"Enthralling Historical"

Fans of Ms. D'Alessandro will recognize Lord Robert Jamison as the younger brother of Austin, the Duke of Bradford, and the hero in a previous novel, THE WHIRLWIND WEDDING. Lord Robert's assignment is to escort the lovely American widow, Mrs. Alberta, "Allie" Brown, to Bradford Hall to visit her childhood friend Elizabeth, Austin's very pregnant wife. Unbeknownst to Robert, Allie sailed to England to return the last of her lying deceased husband's ill-gotten gains, namely an old ring engraved with a family crest.

The cool composed widow informs Robert that she needs to attend to some business in London before journeying to Bradford Hall but fails to disclose the nature of the business. While her secretive nature is intended to put an emotional roadblock between Robert and herself, the two are nevertheless, drawn to one another, amidst some rather dangerous London encounters. And when impending danger to those around her forces Mrs. Brown to disclose to Robert the true purpose of her London journey, their emotional bond becomes stronger, even though Allie is resistant to ever trusting a man again. But Robert is not without secrets of his own. Will his failure to disclose his past prevent the two from forming a bond in the future?

Ms. D'Alessandro's unique style encompasses passionate romance with light-hearted humor, enthralling the reader to the very last page. Believable characters with flaws and scars make this novel a true winner, not to be missed.

Reviewed by Sheri Melnick
Posted November 18, 2002

Summary

Can an unconventional liaison turn into the love match of the season? After the scandalous duel that made her a widow, Alberta Brown was left destitute--and in possession of a cache of ill-gotten goods. Determined to right the wrongs of her thieving husband, she sailed to England to locate the owner of a gentleman's ring bearing an intriguing coat of arms. But a series of mishaps on- board soon convinced Allie that she was enmeshed in a perilous game. Yet none was more dangerous--or irresistibly tempting--than the dashing stranger waiting on the dock. The marriage-minded Lord Robert Jamison was searching for a woman who aroused that certain something. He never expected to find her in this uncommonly pretty, fiercely independent American he'd been asked to escort back to a splendid country estate. Allie was in grave danger--worse, she vowed never to marry again. Yet Lord Robert's will was just as strong--and he planned to make this maddening creature his wife, even as passion drove them into each other's arms...and a reckless liaison flamed into the season's most indiscreet and irresistible affair of the heart.