"Exciting late Regency romance"

In 1830 Lord James Sherbrooke, older than his twin brother Jason by minutes, thinks that though she is eighteen, Corrie Tybourne-Barrett is a pest and has been all his life. Corrie dresses like a boy as she wildly rides throughout the countryside. James' parents decide that Corrie needs a season and his dad Douglas will select the wardrobe her.

When James sees Corrie in a dress he first needs to recover from the shock that she has breasts before he can catch his breath as she is beautiful. Meanwhile Jason races home after a visit from the Virgin Ghost that warns him that his beloved parents are in trouble, which proves prophetic when someone shoots their father. As they try to keep dear old dad safe, James falls in love with Corrie who loves him back and Jason falls in love with Judith McCrae who he met at a gala. However, the family remains unsafe as someone wants Douglas dead and the plan is a perfect snake in Eden scheme.

This is an exciting late Regency romance starring two fabulous antagonists who turn into loving protagonists though his early on spanking of her seems inappropriate. The story line starts off like a typical sub-genre entry, but turns into a terse suspense once the first attack occurs and goes even tauter when treachery places the family and Corrie in danger. Catherine Coulter has provided a wonderful tale that hopefully will lead to a fabulous sequel.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted February 23, 2004

Summary

Dear Reader,

The Sherbrooke family saga continues with James and Jason Sherbooke, identical male twins who look exactly like their beautiful Aunt Melissande, and not at all like their father, the earl, which riles him to no end.

James, twenty-eight minutes older than his brother, is the heir. He is solid, is James. He's a student of astronomy, rides like a centaur, and unlike his brother Jason, enjoys learning the ropes of managing his father's estates. He no longer sows excessive wild oats, as his neighbor, Corrie Tybourne-Barrett, a brat he's known since she was three years old, looks forward to doing since she turned eighteen. When she nearly shoves him off a cliff, sneering all the while, James hauls off and spanks her.

A promising start. Then, unfortunately, the earl, Douglas Sherbrooke, is shot at. This leads to Georges Cadoudal, a Frenchman in the employ of the English War Ministry with whom Douglas had dealings some years before. But Cadoudal died in 1815, fifteen years earlier. Were there children who might want revenge against Douglas? But the question is why: Georges and Douglas parted friends-at least Douglas believed that they had.

Adventures compound; Corrie hurls herself into the thick of things. As for Jason, he swims like a fish, loves horses, wants to start a stud farm, still sows more wild oats than a man should be allowed, but finally meets a girl who stops him in his tracks. And then what happens?

You will have to read the book to find out. I hope you enjoy yourself. The characters are rich, colorful, and a hoot to boot. The mystery will confound you.