Friday, February 29, 2008

A Dangerous Love-Brenda Joyce

A Dangerous Love
Brenda Joyce
Harlequin HQN, Apr 2008, $7.99
ISBN: 9780373772759

In 1820 her family’s aristocratic standing makes Ariella de Warenne part of high society, but her free thinking behavior keeps her outside not looking in; she just does not care what the Ton thinks. So when a Gypsy band sets up camp on her family's Derbyshire estate, she visits without a second thought towards proper behavior. She stunned to find herself attracted to the Roma leader Emilian, who to his inner turmoil reciprocates.

Unbeknownst to Ariella, the recipient of her affection is also her affluent neighbor, Lord Emilian St. Xavier. When he was little, his aristocratic father abducted him from his Roma mother because Emilian was the heir. He detests his title and his peerage as his only desire is vengeance against the mob who murdered his mother. Thus when he feels an attraction to the female de Warenne, Emilian also feels self-loathing until he decides Ariella is an expendable pawn that he will publicly ruin. Emilian does not know that messing with a de Warenne in love is more dangerous than facing the late Napoleon and his French army.

A DANGEROUS LOVE is a strong de Warenne Regency romance starring two aristocratic outsiders who scorn the trappings of the Ton. The story line is fast-paced, but character driven as each of the lead pair has a scheme to win their heart’s desire; hers being him while his being revenge. Though both protagonists are similar to many fictional Regency protagonists, Brenda Joyce refreshes them with Attitude that provides fans with a marvelously entertaining entry in her delightful long running historical saga.

Harriet Klausner

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