven’t read the earlier books in this series or the connecting series I was able to follow along with little distraction of figuring who people were. Now I simply have more books to add to my ever growing tower of TBR books. For me, the story flowed along two distinct lines – Dru and Oliver’s relationship and getting through their difficulties to the love that they obviously have for each other, and the mystery of who stole Dru’s writings and why someone is trying to harm or kill either or both of them. This is a story of romance and danger, love and trust, and solving a mystery that could be the death of our hero and heroine. I liked Dru and Oliver individually, and together they sizzle no matter the emotions at the time. My curiosity is caught and I’ll go back and discover the rest of these series because now I want to know what came before this story. I’d definitely recommend Dauntless to any Historical Romance reader who loves a good romance and a chilling mystery combined.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Dauntless by Lynne Connolly
The Shaws #2

Lady Drusilla Shaw is having her last season in London and has been told she will marry this year…someone she chooses or someone chosen for her by her parents. She loves to write, has ink stains on many cuffs and is not sure she wants to marry without love but…what is she to do? At a ball one evening she literally falls into the arms of Oliver, Duke of Mountsorrel. She says something that offends him without knowing what it is and in spite of that disastrous beginning the two do manage to hit it off, find chemistry aplenty and end up married. However, there is someone out to sabotage their relationship and perhaps even kill one or both of them. Who that person is and the reason behind it is…quite a story…perhaps even more riotous and despicable than the one that ended up without Dru’s permission published and scandalously being read by society.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I believe that Oliver and Drusilla are a great match and will be very happy together. If I have a quibble it might be that Oliver was so much taken in by someone in his family and listened to that person rather than listening immediately to his heart and instincts.

Did I enjoy this book? Definitely
Will I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing-Lyrical Press This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

4.5 stars rounded up.


Lady Drucilla Shaw is the eldest daughter and middle child of the infamous and powerful Shaw family. Dru spends a lot of time alone and has an overly active imagination, which she uses to write stories - not to publish, just for her own enjoyment. She is introverted and at 26 it seems like she is on the shelf and well on her way to spinsterhood, much to her mother's dismay.

Dru meets Oliver, the Duke of Mountsorrel, when he saves her from taking a tumble at a ball. Oliver is on the hunt for a bride and even though he doesn't feel Dru is right for him, he dances with her. As they dance, he goads her and she fires back, causing him to leave her on the dance floor.

Her mother has had enough, Dru will marry one of the men vying for her hand or her parents will choose for her. She is upset and begins to write, painting Oliver as her villain. Oliver comes to call the next day, to apologize and make things right - there is already enough gossip about his family and his treatment of Dru has not helped. They ride in the park and Oliver has a complete change of heart - Dru will be the perfect duchess for him, he uses the current scandal as an excuse to get closer to her, saying they will have to spend more time together, so the ton knows there are no hard feelings. He is feeling good about his plan when his horse stumbles and they are both thrown from the carriage. He saves her from serious injury and impulsively kisses her, but the event reminds him of another carriage accident. Dru has also had a change of heart and re-writes her story. Oliver seems serious about his intentions, even driving away other suitors, but a talk with his brother has him reconsidering and he decides to let things between them cool a bit.


Days pass and there is no communication from Oliver, Dru begins to think she misjudged his intentions, she is on the verge of accepting her parent's choice of a husband, when Oliver charges in and stops the proposal. He propose and she accepts, happy, she cannot wait to write in her journal - but the story is missing! Her maid tells her, her mother ordered it burned. Slightly relieved, she doesn't think too much of it, until the next morning when her father tells them of an advert for a new book - HER BOOK! Frantic, she tries to stop the publication and believes she has succeeded.

She and Oliver days later and there is a lot of snickering and whispering - then she learns that she was double crossed - the book was published. Oliver is livid, but doesn't know she is the author and the events in the story - complete products of her imagination - are surprisingly similar to Oliver's real life. She confesses to him and he is angry, but he will marry her anyway.


They marry and he is cold, he insists that she spend time with his crippled brother Charles as penance - she will do whatever is necessary to atone. He is still angry, but tells her that they will leave their differences at the bedroom door - they share an amazing wedding night and she has hope. But it is clear, someone doesn't want them to be together and will do whatever is necessary to ensure they do not have a HEA.

