"A Witty Romp. Classic Grasso."

TO TAME A DUKE by Patricia Grasso is a bitingly classic romp; one readers won't be able to put down. For added pleasure fans of the Bard will roar with delight as William Shakespeare is quoted at the funniest of times, in classic Grasso fashion.

Our heroine, Lily Hawthrone, is a Wharf Rat from Boston who makes a death bed promise to her mother. She is to raise and protect her baby brother whom she promptly names Michael in honor of Saint Michael, the arch angel . This proves no easy task for a young child growing into womanhood as Michael is slow to develop mentally and is the butt of teasing by other children. Yet, with a deft hand, Grasso allows this most uncommon secondary character to steal many of the scenes adding special heartwarming moments to the story which help to defuse the sexual tension between our hero and heroine.

It seems the oddly educated Lily has a special gift which is needed for the American war effort of 1812 against the British; she has a photographic memory. For the American cause, her elder brother, Seth and her fiancee, Bradley Howell, enlist her aid as a spy. Her uncanny gift earns her the nickname the GILDED LILY, the most notorious weapon the Americans have against the British. When Seth and Bradley leave on a special government mission, she is reminded by both to sit tight for further instructions.. Yet, in true Grasso heroine fashion, she has a mind of her own which will lead her and Michael into trouble.

James Armstrong, warily assumes his birthright, the Duke of Kinross, upon the untimely death of his brother in America. Seems his brother was hung as a spy and the one responsible is the notorious Gilded Lily. Seeking to escape his impending betrothal to one of London's spoiled females, James seizes the opportunity to leave her in the lurch, when he travels to America seeking revenge against the Gilded Lily. Happy to be free of a matrimonial noose, he plots to capture a spy in a noose of his own.

Lily and Michael, while being in the wrong place at the wrong time, easily fall into the grasp of the Duke. When he learns he has captured the Gilded Lily, he delights in his idea of an unique revenge. He quickly transports them both to England for the duration of the war. A revenge that turns sensually seductive when he discovers she is a female. But as luck would have it, in classic historical romance fashion, the kind of revenge he seeks may be his own downfall when he loses his heart to Lily. Yet they both may lose more than their hearts when a killer stalks them.

The mystery as to who did kill James's brother and what Seth and Bradley might have to do with it is sure to keep the reader racing toward the final pages. What makes this an exceptional read is Grasso's signature "witty banter" engaged by James and Lily. You can always count on great one-liners in a Patricia Grasso book, especially this one with Lily's sassy Shakespearean comebacks: pure Grasso humor at its best. It is a laugh out loud book to be enjoyed in one sitting if not only for the funny one liners but also to watch the hero brought to his knees by a mere slip of a girl. Masterly plotted sexual tension.

This a must read for those who want a story where love triumphs over two stubbornly realistic characters with chuckles and sighs. Historical romance at its best!!!

Reviewed by Jody Allen
Posted July 31, 2001

Summary

They were mortal enemies...But when he sought vengeance, she disarmed him, enticed him, and made him wonder how he could ever set his lovely captive free...

She is Lily Hawthorne—the only daughter of a Boston tavern owner, a delicate raven-haired beauty with sapphire eyes and a daring spirit. But as the War of 1812 rages on, few know that she is also The Gilded Lily, Boston's most notorious spy-catcher...a patriotic young woman who daily risks her life to aid her country's cause.

He is James Armstrong, the 14th Duke of Kinross—a rakishly handsome British nobleman determined to avenge his older brother's death at the hands of the Americans. He vows he will not rest until he has tracked down the one most responsible. But when James finally corners The Gilded Lily, he receives a huge shock, for his quarry is no rough- hewn soldier but a foolhardy young woman who refuses to be cowed. Now, lovely Lily is his prisoner to do with as he wishes. Yet when James sweeps her off to his gilded English estate, captor and captive alike will find themselves battling a blazing temptation...one that could endanger their lives, even as it joins their warring hearts...