Share the Moon by Sharon Struth

MOON
Share the Moon by Sharon Struth
Blue Moon Lake Novels, Book one
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (188 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Hawthorn

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Sometimes trust is the toughest lesson to learn.
​​​
Sophie Shaw is days away from signing a contract that will fulfill her dream of owning a vineyard. For her, it’s a chance to restart her life and put past tragedies to rest. But Duncan Jamieson’s counter offer blows hers out ot sea.
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Duncan still finds Sophie as appealing as he had during boyhood vacations to the lake. Older and wiser now, he has his own reasons for wanting the land. His offer, however, hinges on a zoning change approval.

Bribery rumors threaten the deal and make Sophie wary of Duncan, yet she cannot deny his appeal. When her journalistic research uncovers a Jamieson family secret, trust becomes the hardest lesson for them both.

Share The Moon shows that people can find true love when they least expect it. In Duncan Jamieson’s and Sophie Shaw’s case, loving and trusting each other seems dangerous because they started out as competitors for the same plot of land. Neither can be sure the other’s feelings are genuine and not a ploy to get them to lower their defenses and let go of their plans with the land. But the current situation is not the only thing that’s making them cautious and distrustful.

Both Duncan and Sophie have a painful past filled with loss and mistakes. Sophie’s struggle with the loss of her teenage son was written beautifully. Her pain, regret and guilt were visible in her every act, but the author didn’t let the character get lost in the overwhelming grief, instead she’d given her coping mechanisms that helped her come back to life, step by little step. Similarly, Duncan’s less than model family life still haunts him years after his wife’s death. He is doing his best to become a better person, and as a reader I appreciated that the transformation didn’t go smoothly and that he was struggling with the changes instead. It made him feel a real person, and that in turn made it easy for me to feel with him as he progressed from a workaholic into a devoted father and partner.

Although the plot stalled a bit towards the middle, the hurdles in Sophie’s and Duncan’s way made the story interesting, keeping me guessing about what was next for them. Jamieson’s family secret tied in nicely to the development of their relationship and didn’t feel like a separate subplot at all but like something that affected them both deeply.

I liked the portrayal of Trent and would love to read more about him. He seemed a conflicted man, his attitude a direct result of all the hurt from his childhood. But he also seemed like someone who would be fun to get to know better. I loved his layered characterization. Same goes for Sophie’s friends, Jay and Sophie’s father – all compelling characters that added a lot to the story and shed new light on the main characters and their deepest feelings.

Although a bit predictable, the story unfolded to a satisfying finish for Duncan and Sophie. After going over many an obstacle, they learn to trust each other, which enables them to truly embrace the feelings they have for each other. Trust doesn’t come easy, but once earned, it can be a firm basis for true love. Share the Moon is a romance in which the characters must first learn to love themselves in order to be able to love each other. It’s more than just about falling in love; it’s about overcoming grief and disappointment and growing into people worth loving.

Losing Patients by Virginia Taylor

LOSING
Losing Patients by Virginia Taylor
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (199 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Hawthorn

A face lift involves skin incisions; however, the incisions in front of and behind the ear can be invisible. tadalafil cialis india All these pols need to be consumed generic viagra pill in a exact time to get the exact effect. Most buying generic cialis herbs are geared toward much better well being and improves the physical capacity for activity. Do this for a minute or commander levitra two and then proceeding to lovemaking session. A scintillating romantic suspense novel with a twist of intrigue and a lot of flirtation. Can true love be found in the hunt for a killer? It’s Bree Branson’s first day at Pemberton Private Hospital and the last thing she needs is a patient dying in suspicious circumstances on her watch. The only person who can help her clear her name is the one person she was hoping to avoid, the devastatingly handsome Sam Vincent . . . the doctor she stood up three years ago. Forced to work together to find a killer, will Bree and Sam be able to leave their past behind to find a future together?

