Someone to Watch over ME (Bow Street, #1)

by Lisa Kleypas

Grant Morgan, London's most eligible bachelor, insists the temptingly beautiful woman he rescued from the Thames is the notorious Vivien Rose Duvall - but she's not so sure. Now her life is in his hands, and he's determined to unravel the secrets of her past, no matter what.

Lisa Kleypas has thrilled readers with her unforgettable love stories set in the glittering world of Regency London. Now, the author of Stranger in My Arms, brings her fans a story with all the promise, and oassion, of forbidden love.

She couldn't remember who she was... A temptingly beautiful woman awakens in a stranger's bed, rescued from the icy waters of the Thames, her memory gone. Told that she is Vivien Rose Duvall, one of London's most scandalous beauties, she finds herself under the protection of enigmatic, charming Grant Morgan. Her life is in his hands. Deep in her heart, she knows he has mistaken her for someone else...

He was the only man she could trust. As one of London's most eligible, and unattainable catches, Grant Morgan is a man who has known every kind of woman. And the one in his arms now seems so innocent, so vulnerable, that he can't help but be enchanted. And as his love for this mysterious beauty grows, he's determined to unravel the secrets of her past and discover the truth - no matter what

• ISBN10: 0380802309
• ISBN13: 9780380802302
• Publish Date: 25 August 2009 (first published 1 May 1999)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Avon Books
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 374
• Language: English

Reviews

[Heather]

Not for me

The hero was way too much of a jerk for my tastes. He was controlling, possessive, and fell into that horrible “I’m the only man you’ll ever be allowed near because I own you” trope.

[Angie]

Grant Morgan is a workaholic and doesn't have time or the need for love. Then he's called to the scene where a woman was pulled from the water, takes her home, and things start to change inside the man who's described to be as "unloving and unmovable as granite." At first it seems like he's doing his lawful duty, until we find out that he knows her and wants revenge! I like revenge plots, especially when it's obvious that they'll become lovers in the end. So this one reminded me a bit of Again the Magic, also by Kleypas, in that regard. However, I was a bit put off by Grant, because he was plotting revenge on a woman who was obviously almost killed and was currently unconscious and half-frozen in his bed! Sure she's a renowned courtesan who had embarrassed him publicly, but getting pay back while she's in that kind of state? Horrible! The worst part is, he's still planning on it even after she's revealed to have amnesia!

This started off seemingly like a mystery and suspense, with Grant working to find out who tried to kill Vivien, while getting his revenge on the side. But then the story slows way down for a long time. Nothing really happens with either of those plot lines. It's just a lot of Grant going back and forth about how he feels about Vivien: She's a lying whore, so he's going to lie to her since she doesn't know anything about herself. Then she's so alluring and beautiful and he wants to care for her. But wait, she might be lying and playing some kind of game, so he'll continue to plot his revenge! BUT what if she really does have amnesia? In that case, he really likes the woman she is now, even though she was a self-absorbed bitch before. He seriously could not make up his mind on what he wanted to do!

But the midpoint makes a switch from slow and boring, to fast and exciting, in more ways than one! The second half of this book is significantly better than the first! The mystery and the romance both seem to take off and there's a twist that I was not expecting at all. I had my suspicions early on, but I felt like it was too obvious to be what actually was going on. I could hardly put this one down once the story really got going! This definitely isn't my favorite of Kleypas' books I've read so far, but I thought the second half was great, if obvious, and I enjoyed it.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.