Book Review: Passion Fever by Beverley Oakley

Passion Fever by Beverley Oakley spans far more time than most Regency romances. In fact, it opens with a story about the heroine, Charlotte’s parents, and ends almost two decades later. It covers much of Charlotte, the illegitimate daughter of Lady Leeson and a poet, and Jasper Creighton’s life. Jasper is loosely involved in parliament, among other things, within the ton. Though he is not one of the lords, he is very wealthy.

Title: Passion Fever

Author: Beverley Oakley

Publication Date: March 30, 2023

Series: Dutiful Wives, Book 3

Page Count: 298 pages

ASIN:  B0BG5Z7QBL

About the Book

In Passion Fever Jasper is in love with a dead woman, who sadly could not live up to the pedestal he had built for her even when she was alive. But she certainly tried too. Time and time again throughout the book, he says he will only marry if he can find her equal. But such a woman does not exist. Jasper seeks out revenge on his dead betrothed’s brother’s murderer, to the detriment of not only his own happiness but that of Charlotte’s too.

This book gives you a window into the two main characters’ lives for many years. However, it is not a happily-ever-after story. The ending can barely pass as a happy-for-now story, making me think there is more to come in a second book.

It starts when Charrlete is seventeen years old and is sent by her father and stepmother from their home in France to a school for young ladies in England. To say that she doesn’t like it is an understatement. She doesn’t like it so much that she agrees to run away and elope with a man she barely knows. 

Her guardian angels from afar, Lord and Lady Leeson, send Jasper to rescue her as he is a close friend of Lord Leeson. He does, and during this brief meeting, they both fall a little bit for one another. Then they are separated for about three years before they meet again, thanks to Lord and Lady Leeson. 

This is after Lady Leeson finds out that Charlotte is meant to marry a lord who is a renowned collector and hunter. He is on the stuffy side and desires a beautiful trophy wife to go with his lavish collection of items from all over the world. Many of them are hunting trophies. It is a marriage bartered between the peer and Charlotte’s guardian, aka Lady Leeson’s own mother. If that sounds intriguing, well, it is!

Jasper is set to rescue her from the unwanted union but turns her care over to someone else at the last minute and runs off to Africa to chase after the murderer of his dead betrothed’s brother. It is many years before they reunite, and sadly it doesn’t turn out well for either of them. 

This book is fascinating, if yet a little heartbreaking, but actually works well as a depiction of the Regency ton as it is littered with affairs, loveless marriages, and lots of exciting drama. It takes the marriage of convenience theme to a whole new level.

Where can you buy this book?

You can get a copy of this book on Amazon in ebook format. I give this book four stars for its take on the Regency ton, but its lack of a happy ending from my perspective. I also give it five flaming hearts on the clean to steamy romance scale. I received a free copy of this book and am reviewing it voluntarily.