Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Dalton Fairfax, Lord Ashbourne, has always flaunted the rules of Regelence high society. Despite being the heir to the Marquess of Ravensburg, and cousin to the Townsend princes, Dalton found his calling in the military, first in the Intergalactic Navy and now the Regelence Special Regiment. Finally home, and in the same city as the parents he seeks to avoid, Dalton jumps at the chance to help his planet by taking on the role of bodyguard to the heir of the Duke of Eversleigh.

Blaise Thompson, Viscount Redding, strives to prove himself worthy of carrying on the Eversleigh legacy as the next Regelence IN council member. Maintaining his stellar reputation isn’t easy for Blaise, especially while keeping his outrageous younger brother in line and foiling his rival’s personal attacks. Ever conscious of living up to his responsibilities, Blaise has no time for romance, not even with a lusty special forces soldier.

But opposites don’t just attract… they sizzle. And when the only way to stop a scandal that threatens them both is to compromise their principles, Blaise and Dalton are forced to confront the risk of losing everything… even each other.

First edition published by Dreamspinner Press, February 2019.

Book Review

The ‘Sci-Regency’ series with its contradiction between several versions of Regency-era societies and its existence in the year 4831 continues to fascinate me with its politics, dark machinations, and mysterious goings-on in this fourth book. The aristocracy is alive and well and monarchs are in charge of entire planets, military careers start in the Intergalactic Navy (IN) and continue in planetary military forces, and societal restrictions and morals are very much an accepted part of life. Picking up where ‘My Regelence Rake’ left off, this time the focus is on another unlikely couple – a rakish special forces soldier named Dalton, and Blaise, a conservative politician who is as innocent as they come where matters of the heart (and the body) are concerned. As ever, various scandals threaten, several families have opposing agendas, and the IN is up to no good – not that anyone can conclusively prove it.

Dalton was abandoned by his father when he was eight, and there is no love lost between them even twelve years later. Dalton was lucky enough to be raised by his uncle Raleigh (the king’s consort) at the Regelence court, but now that he is back from his two years in the IN, his parents are trying to get him back. Between his outrageous behavior and a consequently ruined reputation, he does not have much of a future. But the royal court is interested in his services and he falls in love with a “proper” heir to a dukedom, and suddenly he has to make some tough decisions about what he wants his future to be like.

Blaise is about as different from Dalton as possible. He has been raised by loving parents, his virtue is intact, and he plans to be a politician because that is expected for him – even if he hates the idea. Then he runs into Dalton, and suddenly his life changes. Blaise does not intend to give in to his feelings but Dalton (and Fate) have other ideas and Blaise becomes adventurous and is forced to take risks by necessity – just to protect his reputation and future career.

The next stage of the mystery around the IN’s plans is seen through the eyes of a very unlikely couple. But, as it turns out, both their points of view and skills are needed to figure out what is going on and to stop the treacherous plans some of Regelence’s citizens are trying to make happen. The stress and suspense are almost too much for them, but I kept hoping they’d figure out how to make a relationship work. Like with the other couples in the series, the author certainly does not make it easy for them! As for the series arc: some of the previous questions are answered, more clues appear, but there is enough uncertainty left for a few more books – much to my delight.

If you like to read about creative versions of the future that combine aspects of Earth’s past with galactic politics, if you want to watch two men who seem to have nothing in common figure out they are meant to be together, and if you’re looking for an entertaining read with lots of suspense, political intrigue, and some hot man-on-man loving, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. There is a short preview of the next installment at the back of the book, and I am already looking forward to its publication!

 

 

 

 

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Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 277 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	15-July-2020
Price	$6.99 ebook, $10.99 paperback
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Diplomatic-Relations-Sci-Regency-Book-4-ebook/dp/B08BK5TMW5