It was amazing to watch how the relationship between Bree and Sam developed. From jilted lovers to friends with a lot of unresolved sexual tension between them, to utterly in love with each other – all written in a way that made it natural, believable and a delight to follow. Their relationship progressed smoothly and at a pace that made it possible to watch them develop deep feelings for each other, without it being too drawn-out.

The same goes for the suspenseful subplot that was intense enough to keep the reader guessing and reading for more clues, but not too exaggerated to drown out the romance aspects of the novel. The two were very nicely connected and worked together perfectly. Even though my knowledge of drugs and medical procedures is very limited, the mystery plot wasn’t hard to follow. It was simple enough to understand without any medical knowledge, but intricate enough to make it spine-tingling suspenseful.

Obviously, Bree and Sam were wonderful characters that I couldn’t help but fall in love with, but the rest of the hospital staff was very well-written, too. The nurses, some of which were at first glance shown as ignorant, lazy or standoffish, were then introduced in such detail that they appeared like real people with real problems and hopes and histories. Sam’s and Bree’s families, too, were an integral part of the story and although they were not the sort of characters I would identify with, their personalities were shown in a way that made them feel like people with authentic motives and a logic behind their actions.

The closer I got to the end of the novel, the more I wished it would never end. I wanted more of the delicious attraction between Bree and Sam, more scenes that so clearly showed how deeply Sam loved Bree, more of Bree’s heartbreak because she thought she could never have Sam … But unfortunately, the novel ended…and I wanted more!  I’m very glad I had the chance to read it.

Secrets, Lies & Homicide by Patricia Dusenbury

SECRETS
Secrets, Lies & Homicide by Patricia Dusenbury
Publisher: Uncial Press
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (269 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Hawthorn

Claire Marshall’s construction company has a celebrity client. Tony Burke is a well-known racecar driver, perhaps better known for his romantic exploits. He wants to restore his family house in New Orleans’ Lower Garden District. When Claire talks him into opening his father’s old studio, they find evidence of an old murder. Within a day, there’s a second murder.

Tony insists the two crimes, although years apart, are connected. Unfortunately, the most obvious link puts him on top of the list of suspects. Claire wants the motive to lie elsewhere, and it might. The latest victim had no shortage of enemies.

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In Secrets, Lies & Homicide, romance and mystery form a perfect match.

In mysteries, characterization is often neglected because of the suspense taking the limelight. Not in this novel, however. I was amazed and charmed by the vivid characters, all so unique and so wonderfully painted in just a few lines. A lot of the characterization was done through dialogue, with characters uttering a sentence that I would immediately recognize and say: ‘That was so Clair.’ Or ‘No one could say that but Mike.’ The author writes the dialogues masterfully, always progressing the plot or revealing something new about a character, but never bogging the story down by info dumps. Wonderful!

The romance was subtle and real, painful and passionate. All the best things wrapped up in the relationships of Claire and Mike and Tony. The hero, also doubling as a car racer and murder suspect, is not the classic, cliché hero. He is a man with faults, big ones; but Claire is a woman with a big heart that hasn’t felt love and passion for too long. He thaws her doubts and objections. She experiences heartbreak again, but also love and devotion. As a reader, you come not only to understand her, but to love her because she feels as real as your best friend.

The pacing of the novel was perfect, not only when it comes to the murder investigation, but also with the romantic relationship. It felt very natural and believable. It also added to the suspense of the main plotline. I liked how the motives for the crime lay in the past and how they were tied up with Tony’s childhood and his memories of his parents. The personalities of the side characters all added to the motives and the tragic events of the story. There were no coincidences or loose ends.

With Claire giving us a glimpse at the architecture of New Orleans, I wished for even more descriptions of the city and its culture.

I’m very happy I had the chance to read this book, and I will certainly buy the other two books of the trilogy.

Right Kind of Wrong by Chelsea Fine

WRONG
Right Kind of Wrong by Chelsea Fine
Publisher: Forever Yours
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (212 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Hawthorn

Sometimes wrong can feel oh so right . . .

