The Lady and the Libertine-Bonnie Vanak

The Lady and the Libertine
Bonnie Vanak
Leisure, Apr 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 0843959762

In 1908 Englishman Nigel Wallenford is a womanizing thief until he regains his birthright as a titled earl. He vows to change his scandalous rascally ways once he has the wealth to live as an earl should live. He knows exactly how to achieve his goal with little work. He will go to Egypt to steal a fabled ruby that will lead him to a hidden treasure.

Illegitimate Anne Mitchell was born and raised in a workhouse until her father exiled her to Egypt. There she became a member of the Bedouin Khamsin tribe, an honor that has given her incredible self esteem after being a nothing back home. Using the name Karida, she is guardian of the ruby that Nigel has come to steal. As they end up on a long journey, she knows he is her one, but though attracted to her, he rejects her love as he knows that emotion only hurts.

Moving forward a couple of decades from her late nineteenth century Egyptian romantic suspense thrillers (see THE SCORPION and THE SEDUCER, THE FALCON AND THE DOVE, and THE COBRA AND THE CONCUBINE, etc), .Bonnie Vanak provides another fabulous historical. The story line stars two battered souls who reacted differently to their pasts; whereas Anne overcomes her childhood turning into a Bedouin heroic guardian; Nigel engulfs his past with debauchery and thievery. Their gender war over love and ownership of the ruby makes for another great historical adventure romantic epic.

Harriet Klausner