"A Moonlit Historical Romance"

THE PRICE OF MOONLIGHT is the second in the Cuvier widows trilogy. The three wives of Jean Cuvier have no idea that their husband is married to other women until the day he is found murdered in a New Orleans hotel. Nicole Rousseau Cuvier is the second wife. Her marriage was never legal so the child she is now carrying will be illegitimate, like Nicole herself. The only thing she has is Rosewood Plantation, which Jean Cuvier had deeded to her. She'll do anything to give her child a name. When she meets Maxim Viel she is impressed by the kindness of this drifter, and offers him one-half of the sugarcane crop profit, if he will marry her long enough to insure that her child will be legitimate. She protects her ownership of Rosewood by temporarily deeding it to her old servant.

Maxim Viel isn't really a poor drifter. He is a wealthy business man from New Orleans. His great grandfather had built Rosewood, and his grandfather had lost it after the Civil War. Max has been taught since childhood that he must regain Rosewood for the family. So if Nicole thinks he is merely a drifter interested in the sugar cane profits that works to his advantage. By marrying her he assumes he will automatically own Rosewood. But he doesn't count on this beautiful widow having a shrewd mind, and he certainly doesn't count on falling for her.

Ms. McDaniel has a great premise going with the fate of the three victimized widows. The characters in THE PRICE OF MOONLIGHT are strongly drawn, the story line is good. But the novel is slightly marred by a tendency to over-explain the characters feelings. Still THE PRICE OF MOONLIGHT is an enjoyable read.

Reviewed by Cynthia Meidinger
Posted November 1, 2002