Thursday, October 10, 2013

Secrets Of A Scandalous Marriage-Valerie Bowman

Secrets Of A Scandalous Marriage

Valerie Bowman

St. Martin's, Oct 1 2013, $7.99

ISBN: 9781250008978



In 1816, Lady Katherine Townsende resides in the Tower of London for murdering her husband, the Duke of Markingham. Viscount James Bancroft comes to her cell offering her a deal in which he will make a lot of money on the homicidal scandal. He will obtain the best lawyer for her in exchange for her cooperation in writing a pamphlet focusing on her perspective of what happened. He also insists, in accordance with the law, she first must ask authorities to place her in his custody. She accepts his terms with one caveat that she moves into his home while awaiting trial as the murdering duchess.



Lord Perfect suffers from conflicting feelings of chagrin and desire, as Katherine disrupts James’ orderly lifestyle. He also doubts her insistent claims of innocence as everyone in the Tower makes that assertion. As Katherine seduces the staid James, they fall in love; but the trial increasingly affirms the belief held by everyone except Lord Perfect that she is a spousal killer.



The third Secret Brides Regency romance (see Secrets of a Wedding Night and Secrets of a Runaway Bride) will be on everyone’s short list as one of the best historicals of the year. The love plot is fresh with a rare uniqueness due to the prim and proper perfect lord and the sassy seductress who makes him relish messes something he loathed before she turned his life upside down. The trial adds tension to a super early nineteenth century winner.



Harriet Klausner

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