Publisher: Avon
Date published: August 28, 2012
ISBN:
978-0-06-202579-1
Historical Romance
Paperback
Reviewed by Lynne
Obtained via publisher.
Madeline Valdan, a product of her
upbringing, finds herself in prison until good fortune comes her way. When an opportunity arises to erase her
sordid past, she agrees to spy for her government, using her female wiles,
talents, and training to steal secrets from the unsuspecting in the hopes of
making a better life for herself.
She soon becomes a scandalous courtesan,
making a name for herself throughout London, and ultimately shocks the ton
by suddenly announcing her wish to auction off her virginity to the highest
bidder. Incredibly beautiful, it isn’t
long before she attracts the attention of a Bow Street Runner, Gabriel
Huntford, who is intent on hunting down his sister’s killer.
Gabriel, because of his skill and
reputation for tracking down criminals from the darkest corners of London, is
soon hired by Madeline to investigate the financial situation of each of the
bidders, wanting to be sure each man has the financial backing for his
bid. Gabriel, seeing an opportunity to
further his own personal investigation, although hesitant, finds himself
reluctantly agreeing to work for this sinful, yet outrageously gorgeous woman.
But what begins as a business arrangement
quickly turns into something more. And
Gabriel soon finds himself wanting to protect Madeline from her enemies...and
outbid all other men so that he alone can claim her.
SINS OF A VIRGIN by Anna Randol is
a well-written, well-plotted tale of murder and mayhem. Despite being a historical romance, of which
I am a lifelong fan, this story has a lot of suspense and mystique that will
keep the reader turning pages. This is a
fun, interesting whodunit.
Randol has created strong lead characters
for SINS OF A VIRGIN. Madeline is
beautiful, skilled at kicking butt, and highly intelligent. A strong heroine. Gabriel is as sexy as they come, also a
strong, protective hero whose head is not turned at sight of a pretty woman,
until Madeline. I loved these two
characters.
SINS OF A VIRGIN is unique and
original, and I find this an entertaining mystery more than a romance. The fact that Madeline is not shy at baring
herself to Gabriel and who is willing to give away her virginity to even a
repulsive man who can help her achieve her own ends is what sets her apart from
weaker female heroines. Madeline is
tough and smart enough to consider every option and what her future could be if
she shows any sign of weakness.
When Gabriel’s instant attraction to
Madeline surprises him, even he is strong enough not to get too involved with
her, believing her to be something other than what she claims. He is able to remain focused on what he
wants, yet keeps himself on a business/professional level as well. When he finally gives in to his desires, he
still manages to remain clear-headed where Madeline is concerned. He does not fool himself into believing she
can be his, despite the way he feels about her.
The lesser characters create quite a
balance of conflict and suspense in SINS OF A VIRGIN. Randol does a great job of keeping the
reader guessing about a lot of things, right up until the end of the
story. It was enough to keep me reading.
The friends Madeline has are intriguing
in SINS OF A VIRGIN. From the
beginning, it is difficult to figure out just who the men are that seem so
loyal and protective of Madeline. And
why. As Randol slowly reveals bits and
pieces of backstory related to their identities and Madeline’s secret past, the
reader soon understands just how much Madeline has suffered and why she has
made the choices she has made.
SINS OF A VIRGIN seems to be more
of a murder mystery than a sexy romance, but I still enjoyed it. Seeking answers to the mysteries is what kept
me turning pages more than wondering about the romance between Madeline and
Gabriel. Regardless, there is enough
excitement and intrigue to satisfy the reader on many levels. Randol’s talent is undeniable, and I look
forward to reading more of her work.
This is an objective review and not an
endorsement of this book.
No comments:
Post a Comment