Linz Loves Romance

So I'm making my way through Elizabeth Hoyt's Maiden Lane series completely out of order, but I am enjoying each installment. This is the third book in the series. It is about Silence Hollingbrook, one of the siblings who runs the foundling home in St. Giles. She's recently been widowed and has taken care of a baby girl who was left on her doorstep (see book #2). Charming Mickey O'Connor is a river pirate, and also the father of the little girl Silence has been caring for. Silence and Mickey are thrown together when his daughter is threatened by the Vicar of Whitechapel, Mickey's rival. 

It's not quite an enemies-to-lovers, but it is a slow burn as Silence is disgusted by Mickey for much of the first third of the book. Well, disgusted but also secretly attracted as he's quite handsome.

I thought Silence and Mickey's relationship had solid obstacles to overcome. I also enjoyed that Mickey was a fully-realized river pirate--complete with tight pants, a loose white shirt, long black hair, and rings on every finger. He's a shameless hero and was often quite fun. I also liked how he fell for Silence and let her in.

The smexy scenes were fun and earned in the last third of the book. I also loved how the pace picked up at the end.

Silence was likable but not my favorite heroine. She's defined by her relationships to others instead of any real motivations of her own, which was frustrating. At times she was like a ping pong ball going between Mickey and her family, although that probably not unrealistic for the times.

I adore Hoyt's writing and love this series, so I'm looking forward to reading the rest. :)