Jenna Lacombe needs complete control, whether it’s in the streets . . . or between the sheets. So when she sets out on a solo road trip to visit her family in New Orleans, she’s beyond annoyed that the infuriatingly sexy Jack Oliver wants to hitch a ride with her. Ever since they shared a wild night together last year, he’s been trying to strip away her defenses one by one. He claims he’s just coming along to keep her safe-but what’s not safe for her is prolonged exposure to the tattooed hottie.
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Jack can’t get Jenna out from under his skin. She makes him feel alive again after his old life nearly destroyed him-and losing her is not an option. Now Jack’s troubles are catching up to him, and he’s forced to return to his hometown in Louisiana. But when his secrets put them both in harm’s way, Jenna will have to figure out how far she’s willing to let love in . . . and how much she already has.

There’s no better feeling than coming across a great road trip story. I love those, and I loved Right Kind of Wrong for all the right reasons: great main characters, good story-telling, intense conflict, well-written plot.

There was chemistry between Jenna and Jack the first time we see them together. As we get to follow their story, the dynamics between them become only more intense and captivating. While Jack’s devotion to Jenna was bittersweet to watch as she kept refusing his advances, the real magic was happening inside Jenna. Her inner struggle between what she felt and what her mind wanted was very well-written.

Jack’s secrets and his past life could easily sound unnatural and forced because that ‘old’ Jack was so different to the man Jenna knows, but even that blast from the past fit into the story perfectly, adding to Jack’s character, not making him less real. Not to mention that the intense experience, the fear and excitement help Jenna see him in a new light – or rather see her own feelings for him in a new light. The intriguing subplot also adds suspense to the story and speeds up the pace of the second half of the novel.

There was little I didn’t like about this book. One of those things was – considering how hung up on her plan Jenna was – the smooth ending that didn’t feel realistic. Maybe more struggling with the relationship on her part would feel more in-character. But they deserved a happy ending, so that was what they got. Some secondary characters felt too flat, such as Pixie, Kayla, Daren. Others, like Jack’s brothers and Mom, were a delight to read. Some of the dialogue and scenes felt a little bit contrived, as if they were only there to give additional information about the story or characters.

But with Jenna and Jack in the forefront, any faults can be overlooked. Their vivid portrayal made me want them to be real. Jenna’s feistiness, and Jack’s patience and loyalty were a wonderful combination for their road trip. It was a journey I enjoyed from the beginning to the very end.

Flight to Coorah Creek by Janet Gover

CREEK
Flight to Coorah Creek by Janet Gover
Publisher: Choc Lit
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (317 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Hawthorn

What happens when you can fly, but you just can’t hide?

Only Jessica Pearson knows the truth when the press portrays her as the woman who betrayed her lover to escape prosecution. But will her new job flying an outback air ambulance help her sleep at night or atone for a lost life?

Sadly, restarting or reloading applications may not cialis generic do their phone repair magic. They are cialis 10 mg stored in encrypted form and are not disclosed under any circumstances. Every men in this world is prone to many health disorders and issues that can make you shy in levitra generika time of purchasing the medicine. The good news is that there are effective medicines available for reinforcing sexual cialis 20 mg performance are prescription based totally, so you need to consult a physician earlier than considering them. Doctor Adam Gilmore touches the lives of his patients, but his own scars mean he can never let a woman touch his heart.

Runaway Ellen Parkes wants to build a safe future for her two children. Without a man—not even one as gentle as Jack North.

In Coorah Creek, a town on the edge of nowhere, you’re judged by what you do, not what people say about you. But when the harshest judge is the one you see in the mirror, there’s nowhere left to hide.

Jess, Ellen, Jack and Adam are inspiring characters that manage to find peace in the face of suffering and overwhelming guilt. They’ve experienced more pain than anyone ever should, but they finally have a chance at happiness. Like Jess thinks when she sees Adam’s scars: she’d never change that because the scars made them who they are now.

