This wasn't the best regency historical I've ever read but I did find it quite absorbing at times. Rupert came across more like a besotted swain rather than a cynical rake and Pandora never gave in to him too easily. I also admired Pandora for keeping quiet about the real reason for her dead hubby's duel; she had felt that the other man's widow and his 2 kids would be publicly humiliated if everyone knew that he had been bi-sexual. That was a bit too much self sacrificial martyrdom for Pandora to take onto herself, in my opinion. Maybe I'm too selfish but I didn't see why her reputation should have been dragged through the mud just to protect these people.