This was a great story! I thought it was well written and flowed well, the love scenes were steamy, the story interesting, the characters likable and the ending was amazing, I knocked off a 1/2 star because I felt the villain was a bit too obvious. This is the second full length novel in the Shaw Series, but it can absolutely be read as a stand alone title with no problem.

Dauntless by Lynne Connolly is book Two in The Shaws series. This is the story of Lady Drusilla 'Dru' Shaw and Oliver, Duke of Mountsorrel. This I thought could easily be a standalone book.
Dru is has taken to writing and one of her manuscripts has been taken from her and she not sure where it went or when it will turn up. When Oliver proposes to her Dru goes for to accept the marriage proposal but when the manuscript turns up in book form which when read is similar to what has been going on indie Oliver's family. Oliver goes froward with the marriage but has conditions with watch happens next.
Enjoyed their story.

Lady Drusilla Shaw may be a bit introverted, yet she has the observant mind of a writer, capturing all of society’s quirks and scandals. But when the novel she’s been working on disappears from her room, that is just the beginning of her problems. Confident, magnetic Oliver, Duke of Mountsorrel, has taken an interest in Dru, and when he proposes, she is both thrilled and anxious. Her book depicts a ruinous family story that is uncannily similar to Oliver’s real-life, not to mention libellous. The manuscript could surface at any moment and eventually it does, in published form, for all to read. Oliver is bewildered by his new wife and her blasted book.
This is the third book in the series & whilst it could be read as a standalone book to fully appreciate it I’d recommend reading the earlier books & also The Emperors of London series. The author’s attention to detail is second to none & she makes the era come alive. The pace is very good & the story flows effortlessly, I was drawn into the book from the beginning & was engrossed all the way through. The characters are well drawn & have plenty of depth. Oliver & Dru were very likeable & their attraction was there from the start. There are misunderstandings, secrets & ‘accidents' that all work to derail the romance. I look forward to more in the series

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I felt a lot of this book took place off the pages. The characters developed strong feelings for one another without reading. The when, what, where or how.

When I am given an ARC, it is my promise that I will give a fair and honest review. What a very different story. A writer/almost spinster, a guilty duke, a broken brother and a family that is just too scandalous. As i said, different but oh so entertaining. Well done Lynne Connolly.

If you love historical accuracy rather than historical fantasy, then you might want to try this author. The Shaws is a spin-off series from The Emperors of London series and while it doesn’t have the panache and excitement of the Emperors, it is still a very good series and is very well done. I wonder if the difference might be that this series is missing the over-arching theme that was present in Emperors.

Lady Drusilla Shaw isn’t shy, but she is a bit of an introvert and at five and twenty, she is pretty much on-the-shelf. Her parents have told her that this is the last season they will actively support her on the marriage mart. She must either choose from one of the suitors who has asked to court her or become a full-fledged spinster. Dru isn’t excited about any of the candidates on the list, but she has sorta-kinda resigned herself to choose among the suitors on her mother’s list. Then, she has a dance with Oliver and is entranced – until he turns and leaves her mid-dance at her aunt’s ball. She’s not entranced any longer – she dislikes him thoroughly. How does she display that anger? Well, Dru is a bit of a writer – not for publication, but for her own enjoyment. So, she writes a story with Oliver as the villain. Her vivid imagination invents some scenarios that hit too close to the reality in Oliver’s life.

Oliver, Duke of Mountsorrel, is being pressured by his mother to marry and, to be honest, he feels that he needs to marry as well. He needs to produce an heir since his brother is unable to step into that role should the need arise. So, while he is in London on other business, he will just find himself a bride. His plan? Well, he’ll attend balls and dance with all of the debutants until he decides on one. Then, he dances with one of the older unmarried ladies and finds himself enchanted – until – she teasingly starts throwing out potential answers to a question. Some of those answers are dreadfully close to his real life and his anger flares. He spins around and walks off the dance floor leaving her standing.

Oliver comes by Dru’s home the following morning to apologize and he’s even more entranced by her. Then, accidents start to happen to them. Their curricle crashes and it could have killed them both – then a horse with a stone that could have thrown Dru and caused her harm. What is behind all of these accidents? Who would want to harm Dru? Or, is it Oliver who is the target? Well – the answer is that there is a real snake-in-the-grass with a deadly plot and you’ll just have to read the book to find out who it is and why they are doing it.

