Susan's Reviews > Thrown to the Lyon: The Lyon's Den Connected World

Terrific story about Dorcas Anderson, a twice-widowed mother of a young son. She eloped with her first husband and followed him to the war, where her husband was killed just before her son was born. His commanding officer, who was also her husband's twin brother, refused to give her the money to return to England, leaving her no choice but to marry another soldier for protection. After he was also killed, she made her way back to London, where she takes in embroidery to make ends meet.

One day, Dorcas saves Mrs. Dove-Lyon from an accident and is rewarded with three tokens, each worth a favor from Mrs. Dove-Lyon. The timing was propitious, as she was shortly thereafter accused of theft by her former brother-in-law. Dorcas uses her first token to request help, and Mrs. Dove-Lyon sends Ben, the Earl of Somerfield, to get her out of jail and bring her to the Lyon's Den for protection. There are some lovely scenes of Dorcas and her son at the Lyon's Den. I especially enjoyed seeing Mrs. Dove-Lyon's "wolves" and the third-floor ladies become part of Dorcas's cheering section.

Ben knew Dorcas from when he was with the army. He remembers her as kind and honorable. He is happy to help and, in spending time with her, is reminded how much he admires her. I enjoyed seeing them together as Ben steps in to help her get the justice she deserves. They begin to develop feelings for each other, but Dorcas believes that she is not of sufficient class to hope for marriage. An invitation to the Lyon's Den masque opens her eyes to possibilities for the future. I loved this part. The description of the gown Dorcas designed and its effect on the men who attended the ball was very emotional.

Dorcas and Mrs. Dove-Lyon agree that her best plan to protect herself and her son is to marry again to a man of sufficient rank to stand up to her former in-laws. This is where Mrs. Dove-Lyon excels. Ben recognizes the depth of his feelings for Dorcas, but it is almost too late. I enjoyed seeing Mrs. Dove-Lyon make Ben work to earn the hand of the lady he loves. The ending was intense, but we know love will triumph.

There is trouble for Dorcas throughout the book as her husband's twin brother continues to make trouble for her. Dorcas doesn't know why he shows such enmity toward her. Ben's determination to ensure her safety soon uncovers the truth. Ben's protectiveness goes a little too far at one point, angering Dorcas and possibly opening her up to more trouble. Fortunately, he learns from his mistakes. I liked the twist during the ceremony and the resolution of Dorcas's troubles.