WHY LORDS LOSE THEIR HEARTS is Book three in the Wicked Widows series by Manda Collins. This is the first book I've read by Manda Collins. Even though WHY LORDS LOSE THEIR HEARTS is part of a series, I was able to enjoy the story without being confused. Manda Collins gives enough background information for readers new to the series. The only thing that can be a little confusing is how many women have the words "Duchess of Ormonde" as part of their title - - there is the heroine, her sister, and the dowager Duchess of Ormonde who is Perdita's mother-in-law.

I really enjoyed reading WHY LORDS LOSE THEIR HEARTS and felt like it got more and more interesting as the story progressed. Perdita is a woman happy to be a widow. Her husband was incredibly abusive right up until he died. She is enjoying making her own decisions without being under the thumb of some man and always being in fear. I think Perdita is a sympathetic character and her reasoning and motivations are gone into thoroughly, making her very real. Given her history, it is very understandable that she wants her next marriage to be arranged using her head rather than her heart. Her heart led her to her last husband. That presents something of a problem for Perdita's friend, Lord Archer Lisle. He has loved her from afar for years.

Archer is the epitome of a sexy good guy. His intentions toward Perdita are honorable and very sincere. He tries to entice her to change her mind and marry him instead of someone she can control but won't love. He is sensitive to her desire for autonomy and her reluctance to trust her heart to a man. He's a hero and all-around nice guy without being boring. Archer rates as one of my new all-time favorite heroes. I love a charming hero, rather than a smarmy one. The romance that develops between them is both sweet and full of heat.

The situation involving Perdita's mysterious stalker adds a lot of excitement to WHY LORDS LOSE THEIR HEARTS and had me on the edge of my seat. Perdita's insistence on not curtailing her activities because of the stalker and his threats might seem annoying, if not for her background of being controlled. The element of danger, of never knowing who is behind the many scare tactics, had me glued to the page. I also love the romance of Archer sweeping Perdita away and trying to protect her, without seeming patronizing or condescending in any way. The suspense and their flight seemed wonderfully Hitchcockian.

WHY LORDS LOSE THEIR HEARTS is an exciting, suspense-filled mystery wrapped in a delicious romance. I loved meeting Archer's family and wouldn't mind reading about his brothers in future stories. After enjoying this story as much as I did, I will hunt down the previous books in this series and I look forward to reading future books by Manda Collins.

Book Summary

THE TRUTH COULD RUIN HER

In Manda Collins's Why Lords Lose Their Hearts, Perdita, the widowed Duchess of Ormonde, keeps a dangerous secret—the truth of how her brutish husband died. But a mysterious avenger seems to know it, too, and when anonymous threats turn into public attacks, there’s only one friend she can turn to for help—her husband’s former secretary, Lord Archer Lisle. The man who witnessed her every heartache. The kind of man whose love she can only dream of …

WILL HIS LOVE SAVE HER?

The youngest of the Duke of Pemberton’s five sons, Lord Archer Lisle is used to waiting his turn. For years, he could only stand by, seething, as Perdita suffered at the hands of her husband, but now she’s under threat from another source—one who will stop at nothing to make her pay for the late duke’s death. But the good-natured Archer can be dangerous when crossed—and he’ll do anything to keep the woman he’s adored for so long safe in his arms…