Gamble of Hearts

Amora Elizabeth Hargrove is beaten by her brother, Nathan. He makes her play cards with his nefarious friends because he knows she always wins. Nathan wins too, by cheating and has stolen several family fortunes this way. This morning, Alexander Xavier Remington, Duke of Ravencroft is at the door to collect his winnings from Nathan which includes his sister! Alexander is at a loss as to what to do with Amora. She is thin, battered, and unattractive. He learns she is to be his ward until she weds. Alexander goes away for several weeks and comes back to see Amora has changed! The cuts, bruises, and swelling on her face are gone, and she is beautiful! She is prepared for the Season and given dancing lessons, but what she really wants is a kissing tutor. The Duke can hardly resist such a request.

“Gamble of Hearts” is an adventurous tale following Amora and Alexander as they wind their way through a very intricate plot. The hero and heroine are very complicated and sophisticated individuals who carry the story quite successfully. This tale begins with at a very slow pace but gains pace as the story continues. The story is clichéd with the trope of the Duke falling in love with his ward. “Gamble of Hearts,” however, contains several stories within stories making it a convoluted and interesting tale. Nathan is well-written with lots of depth and cunning. His cohorts are not as deep, but just as evil as he. A lot of courageous moves happen throughout this story keeping the reader engaged while rapidly turning the pages to see what will happen next!

Belinda Wilson