June 2008
ISBN 978-0-06-113814-0
Historical Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Lil
The father of the bride blackmailing a wealthy Earl into marriage for the selfish reason of acquiring a steady income does not a happy beginning in matrimony make. Justin Talbot, Earl of Bayberry does what he must to ensure the legality of said marriage, albeit making all efforts under the circumstances resulting in a pleasurable experience for the virginal young lady. That necessity dispensed of, he abandons Victoria in his countryside home and returns to his normal life in the city.
Three years pass and Justin has just arrived back to London after months in France. At the urgings of his brother, Caleb, he attends an evening party where gentlemen can make the acquaintance, socialize or dally with less than respectable women. It appears that a beautiful and mysterious courtesan has everyone agog. As it turns out, the seductive creature called ‘Ria’ is none other than his wife.
Insistent that she not accept another man for a lover, he is confounded to find the kitten that he left has grown claws. Justin is certain the surface reason this woman presents to society is not the one which has led her here, and he is resolute in sussing out her secrets. What he doesn’t plan on is for her to discover his secret or to find himself falling in love.
There will be some readers who take a strong dislike to the hero for having liaisons after marriage but on behalf of the character one must remember the time period and the event under which he married. It would have been more unnatural for the man to feel the need to be faithful under this situation. The manner in which he treats Victoria in the beginning of their relationship and in the interim however, gives him much to make up for. It is therefore quite satisfying to see her gaining his regard by no more than being herself, the strong, passionate and loyal woman that she was forged into from her experiences before they met and during his three year absence from her life.
Though we are sympathetic to the heroine, her actions in the story are less believable. The plan of posing as a courtesan while playing detective was not credible. Her very limited knowledge in how to dress and behave coming from a friend’s weekly letters is so implausible as to be a stumbling block for the rest of the story. After all, her exposure to society is near to nothing.
She has no resistance to Justin’s repeated seductions even though she is outraged by having been cast aside without a seeming second thought. Thankfully, she is not so free in opening her heart to him.
Ms Petersen does have a wonderful knack with verbal sparring and with lusciously described lovemaking. Though not all of the ingredients to this read seemed quite right, she mixes everything together with enough flair that in the end it truly was the making of an engaging love story.
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