I loved how both Jess and Ellen were portrayed as vulnerable, but essentially strong women. After being broken and ruined by men, they got up and re-built their lives. Their hesitation about letting new men into their lives was believable, although the guilt Jess and Ellen felt was perhaps a bit overdone. However, it helped to add to their inner conflict so that was easy to overlook.

Sister Luke was a refreshing, wise character that brought some wonderfully quirky moments to the story. I felt a bit more humor would make the story less sentimental and even more enjoyable by juxtaposing the poignancy of the characters’ lives with some comic relief. Even the setting fit the emotional atmosphere, with the desolate Australian Outback symbolizing the isolation of every individual. It read very authentic and real, to the point of me feeling the dust tickling my nose as I read about the dry red expanse of land.

Although the story holds a strong message of how we all deserve to be forgiven, mostly by ourselves, but by others, too, it’s the strong characters that will stay with me. The selflessness of Jack and Adam, the courage and fighting spirit of Ellen, the essential goodness of Jess. They made this story strong and unputdownable.

An American Girl in Italy by Aubrie Dionne

GIRL
An American Girl in Italy by Aubrie Dionne
Publisher: Harper Impulse
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (212 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 2.5 stars
Reviewed by Hawthorn

An Italian paradise is the last thing she wants… but the one thing she needs!

Surely any girl would kill for the chance to tour Italy’s most famous cities for the summer? To experience the warmth of the Tuscan sun, the culinary delights of the pizzerias and caffés and to stroll along the cobbled streets of the City of Love itself…

Any girl apart from ambitious oboist Carly Davis that is! For her, the Easthampton Civic Symphony’s latest European tour is one massive inconvenience. She can’t even put her smartphone down long enough to snap a picture of the Coliseum.

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Tour guide Michelangelo is as dark and delicious as Carly’s morning espresso. And when she needs a few lessons in the language of love to land her an important gig, he’s a more than capable tutor.

But with her promising career back in Boston, can Carly really afford to lose her heart in Italy?

There is a lot at stake for both protagonists of An American Girl in Italy. For Carly, the Italian tour is another step to winning recognition as an oboist, while for Michelangelo it’s a way to earn some money to save his family’s vineyard. Apart from the conflicting situations for the main characters, the novel offers lovely descriptions of Italy, its food and wines. The stage is set for a hot Italian romance.

While I liked the depictions of the concerts and everything that referred to music and the orchestra (it showed that the author had experience with this), the romance part disappointed. Despite the high stakes, there was no passion, mainly due to too much telling and not enough showing. The two weeks that Carly and Michelangelo had to fall in love would’ve been quite enough for a believable romance had the author managed to make me care about the protagonists. Unfortunately, I couldn’t connect with Carly. She was too insipid for me to like her. There was no real passion in her. Even the music that she claimed meant everything to her was purely business; it was all about lining up as many gigs as possible and establishing herself.

The narrative felt immature in places. For example, Carly and the opera diva Alaina didn’t get along. However, towards the end, Alaina suddenly stated that she’d thought they were becoming friends although there had never been any indication of that, except for the fact that they were roommates and that they practiced their solo together. The same goes for Mrs. Maxhammer’s behavior at the end – highly unbelievable and unmotivated.

Although the side characters were little more than stock characters they helped move the story along and added some much needed comedy. But more diverse and detailed characterization would add complexity to the story. As it was, the narrative felt protracted and could’ve done with a little tightening. Although the ending was predictable, it led to a satisfying conclusion for Carly and Michelangelo. The scenes of the final concert in the vineyard seemed magical and a fitting finale to the orchestra’s tour in Italy.

Although An American girl in Italy struggled with her feelings for Italy and Michelangelo, you’ll fall in love with the magical places described and with the dashing Italian Romeo.

Lead by Kylie Scott

EAD
Lead by Kylie Scott
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (238 pgs)
Other: M/F
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Hawthorn

As the lead singer of Stage Dive, Jimmy is used to getting whatever he wants, whenever he wants it, whether it’s booze, drugs, or women. However, when a PR disaster serves as a wake-up call about his life and lands him in rehab, he finds himself with Lena, a new assistant to keep him out of trouble.

