Friday, April 8, 2011

Dangerous in Diamonds-Madeline Hunter

Dangerous in Diamonds
Madeline Hunter
Jove, Apr 26 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780515149340

Tristan the Duke of Castleford stays sober one day a week as he sets aside Tuesdays to deal with affairs of the estate. The rest of the days he enjoys wenching and drinking. However, he finds alcohol and woman not quite appealing as he feels a major bout of ennui instead of the usual euphoria lately.

He decides to escape London to visit four properties he has never seen but he now owns since inheriting them for some unknown reason from the recently deceased Duke of Becksbridge. One of his recent acquisitions is land where The Rarest Blooms floral shop resides. There he encounters florist Daphne Joyes, who keeps him miraculously sober more than just for one day a week. He wants to know her story especially why his late relative rented to her; so he digs into Daphne’s history and watches women come and go while she tries to hide them from him and others. The pair argues, fusses, and kisses although his conclusions about her are totally wrong but she refuses to correct him. However, they will soon learn the dangerously hard way that a common foe wants both destroyed.

The latest Rarest Blooms Regency romance is a terrific historical as Madeline Hunter supports her wonderful amusing romantic subplot with an insightful look at spousal abuse and the Dickensian working conditions of millworkers leading to riots. Fans will relish the missteps of the hero as the lead female enjoys watching him stumble while the return of the previous three Blooms enhance a delightful series (see Ravishing in Red, Provocative in Pearls and Sinful in Satin).

Harriet Klausner

No comments: