MY PLEASURE by Connie Brockway

MY PLEASURE by Connie Brockway (Published by Pocket, September 28, 2004)
Three young men are driven by an oath they have taken unto themselves to pledge their service to the three surviving daughters of the man who gave his life to save theirs. As children, each of these young men had been saved from Scotland’s post Culloden destitution by monks to be honed and raised as warrior assassins. Bound together by their childhood horrors, raised as brothers, these three young men secretly assign themselves to one sister, telling the family that if ever they need assistance, the sisters should simply send a yellow rose to the Abbey at St. Bride’s in Scotland’s Highlands and they will be there as quickly as they can. Leaving behind a rare yellow rose bush with the family, they quietly leave and scatter to the four corners of the world.

Helena Nash has been living for the past four years as a paid companion to a miserable old harpy of the ton, Lady Tilpot and Lady Tilpot’s young, naïve and much spoiled niece, Lady Flora. A celebrated beauty, dignified, unassailable and gracefully reticent, Helena has had to suffer verbal indignities as the object of Lady Tilpot’s vicious tongue. Recently recruited by Flora to act as a messenger, Helena finds herself masquerading as a boy to deliver covert messages to Flora’s secret husband, who is on the run from moneylenders. Helena discovers a world and a freedom she has never known and covets. It is during such a masquerade that she encounters and recognizes one of her and her sister’s self-appointed guardians who is now London’s well-known master swordsman, Ramsey Munro.

Ramsey Munro has been living for the past four years in London as the owner of one of the premiere sword fighting salons, making his living teaching bored aristocrats his art, while at the same time, tantalizing the young ladies of the ton with his wit, charm and sinful good looks. All during this period, Ramsey has been covertly watching over Helena Nash, willing to use his body and his talents for her care. However, at some point during the years, his promise became a personal hobby, for he is fascinated with the cool, calm and quiet woman who sometimes showed flashes of passionate heat. Never forgetting his and his friends’ betrayal at the hands of an unknown which cost one of them their life, he is still hunting to uncover the identity of that traitor. It was during this pursuit, that he encounters Helena Nash masquerading as a boy and in some jeopardy from a bunch of young bucks.

MY PLEASURE, the second in Connie Brockway’s “Rose Hunter” series, is the story of Lord Nash’s second daughter, Helena, and master swordsman and trained warrior assassin, Ramsey Munro. The story is fast moving, full of mysteries, danger and is sexually charged. The repartee between the two characters is witty, intelligent and sparks with passion. Ramsey Munro embodies all those qualities that make up a hero. Helena Nash’s character proves the old adage “still waters run deep.” The scenes where Ramsey is teaching Helena to use a sword are sexy and entertaining. Ms. Brockway’s depiction of Lady Tilpot makes you thoroughly despise the old witch, and justly so. The flashback scenes of Ramsey’s young adulthood and his time in the dungeon makes you ache for what he endured. Ah, but the end . . . well, I’m not going to give away the delicious ending.

I thoroughly enjoyed MY PLEASURE, the second in Connie Brockway’s “Rose Hunter” series. (See my review of MY SEDUCTION posted here April 30th.) I highly recommend it. ;)

I will be reading the final book in the series MY SURRENDER and reviewing it soon.