"Fast-paced Regency Romp!"
Now, finally, after ten long years, Lady Olivia Rathbourne
is free. If she knew who slit her husband's throat, Olivia
would thank him. Freedom from the monster she was forced to
marry instead of the man she loved. The only thing that kept
her going was her list of what she would do when she was
finally free of him. Of course, the first thing she did
after his death was fire all the servants and hire those who
would owe their loyalty to her. As she's still in the
process of accepting her freedom, she receives a visit from
the one man she always thought would save her from her fate
but didn't—Sterling, the Earl of Wyldewood. Not that she
wants anything to do with him. The only reason Sterling came
was to warn Olivia that she might be in danger. When her
husband's solicitors finally get around to reading his will,
Olivia is shocked. Either Olivia must continue to live as
she has been on a very small allowance, or she must finish
three of her late husband's collections. After all, her
husband was a collector and amassed quite a few
antiquities—something Olivia never had any interest in since
she was just one more of his possessions. Not that she will
receive any additional money to undertake this quest. And if
Olivia does take on the quest to complete the collections,
she will be accompanied by one of the younger solicitors in
the firm, Mr. Josiah Cadwallender. Now that she is finally
free of her husband, Olivia has no intentions of continuing
to live her life as she has been. She will not allow him to
win. But then again, how can Olivia undertake the quest? So
she has no choice to seek Sterling's assistance, regardless
of how much she loathes to do so. When Olivia comes to him and asks for his assistance in
completing her late husband's collections, Sterling agrees
to help her in any way he can. After all, he owes her quite
a debt. Ten years ago after her father came to him and told
him Olivia would marry another man, Sterling didn't even
read the letters Olivia sent him. He married another
woman—who did not live very long—and then his father became
ill and died. Not to mention, just how hurt he was. Even
though he had no intentions of renewing their relationship,
when he sees Olivia again, Sterling realizes just how much
he missed her. Now he refuses to let her down again. Will the two of them be able to complete the collections?
What kinds of danger will they face? What of Olivia's list?
Will she finally be able to cross off any of the items on
it? Will Sterling and Olivia finally have the relationship
they should have had ten years ago? DESIRES OF A PERFECT LADY is a thrilling, fast-paced Regency
romp. Victoria Alexander comes through again with this
exciting story. We have two equally strong characters in
Olivia and Sterling. Olivia as she is forced to decide
exactly what she wants to do with her life now that it's
hers again. And even Sterling will admit that he has become
somewhat stiff and stodgy as the Earl of Wyldewood. Now that
he has promised to help Olivia, he must learn to relax and
let someone else take over his duties. The secondary
characters are just as delightful as the primary. I really
loved Sterling's mother and Josiah was also a delight. But
in the end, this is a romance and Victoria Alexander
delivers with the heartfelt sigh at the end. A story I very
highly recommend.
Reviewed by Chere Gruver
Posted March 6, 2010
|
|
A secret list of the desires of Lady Olivia Rathbourne: 1. Disregard convention
2. Follow my heart
3. Bed the Earl of Wyldewood A decade ago, Olivia had expected to marry the Earl of Wyldewood, only to have happiness stolen from her before his ring could be placed upon her finger. Now he stands before her, as proud and arrogant and handsome as ever, vowing to rescue her. Well, he's got some nerve urning up after all these years. Where was he when she needed him? As for the earl, scandal has never touched him nor has impropriety ever besmirched his name. But his penchant for doing the expected does have his family calling him, well, dull. Isn't it time to flaunt society's conventions and do what he's always wanted? And first on his list: Olivia in his bed—with or without a wedding.
|
