"Wonderful Regency romantic suspense novel"
In 1793 the three preadolescent aristocratic heirs sign in
blood the charter of the Free Fellow League, which
includes amongst its rules not to marry unless there is no
choice until they reach thirty. Instead Griffin
Abernathy, Colin McElreath, and Jarrod Sheperdston plan to
become England's greatest heroes. In 1812 London Baron Carter Davies, a merchant just
recently raised to peerage, is angry and upset because his
daughter Gillian vanished without a trace one week ago
while attending a musicale chaperoned by her mother. Bow
St informs him that Gillian apparently eloped with a Mr.
Colin Fox. Eloping with a mister is worse than kidnapping
to Gillian's father, who expected his daughter to wed an
aristocrat. At the Blue Bottle Inn by the Edinburgh docks, Gillian
waits for her Colin who seemingly deserted her. Instead
her father accuses Colin McElreath of compromising
Gillian. To avoid a scandal Colin marries Gillian, but
also hopes she can be the bait to capture the rogue
impersonating him. Neither of the newlyweds expected love
to freely flow between them as it has, but Colin has a
mission that is pulling his heart apart as he must place
his beloved in jeopardy to succeed. The second Free Fellow League book, MERELY THE GROOM, is
an exciting Regency romantic suspense that contains a
wonderful love subplot inside a powerful tale of
intrigue. The fine story line contains characters from
the first tale (see BARELY THE BRIDE) playing significant
parts in this novel, but that also tends to take away from
the romantic interludes of the lead couple. Still Rebecca
Hagan Lee furbishes a delightful charmer that will have
readers awaiting Jarrod's avoidance of marriage story. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted March 15, 2004
SummaryColin McElreath, twenty-seventh Viscount Grantham, was
about to become a very wealthy man and his new solvency
had only cost him his good name, his title, his future,
and his freedom. He had sold his soul to the devil. An
English devil. A ruthless merchant devil.
Life, as he knew it, was over.
Colin was relinquishing his Free Fellow status, sealing
his fate for cash because duty required it. Because he
had sworn to protect the Free Fellows League at all costs,
because his father had gambled away a fortune, and because
the newly created Baron Davies urgently required a
respectable son-in-law for his disgraced daughter.
Colin didn't know whether to laugh or to cry at the
irony. After a lifetime of avoiding society misses, he
was about to marry one. His betrothed was damaged goods,
but her good name and her place in society were safe.
Miss Gillian Davies was about to become a blushing bride.
He was merely the groom...
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