Review of Breathless for You by Elizabeth Anthony

Breathless For You
By Elizabeth Anthony
Publication date: April 10th, 2014
Hodder & Stoughton, 304 pages

Source: Publisher

Rating:

     

Sex and scandal in the Downton Abbey era, by the author of All I Want is You. Set in the 1920s, this passionate, provocative tale is perfect for fans of Downton Abbey and E.L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey. November 1921. Since arriving in London, Madeline, the young French ward of Ash, the new Duke of Belfield, has become the subject of lurid speculation, and when she's offered the chance to travel to Belfield Hall, Ash's country seat in Oxfordshire, Madeline is eager to seek refuge there. But Oxfordshire is not as quiet a retreat as she assumed, for soon she clashes with a handsome gamekeeper - Nathan Mallory - whose seduction techniques are astounding and addictive. Meanwhile, Madeline's secret nightmares of her own dark past in Paris continue to haunt her. At the same time Madeline realises that her guardian the Duke (whom she holds in the highest regard) has an impossible love too - for his Sophie, the former servant girl. It's in Madeline's power to reunite the two, but quite possibly at the cost of her own happiness - and her choices are made even more difficult by the secret machinations of powerful people who would do anything to keep Sophie and Ash apart . . .  

Ever since I read All I Want Is You, I eagerly awaited the next book knowing how much I loved the first one and I was not disappointed. Whereas the first book was about Ash and Sophie, this book focuses on Madeline, who's guardian is now Ash having just lost her mother.

 

Madeline is living at Belfield Hall, although due to commitments Ash in called away to deal with business as it is his duty as the Duke. Although life at Belfield Hall is just another place where Madeline doesn't feel she fits in or feels safe. Things take a surprising turn when Madeline meets a local man, named Nathan who became hooked on her, it didn't take long for Madeline to break down the walls she had built up over the years.

 

Just like Madeline he had secrets that he had kept hidden as well, though Madeline soon began to realise that sometimes you have to put someone else's happiness first and not your own. In the first book, Sophie was working at Belfield Hall as a servant and Ash had fallen for the shy, sweet girl. Things started to change and they both made decisions that would affect their future together. So, when Madeline hear about the Duke and Sophie, she knows that she must help them in order for them to have a future together, even if it costs her the love of her life in the progress. 

 

Madeline's story is one with many twists and turns, she wants to help her guardian but she also wants to be happy for once in her life. There are a lot of secrets that get told throughout the book, although not all of them are true but when people start gossiping it is hard to stop it from getting out of hand. Unable to get away from the gossip, Madeline decides to forward the gossip and become someone everyone thinks she is, though the truth always comes out when you least expect it.

 

Breathless for You is an amazing addition to All I Want Is You, with it's passion, drama and sexual tension it brings a story that reflects on the past, the secrets that people keep and the sacrifices people make to help others at their own expense.

 

If I had to sum this book up in three words, they would be Incredible, Sensational and Gripping.

 

I just love the books that Elizabeth Anthony writes, the story is always so gripping and moving that you just can't help but fall further into the book with every page you turn. I can't wait to read more from this amazing author.

  Another day, another book,