The reason that this is my least favorite of the Shaws/Emperor’s series is that the characters are both pretty milquetoast. I loved them, but neither of them was an alpha. Each of them gets intensely angry at times, but neither of them really does anything about it. He just gives her the cold shoulder and she writes nasty things about him in a story. Neither of those solves anything. They don’t talk. If either of them had talked to the other or even to someone else, most of the problems could have been smoothed over. Also, both of them are perfectly willing to believe the worst of the other with absolutely no evidence. She is too easily the ‘poor pitiful me’, wallow in self-pity type and he is not one who takes the bull by the horns, stands up for himself and Dru, and solves whatever issues they have. While Beta heroes can be wonderful and interesting leads if done well, Oliver seems to have missed the mark just a bit.

All-in-all this was a lovely read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Dauntless is my first book by Lynne Connolly. Where have you been all my reading life?? i thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.

There were so many twists and turns to this story, I could not put it down. I certainly did not see them coming. In this book there was a carriage accident, guilt, murder, betrayal, and a HEA. Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book.

Dauntless is my first Lynne Connolly book. I have mixed feelings about the book and the main characters. Oliver may be a duke, but every wife of that time period probably wanted to know if her husband had a mistress, though possibly not all had the courage to ask. His walking off the dance floor should have been a clue to his real character. It seemed as if he blamed her for it, not his own shortcomings. Oliver thought he had faithful servants and expressed as much, but yet, his brother’s servants were not loyal to the person who employed them - Oliver.

For someone seemingly to have courage, Dru was not much of a sleuth in trying to find out what her maid had done with the book. That would have been too easy to find out quickly. With the way her maid treated her, why was she not more suspicious of her.

Lord Darius really did not have a part in this book other than to tell us that is gay. I don’t care. Please do not preach at me about how gay people are not accepted. If this is a romance, stick with the romance of the main characters.

Oliver was very gentle with Dru during love making and it came across as such. Oliver and Dru’s desire to be honest and open was noteworthy. At the point he stopped talking to her, not much left to trust. So, although I believe this to be a well-written book by a really good author, the gaps in the story line do not make Oliver and Dru appear to be strong characters.

I do not believe on speaking badly of a writer when I have read only one book. Giving the benefit of the doubt goes a long way toward reading more by Ms. Connolly to determine if this book was just a fluke. Therefore, I will not post this review on a public forum. Thank you for the opportunity provided to read a new to me author.

This is such a hard review to write. I'm gutted to have to write a poor review for a book I was eagerly anticipating by an author who is an auto-read for historical romance. Connolly is one of the best at this subgenre and is one of the few authors who give me well-written historical romance that doesn't veer into historical fantasy. But Dauntless is the worst book in her Emperors of London/The Shaws series by far.

Dru is sandwiched between two sets of twins, a loner and introvert by nature, and quite enterprising with a vivid imagination. So far, she's a character I should love! But, she is also uninspiring, insipid, and a martyr. That she seems to have no capacity to fight back for herself is a shame. Even Helena fights back when pushed too far.

Oliver has to be one of the least discerning heroes I have read in a long time. He's no Tom or Julius. He doesn't even come close to the men who populate the Emperors' families. Most importantly, he is not a worthy protector for Dru. A beta hero when well-written can be wonderful, but Oliver has all the worst qualities of a beta without any of the redeeming features. His feelings of guilt do not mitigate that.

Ultimately, this is meant to be a mystery. But even there, the plot felt flat. It was obvious from the start who was behind it all. It was almost as if Connolly had planned to write a "Pamela"-style book in keeping with the idea of the plot. If that was the case, it missed the mark, in my opinion. The "real life imitates art" piece of Dauntless just was way too clichéd.

Oliver's abrupt volte-face when he is confronted with the truth was too easy and so was Dru's utter capitulation. I'm questioning how good a steward of his dukedom Oliver could possibly have been given how easy it was to dupe him. Not to mention the good ole "villain rant". Plus, none of the attempts against Dru and Oliver were guaranteed to kill.

I truly wish I could have liked this book more. I wanted to like it a lot. But, it seriously missed the mark. I'm wondering if the lack of a cohesive overarching plot (like for the Emperors) is holding this series back. I've read the blurb for Livia's book, the last in the series and I am excited for it. I'd love to see this series end on a high note.