"Resident Genius of Bad Boys dazzles yet again"

Stuart gives you a double-dose of true historical romance. She takes the old formula of the beautiful, arrogant rake who falls for the dowdy spinster heroine. With typical Stuart Magic that has kept me spellbound since my first Stuart book, To Love a Dark Lord, she takes the old and makes it new, yet once more.

I love Stuart. She is the Resident Genius of Bad Boys. She makes no apologies for their dark, dangerous and often deadly nature. She knows men too well to try to do that. Her males are selfish, callused and often makes you wonder why anyone would put up with, much less fall for him. Something lasses raised on the kinder-gentler Historicals of today fail to understand -- sexual attraction is the forbidden, the male that mama warns you against.

Another of Stuart's sexy studs, Christian Montcalm is lethally sensual rake of the ton. He embraces his lack of morals, courts them, only he faces ruin unless he marries a rich heiress. Enters the perfect target, Miss Hetty Chipple. She is the lovely daughter of a got-rocks shipping magnate. Everything seems perfect to him. He is gorgeous and dear Hetty wants the prettiest pony daddy's money can buy. Should be a match made in ton heaven...right? Well, we all know there's going to be problems. This time it's Miss Annelise Kempton. She is the less-than-perfect spinster hired to chaperon Hetty and she feels a fortune-hunting pretty boy isn't what Hetty needs.

Firmly on the shelf, Annelise is not pretty, too tall and had no money. Even so, our sexy lad still cannot help but be drawn by her intelligence, even though he wants to strangle her for interfering with his plans.

I adore men, love their true nature, and Stuart always taps into that. Christian is another of her gamma rogue males you want to slap, then kiss. Naturally, Stuart paints with dark strokes his inner nature, though maybe with a slight more mellowness as some of her other dark and daring dudes.

Stuart reminds us of the roots of historical romance, and shows she can still turn the deft party trick, and do it again in style.

Reviewed by DeborahAnne MacGillivray
Posted July 18, 2006

Summary

When you dance with the devil, you hold hands with temptation . . .

Christian Montcalm was a practical man, if a destitute scoundrel, but his plan to bed and wed the delectable Miss Hetty Chipple would take care of that sticky wicket. However, there was a most intriguing obstacle to his success.

Annelise Kempton desired nothing more than to come between this despicable rogue and the fortune (and virtue) of her young charge. Certainly, Annelise understood the desperation that comes from hard times, but Montcalm would fail -- she would personally see to it. All that stood in her way was a man whose rakish charm could tempt a saint to sin, or consign a confirmed spinster to sleepless nights of longing . . . to give the devil his due.