"Fabulous -- Mesmerizing -- Simmering Sensuality"

Carlyle brilliantly caps off her latest connected series with THREE LITTLE SECRETS-- a lively and gripping tale featuring Merrick MacLachlan, the dour 'black' Scot brother of Alasdair MacLachlan, hero of the initial book in this series, ONE LITTLE SIN.

Thirteen years ago, Merrick MacLachlan eloped to Gretna Green with seventeen year old Lady Madeline Jessup. Tracked down by her ruthless father, Merrick was set-up, brutally beaten, and left for dead. Lady Madeline was led to believe Merrick was a grasping rotter, whose sole purpose in marrying her was to, ruin her, blackmail her father into financing his architectural dreams, and then annul the marriage.

By the time Merrick was able to travel to reclaim his wife, he discovered he was weeks too late. She'd been married off to a man twice her age and shipped off to parts unknown. Despising her for having so little faith in him and with additional lies told to him about her, any visage he had of a heart was torn to shreds. In the intervening years, Merrick became an embittered, ruthless but overwhelmingly successful and prosperous businessman.

Now, coming face to face, their secrets would be revealed with a finality that both had dreamed of, but never dared hoped for. Guilty of pride, they believed the worst of each other, yet, in their innermost hearts, Madeline and Merrick still harbored the deepest passion they once felt for one another. In order to save their son, they would come to an accord, which would finally let them sort through the secrets in order to reclaim a passion that never fully died.

*** As always, Carlyle weaves magic into her sensual laden prose, giving the reader a bonanza of a treat and completely mesmerizing the reader from the very beginning. Since her very first novel, I have been hooked by this author! Her writing is sensual, passionate, and will hook you from the very first pages to a most satisfying and heartwarming end. This is definitely another book for my 'keeper' shelf and one I most HIGHLY recommend!

Reviewed by Marilyn Rondeau
Posted July 9, 2006