"The Knight series continues with the twins' story"

Lord Lucien Knight is a brilliant spy for the English Crown. Years at war have honed him into a hard, cunning man. But very few know of his secret life as a spy, such a genius is he at his deceit. He is one of the best, respected by his fellow spies, but shunned by the one person who means the most to him, his twin brother Damien. That is, until an innocent young woman stumbles into his private sanctuary!

Alice Montague swore to her brother on his deathbed that she would always watch out for his young wife and their son. This vow is what brings her to Lucien's den of depravity where he does much of his work, to return her sister-in-law, Caro, to her son Harry, who is ill. Alice is appalled when she arrives at Lucien's home and enters into his private Grotto. Lucien is intrigued by Alice and forces her into a deal with the devil, making her spend a week in his home, alone with only Lucien and his servants there.

Alice vows to resist Lucien's allure, going home as innocent as she arrived. Unfortunately for her, he is very good at his seductive game and she falls under his spell and in love with this mysterious man. Lucien finds himself in love with Alice as well, but she does not yet know of his secret life as a spy. He is afraid to tell her the truth, for fear she will spurn him as his brother did.

While Alice and Lucien are growing closer, so is an evil adversary from Lucien's secret life, the only man who was ever to break him, Claude Bardou. Bardou has been hired for a mission of destruction in London, but his personal task is to destroy Lucien. He must find Bardou before the man can carry out his plans and he will also finally get to seek his revenge against his most vile of enemies. Will Lucien defeat Bardou once and for all and find happiness with Alice? Will she accept his other life or will it turn her against him?

Ms. Foley's talent is all the more evident with every book she writes and this novel is no exception. Her characters are so full of life and so real that one almost expects to see them walking down the street. Lucien and Alice have such an incredible relationship that starts out rocky, and stays that way until they learn to accept each other for who they are, faults and all. When Lucien finally admits his true feelings to her, his love and agony are so strong and he is so vulnerable, it actually brought tears to the eyes of this reviewer.

The action in this story never ends either. It grabs the reader from the very first page and carries the reader on a roller coaster ride of excitement, all the way to the gripping climax. The opportunity to meet Lucien's twin brother, Damien, and some of his friends, sets up the sequel to this book, LORD OF ICE.

Ms. Foley is truly a rising star of the genre and will have the readers anticipating each additional book. Good news as well! there are plans to write stories of more of the Knight family siblings.

?¶ Kelley A. Hartsell, April 2002. All rights reserved.

Reviewed by Kelley Hartsell
Courtesy Love Romances
Posted April 24, 2002

Summary

After years of preparation, he has baited his trap well, luring the depraved members of Society into his devil's playground so he can earn their trust and uncover their secrets. Yet no one in London suspects that Lord Lucien Knight is England's most cunning spy, an officer who has sacrificed his soul for his country. Now an unexpected intruder has invaded his fortress of sin, jeopardizing his carefully laid plans -- and igniting his deepest desires.

Beautiful, innocent Alice Montague finds herself at the mercy of scandalous 'Lord Lucifer'. But as he begins his slow seduction to corrupt her virtue, Alice glimpses a man tormented by his own choices, a man who promises her nothing except his undeniable passion. . . .