Books › A Hazard of Hearts
A Hazard of Hearts
First published 1968 · 287 pages
A breathless, vintage gothic romance where innocence meets a brooding lord in a cliffside mansion full of secrets.
What it feels like
Reading this vintage classic feels like stepping into a delightfully melodramatic time capsule of historical romance. The pace is brisk and breathless, sweeping the reader through a gothic landscape of clifftop mansions, hidden smugglers, and dark family secrets. The mood is heavily atmospheric and swoony, leaning into the theatrical contrast between a perfectly innocent heroine and a dangerously brooding hero. The prose is flowery and earnest, filled with dramatic declarations and sweeping emotional stakes that never pretend to be anything but pure, escapist fantasy. It is an experience that delights in its own tropes, offering a comforting, suspenseful, and ultimately triumphant journey. Fans of old-school Regency and gothic romance will devour this charmingly dramatic tale of love conquering cynicism.
- Mood
- brooding
- atmospheric
- swoony
- suspenseful
- Tone
- melodramatic
- earnest
- breathless
- theatrical
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- innocence and cynicism · redeeming the dark hero · damsel in distress · gothic family secrets · gambling with fate
- The writing
- Flowery and breathless, characterized by dramatic declarations, vintage romantic flair, and swift, dialogue-heavy pacing.
- The arc
- Moves from helpless trepidation and sudden loss into a whirlwind of gothic suspense, culminating in a swooning, triumphant romance.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave classic, old-school historical romance featuring pure-hearted heroines, dangerously brooding lords, and a generous dose of gothic melodrama.
Content notes
- gambling addiction
- death of a parent
- abduction
- mild violence
About the book
Serena Staverley was happy at Staverley Court. She loved to roam the stately gardens of her family manor and dream of her future love.
But then a cruel fate dealt her a shattering blow. Her father was killed in a duel after losing her hand, her inheritance and her home in a game of cards. All this was now the property of the infamous Lord Justin, Marquis of Vulcan -- a man whose reputation made it unwise for any decent woman to be seen in his company. A strange, cold man whose clifftop mansion echoed with terrible secrets.
With her freedom lost on the turn of a card, Serena is bound by a debt of honour to marry. She could run, or she could bow to the will of the brooding stranger who held her father's debt. Either way it meant dishonor -- and the end of her dreams.
After her arrival at his ancestral home of Mandrake, she discovers by chance the secrets of his family, and is thrust into a world of smugglers, highwaymen, abduction and murder.
Description from Open Library.
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