The Lost Lieutenant

Evan and Diana both have good reflexes, which is needed when they constantly react to others' whims and demands. It doesn't mean that they are pushovers. It's tough to stand up to your abusive father or say no to a capricious ruler who considers you a new favorite. But watching them muddle through and prevail is well worth it.

A fun marriage-of-convenience story between a battered veteran and a society girl. Their relationship progresses forward with a number of surprises but stayed discreet enough that I didn't have to blush over scenes. I was really intrigued by Evan's friends and am looking forward to the rest of the series. I wasn't expecting the blackmail angle that popped up and it could easily have made the story a tragedy!

Trigger warning: physical abuse by a woman's male relatives, emotional abuse by same