Ecstasy Wears Emeralds-Renee Bernard

Ecstasy Wears Emeralds
Renee Bernard
Berkley, Sep 6 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780425243725

In 1859 in London, Gayle Renshaw wants to become a doctor but females are not accepted as trainees. She extorts Dr. Rowan West to accept her as his apprentice-assistant or she will expose secrets of his that will destroy his practice. He had originally thought she was a man when they corresponded but reluctantly agrees to train her in return for her silence over the matter of the death of his fiancée.

Rowan plans to run off the feisty female by overwhelming her with work and study as he treats her like he would a male assistant. Instead of driving her out of the city as he refuses to ease off of her because of gender, she thrives. Soon Rowan respects his diligent conscientious assistant while she admires his treatment of her as if she was a man. However, she is also attracted to her mentor and him to her. When his enemies threaten his beloved Gayle, he tries to drive her away, but she is even more obstinate than when they first met as now she is a woman in love.

The third Jaded Gentleman Victorian romance (see Revenge Wears Rubies and Seduction Wears Sapphires) is a superb historical that showcases a suffragette pursing her professional ambition while falling in love. Rowan is ahead of his times as he treats her as if she is a male apprentice; that is until his admiration turns to attraction and desire. Gayle walks the thin line between career goals and love. Fans will enjoy this deep, still timely today, nineteenth century romance as the mentor and the mentee find respect and love.

Harriet Klausner