Diana St. Aubin is in a predicament.  On an urgent mission to find her errant brother, she is overtaken by kidnappers also seeking her brother.  The kidnappers slip something into her tea, and it is in this unfortunate state that she crosses paths with the Earl of Brenleigh, Jared Talent.   He assumes she is intoxicated and, with an already low opinion of women, he dismisses any alternative explanation for her condition. 

On his way to his grandfather’s deathbed, Jared crosses paths with Diana once again, this time it is as she is trying to escape her captors, still not quite coherent.  Shots are fired after her, and as a gentleman, he returns fire.  Not sure what to do with the woman he believes to be drunk, he takes her home to “sleep it off” in the servants’ quarters.  Conveniently, he wants to grant the dying wish of his elder and fabricates a story of his engagement; using the unfortunate circumstances of the young lady he has rescued to blackmail her into the charade. 

This inauspicious beginning for the two main characters lays out great conflict as they find their way toward one another in this regency period historical.  Jared’s family sees the truth of Diana’s character, even when he refuses to.  His emotional baggage makes him a hard sell to allow her into his heart, but being the woman she claims to be, he ultimately has no choice but to succumb to the truth that she has managed to win him over.  As a fan of Victoria Holt, I was captivated with this well-written story and although predictable, I enjoyed it from start to finish.  How refreshing to find a romance that doesn’t need hard core sex to draw you into the emotions of the characters!  Call me old fashioned, but I loved this novel and highly recommend it.

May 25, 2008