Exiled Duke (Exile #1)

K.J.
Jackson
Genre: 
Historical

Penelope Willington and Strider Hoppler were both raised together. After a devastating fire, they were children trying to survive on the streets, So Strider saved her the only way he knew how... forcing her away from him and with a foster family. It was a cruel parting, but a necessity. Years later, Strider Hoppler runs a gambling den with every sort one could imagine. The fire took away his life and he is working on exacting revenge until Penelope walks back into his life. She managed to escape her foster family who keeps her under lock and key. Now she has come to Strider, asking him for help to find her real family, in return, she will give him an important piece of evidence about his family.

This book is the definition of what one would do out of love. Love has many faces and one may see a harsh reaction, but underneath, it was just desperation. Penelope assumes the worst about Strider. One of the best aspects of this novel is the depth of the characters. They have lived harsh lives and all look at life differently. The most important factor is how they realize that they have each other and they are stronger together. However, it does feel like the book is two different books. The first half really focuses on Penelope’s story, while the second half is Strider’s story. This could have flowed a little better, but the suspense and romance make it impossible to put down!

Amanda Hupe