Lena’s not willing to take any crap from the sexy rocker and is determined to keep their relationship completely professional, despite their sizzling chemistry. But when Jimmy pushes her too far and Lena leaves, he realizes that he may just have lost the best thing that ever happened to him.

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The third novel in the Stage Dive series features the lead singer, former alcoholic and drug addict and all around jerk, Jimmy Ferris. Lena Morrisey has the task of keeping him clean and sober. If Jimmy seems like the sort of a guy who lets no one tell him what to do, Lena is certainly the sort of a woman who can change that. It shows pretty fast into their ‘business arrangement’ that he can’t help but accept her help with her smartass comments, her pugnacity and gentle intelligence. They are an unlikely pair, but turn out to be surprisingly similar and compatible.

Lead is not as laugh-out-loud funny as Play since Jimmy is a far darker character than Mal, but this infuses the story with a delicious sort of tension. It’s not just the conflicts between Jimmy and Lena and her growing feelings for him that draw the reader, it’s also that as a spectator you’ll root for Jimmy to find his peace and to cope with all the pain and self-loathing. Lena, of course, is just the feisty girl that can help him with it.

Due to the complex situation between Jimmy and Lena, the first love scenes appear only well into the second half of the novel, but they are that much more in character and fantastic. Despite the way they come to happen, they don’t feel forced. Besides, they lead to the major conflict at the end, leaving the protagonists heartbroken, and the reader hungry for a happy resolution.

What made this novel less good than Play was the ending. Seeing what a dark, troubled character Jimmy is, I had difficulty envisioning an ecstatically happy ending for him and Lena, so the conclusion felt a bit rushed. Maybe with a slower finish, a longer build-up to it, it would have felt more believable. I was also bothered by the number of typos that appeared throughout the novel; they were quite distracting.

With Lead offering another sinfully delicious insight into the world of Stage Dive, I now eagerly await big boy Ben’s story, Deep.

Dangerous Territory by Emmy Curtis

TERRITORY
Dangerous Territory by Emmy Curtis
Publisher: Grand Central / Forever Yours
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (104 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Hawthorn

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

A SEXY STRANGER

Flirting with danger is reporter Grace Grainger’s modus operandi. But she’s learned the hard way not to grow attached to the soldiers she’s embedded with in Afghanistan. To escape from her pain and loneliness, she fantasizes about the hot night she spent with a gorgeous stranger three years before in D.C. Grace never thought she’d see him again—let alone need him to rescue her . . .
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AN EXPLOSIVE NIGHT

Air Force Master Sergeant Josh Travers knows journalists are nothing but trouble. So when he has to risk his team’s lives to save some reporter who’s been separated from her patrol, he’s not happy—until he recognizes her stunning eyes and delicious curves. Josh has never wanted a woman like he wants Grace. He needs her—even in an Afghan cave with a sandstorm and enemy troops closing in. This might be the end for both of them—or one hell of a beginning.

The conflict between their jobs and the desire they feel for each other forces Josh and Grace to make tough decisions.

People in high-stress job situations are unlikely to have quiet family lives. If anything, the tension and stress are conducive to passionate, but dangerous, romances. Ms. Curtis makes such a situation very believable when she clearly paints the struggles, stress, guilt, and grief that Grace and Josh face in the war zone. Their inner conflicts make them very interesting characters as such, and turns their romance into a lot more than a fling or momentary release. It’s their way of finding inner peace and home.

What added an additional thrill to the story is how authentically the author described the landscape and war zone, the military operations, and the reactions of the local population. This made the dangers that Grace and Josh faced all the more real and thus the novella even more suspenseful and thrilling – and perhaps Josh’s and Grace’s romance more exhilarating.

