Tuesday, May 11, 2010

One Dance With A Duke-Tessa Dare

One Dance With A Duke
Tessa Dare
Ballantine, May 25 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780345518859

In 1817 the Ton knows the strange behavioral pattern of the reclusive primitive “Canadian” Duke Spencer Dumarque as the Duke of Midnight; he arrives as the clock strikes twelve at a bash to dance one waltz with a different female each time and then leaves immediately. Not quite as well known as his dashing nocturnal spin is that he is one of the ten members of the Stud Club who have a wager on a horse on going.

Rubenesque Lady Amelia d’Orsay decides to be the chosen one at the latest ball by brazenly selecting him. When she notices her waltz partner seems ill, she shows her concern. He is stunned by a twit caring for someone else and abruptly carries her from the gala to her amazement. He is in love and proposes, but before accepting she wants to know more about the enigmatic Duke of Morland. He is four tokens to the prize of wining the thoroughbred (ten tokens wins the steed) but one of his Stud comrades has been murdered assumingly for his tokens. Amelia suggests hosting a Stud Club party, but her brother Jack arrives with tokens before vanishing with his ward.

This is a great regency romantic mystery starring a flawed courageous heroine and a mysterious perhaps even blemished hero. Faster than the prized thoroughbred, this super story line hooks the reader from the moment Dashing Duke Dumarque runs off with Amelia and never takes a respite even for the kissing scenes. Fans will enjoy this strong romantic suspense thriller as the opening of the stud Club is a winner.

Harriet Klausner

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