"American Independence vs. English Propriety in this spirited Regency Romance"
London 1805 Fancying herself in love, young Lucinda Prescott allows
Malcolm Devering, heir to an earl, to isolate her and
indulge in a passionate kiss. Lucinda had no doubts that
the situation would have gotten far worse if her father
hadn't caught them. As it was she'd been thoroughly
compromised. Unfortunately she wasn't deemed a suitable
match for the earl's heir, and so instead of wedding her
beloved, she finds herself married to his younger brother
Harry. From that day forward Lucinda had determined to be
the soul of propriety, even if her new husband was not.
Ten years of lonely marriage had ended in scandal when her
husband
died while bedding his mistress. Over the years Malcolm too
had shown his true colors, relentlessly pursuing his
brother's wife. Harry had left Lucinda deeply in debt and
his dishonorable brother refused to settle them unless
Lucinda did his bidding. She refused. 1816 A year after Harry's death the opportunity arises for
Lucinda to settle her husband's debts without scandal or
impropriety. Marriage of course was her only option, and
with the help of the Duke of Raynewood's patronage she
would be accepted by society. All she had to do was to turn
the
duke's young American granddaughter, Margaret, into a
proper British debutant. Unfortunately, the young lady's
brother has different ideas. Garrett Lynch crashes a soiree
being held in her honor, demanding that she leave with him
at once. He cares nothing for the duke or his highborn
manners. Garrett is a hard working American sea captain,
owner of his own shipping line, and proud of it. Meg stubbornly refuses to go, and Garrett determines to
stay until he can change her mind. His sister is all the
family he has left, not counting his grandfather. Many
years ago the duke had disinherited Garrett's father, his
second son, for loving an Irishwoman. That woman had been
Garrett's mother. The two had eloped to America. Life had
been difficult and Garrett blamed the unfeeling duke for
his
parents' early deaths. He was still mourning his mother.
Ironically, Garrett is now the duke's heir, his uncle
having
died childless. The conniving duke sees Meg's stubborn refusal to abandon
her plans as an opportunity to keep both of his
grandchildren in England. He has a grand match in mind for
Garrett and charges Lucinda with teaching him proper
deportment as well. Unfortunately, she likes the passionate
American just as he is, and he is determined to bed the
lovely widow for as long as he remains. An affair is not at
all what Lucinda wants or needs, and so the struggle begins
to
maintain her decorum and resist his advances. Malcolm
Devering, now an earl, isn't about to let Garrett win his
spoils either. Will Lucinda hold fast to her famous
propriety and land herself a necessary husband, or will she
follow her heart and find true happiness at last? As much as I love the glitz and glamour of an old fashioned
English regency, I have a soft spot for the independent
spirit of my own countrymen, and could not but help
enjoying Garrett's determination to hold his head up
proudly among the snobbish ton. Garrett never compromises,
and Lucinda must decide if she can give up everything she
knows for a chance at the brass ring. Highly enjoyable. Copyright © 2002
Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch
Posted September 6, 2002
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Widow Lucinda Devering has a chance to settle her husband's
debts without
losing face, as long as she can turn the Duke of
Raynewood's American
granddaughter into a proper English lady. But the girl's
brother has other
ideas. Garrett wants nothing to do with England or his
estranged
grandfather, even though he is the duke's long-lost heir.
His mission is to
bring his sister home to America and then get back to his
shipping
business--but she won't go! Determined to save his sister
from herself, he
stays in England to convince her. While there, he decides
to teach the
lovely Lucinda a few passionate lessons of his own. But
Lucinda needs a
husband, not a lover, and so the battle of the sexes
begins...
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