I'm finished, but I'm still kind of thinking about how to rate this. The heroine, she gets all the stars. And as Melody said, the nickname annoyed me. The hero...him, I don't know what to give him. He's obsessed, but with his own legacy. He's uncompromising on that. He's also upfront about that, and kind of a selfish asshole, and TBH, I kind of like myself a selfish asshole. He could be needlessly cruel, and unexpectedly demonstrative. He was definitely flawed, and I still can't tell if I love or hate him.

I'd like to add, there are as many references made to Artemis's name as there are references to the oak tree in Hot in Hellcat Canyon series (WAY TOO MANY). I thought the barefoot goddess in the woods with special powers over dogs was cute, but pointing out all the ways in which Artemis was so like her namesake became overdone.

Man, I'm not up for a great review-so let's leave it at this: Artemis: amazing. I'm still not sure despite his Batman backstory coupled with his Gordon-like relationship with Trevillion that Maximus won me over, but I honestly don't think it mattered. Their story was incredibly compelling to me. I am not sure I liked how quickly the big obstacle ironed itself out, yet other than that, I could go back and reread this any time. Bah-4 then.

Whoa. This book could possibly be my favorite Maiden Lane story. I'd been waiting to read the Duke of Wakefield's story and it absolutely lived up to my expectations.

 

Artemis Greaves is a lady's companion to her cousin Penelope when a family scandal leaves her with no other options. Her beloved twin brother Apollo has spent four years in Bedlam after being (falsely) accused of murdering three friends. "Madness" runs in their family and it's thought that Bedlam would be a better option than a hangman's noose.

 

Maximus Batten, priggish Duke of Wakefield by day, Ghost of St. Giles by night. (Yes! Like Batman only less grim.There's also a bat cave.) And his name is Maximus! Artemis learns his secret and decides to blackmail Maximus to get his help freeing her brother.

 

What I loved: everything. Okay, a heroine you want to hang out with. Artemis is a survivor who had an unconventional upbringing but is making the best of it. (Penelope would be a trial to work for.) She's also devoted to her brother, possibly one of the only people trying to help him. She's funny and she's bold and I loved how Maximus fell for her. Hard. I also loved Maximus. He's a great mix of uptight on the outside but unraveled underneath. Artemis bring out the wild side of a guy who seems like he doesn't have one. The little touches of Greek mythology were nice too.

 

What didn't work for me: no complaints here. If you're a dog lover there are four dogs in this story. Not my cuppa, but they were cute.

 

Some of the scenes in Bedlam were hard to read. I'd forgotten that people used to be allowed to go on tours to visit such places. The conditions and the treatment of mental illness seemed accurate and appalling.

 

I highly recommend this book and this series. :)

 

***A new character makes his debut in the epilogue. Hi, Val.

 

 

I think that next to Charming Mickey and Silence's story, this is my favorite.  I loved watching the Duke of Wakefield squirm and lose his precious control and order.  He is a formidable man and Artemis is the perfect woman to help him lose that control.  She is strong, she has to be to earn his notice, and she is determined.  I couldn't believe she actually tried to blackmail him!  That was fun to watch them spar together. In order to save her brother, she must blackmail the Ghost of St. Giles, and what do you know, the Duke is the third member of that team. He doesn't take too kindly to this lady's companion speaking her mind and standing up to him and trying to blackmail him into saving her "lunatic" brother.  But he can also not believe how alluring her strength and sense of freedom, even within her confining circumstances, is and when he finds her wandering his forests early in the morning barefoot, he knows that this woman is both dangerous to his plans and to his well ordered life, and to his heart (though being the man that he is, he doesn't see it that way at first) :-P I enjoyed their adventure and the ending was quite romantic; his proposal was down right perfect!

Duke of Midnight

The Characters:

Maximus Batten, Duke of Wakefield A.K.A. The Ghost of St Giles
Artemis Greaves

The Story:

I have little to say beyond I enjoyed the story.

The Random Thoughts:


4 Stars