What I’d like to read more about was Grace’s background, or Josh’s for that matter. His family back home is vaguely mentioned, but we don’t see any of the reasons for Grace’s ‘homelessness’. While this information wasn’t strictly necessary to follow the story, it would’ve added a bit more insight into the main characters.

Dangerous Territory is a story about people with demanding jobs few of us, ordinary people can imagine, but it’s a story about craving intimacy and love, too – something we can all identify with.

Blame It On Texas by Amie Louellen

TEXAS
Blame It On Texas by Amie Louellen
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (109 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Hawthorn

Every first love deserves a second chance.

Shelby Patterson has come back to Texas for one reason and one reason only—to get her husband to sign divorce papers. She’s worked hard to build her California bakery, where clients clamor for her one-of-a-kind creations.

Seven years after her disastrous marriage, she’ll finally have everything in perfect order—just as soon as Ritter McCoy signs the dotted line.

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Ritt gave up his college baseball scholarship, only to have Shelby and her mom take his parents’ bribe money and run. If Shelby wants those papers signed, she’ll just have to wait until he’s good and ready.

Or maybe, before she flies the coop again, he can convince her the love they had between them is still there—and still hot enough to melt their hearts back into one.

Everything is not just bigger in Texas, it seems everything is also more complicated. At least, that’s how it seems when Shelby comes home to get her husband to sign the divorce papers.

The author managed to show the tension between Ritt and Shelby very nicely; there’s attraction but also the insecurity and fear that they feel because of the events from seven years ago. Both are presented as complex characters, with believable development and complicated emotional lives. The other characters were well-written despite having very small roles.

The novella was the perfect length to tell the story with an effective pace. I was slightly disappointed by the ending (I’m referring to Ritt’s secret) that felt a bit out of character and threw a shadow on an otherwise fitting resolution. It made the ending less believable and therefore less satisfying. The wonderful characters deserved better.

The story could benefit from better copy-editing and fewer clichés, but the characters and the story were compelling enough to help me ignore that. The conflict between the main characters was especially strong because it originated in a misunderstanding that was based on Ritt’s and Shelby’s emotions. The progression from their doubts and fears to realization and acceptance was nicely shown through the story and it made it easy to identify with them.

I wished for the story to never end, I couldn’t get enough of Ritt and Shelby. This is a hot summer read.

Lady Annabelle’s Abduction by Charisse Howard

LADY
Lady Annabelle’s Abduction by Charisse Howard
Publisher: Boom-Books
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Short Story (81 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Hawthorn

If Lady Annabelle Chatfield’s reckless brother had to die in debt, couldn’t he have borrowed from someone young and handsome? Marrying the dumpy middle-aged Earl of Brackenbury is not her idea of a bright future. But that sacrifice starts to look like bliss when a dark stranger blocks her wedding by climbing in her bedroom window and carrying her off into the night. Who is this ruthless but compelling man known as Hawk? What does he plan to do with her? Can her pet spaniel and a young footman rescue her before her honor and her family are ruined?

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I was intrigued by the premise of the novella because I’ve read some remarkable renditions of the topic of a kidnapped heroine. Ms. Howard didn’t disappoint in this respect. She made both Lady Annabelle and her captor likeable characters that made me hope their predicament could be solved favorably in the end.

What Lady Annabelle’s Abduction lacked was a story supported with more details and a deeper insight into Lady Annabelle’s and Hawk’s emotions and the progression of their relationship. Where the blurb promised that Annabelle and Hawk warily grow acquainted, their relationship actually progresses into far more than mere acquaintance in the space of a few pages. Instead of dedicating a third of the story to Hepton’s attempts to finding Annabelle, the space would’ve been better used focusing on the heroine and her abductor.

The language and manners of the characters were all very age appropriate, but I felt, especially in the most intimate moments between Annabelle and Hawk that the discrepancy between the events and the language was too big; it seemed like the language was mocking the characters. It bothered me and it took some pleasure from reading.

This novella is full of suspense and romance set in the authentically presented Regency era.