Circle of Sin Series, No 3
Cara Elliott
Grand Central / Hachette
January 25, 2011/ ISBN 978-0-446-54130-5
Historical Romance / Regency England
Amazon
Reviewed
by Linda Young
Marco Ghiradelli,
the Conte of Como: He is an Italian rake and devil-may-care rogue
of the first order. He spends his nights drinking and hanging out
in brothels seeking out the feminine pleasures available; all this
to hide his heart and make a good cover for himself while he performs
secret duties for Lord Lynsley. That is, until he meets his Cousin
Alessandra's friend, Kate Woodbridge. He finds her to be a tempting
distraction with her witty charm and a scent that haunts his memories.
Has he met her before?
Kate Woodbridge
came to live with her grandfather, The Duke of Cluyne, a year ago
after she had made a promise to her parents - on their deathbeds
- that she would seek reconciliation with her grandfather. She had
spent her life traveling the seas with her father, an American pirate,
and her mother, the daughter of The Duke of Cluyne. Her mother had
left her life in high society to follow her heart by eloping with
the man she loved. Kate's parents had died within days of each other
as the result of a plague.
Kate was in
the Sinners, a group of ladies who study and research scientific
interests. Kate's specialty was botany. She was following in her
grandfather's footsteps in this matter. So, when her grandfather
informed her that he was hosting a house party at his country estate
in honor of the upcoming peace talks in Vienna and wished her to
attend, Kate agrees so that she and her fellow scientist, Lady Charlotte
Fenimore, may spend time in his conservatory of plant life.
Unbeknownst
to her, Marco would also be at the party. When she had met him at
Alessandra's home, she knew she must avoid him. He must not remember
their first encounter;. her secrets must be kept hidden. She could
not embarrass her grandfather with another scandal like her mother's.
What starts
out as a friendly gathering of state and foreign dignitaries turns
into a cauldron of under-the-table dealings, murder, and romance.
Marco is supposed to be keeping his ears open for any hint of trouble
for the upcoming peace talks, unhealthy alliances, and talk of treason.
However, he is constantly distracted by Kate; he can't stay away
from her. But when Colonel Von Seilig is found murdered and Kate
is the prime suspect, Marco makes her his first priority. Kate joins
Marco in pursuit of the real killer. Between their passion for each
other and the need to find a killer, they end up in the courts of
Vienna trying to stop an international incident.
Elliott has
done a great job here. I was quite taken with the story of Marco
and Kate. I loved the history that the story was written around.
Elliott did a wonderful job of weaving it all together. I love a
heroine who has a quick wit, is well educated, and has an independent
spirit. I have no doubt that many women of that era wished they
could have been like Kate. This is the third in Elliott's Circle
of Sin series. Now I have to go back and read the first two. If
you love romance, mystery, and a lot of humor, this book is for
you. It's a lot of fun and a good read.
Reviewer's
Note:
To Sin with a Scoundrel and To
Surrender to a Rogue
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