Review: Feisty Heroine Who Catches the Eye of A Rake Who Is More Than Everyone Thinks
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 21, 2013
The era during and just after the Napoleonic Wars were very exciting times and it makes the perfect backdrop for a historical romance- or so I think.  I was eager to read this story about an English nobleman rake who moonlights as one of the Regent's best agents in France and about the tempestuous lady who refuses to conform her life to suit what is expected of her.Lady Mary Campbell is an intelligent woman who loves to read, discourse on any subject with intelligence and ride her powerful black stallion astride.  She has earned herself a reputation as a hoyden that has the Ton buzzing, but yet she knows she is expected to conform by engaging in the social season for the purpose of finding a husband.Hugh Redgrave, Lord Ormond, finds himself at little at loose ends after Waterloo and the Crown with no immediate need for his particular talents.  His parents are pressuring him to take a bride and start a family, but he has no desire to tie himself to an insipid debutante.  He confines himself to married women and widows who know the score when he wants the companionship of a woman which has earned him a bit of a reputation.The night Mary and Hugh clap eyes on each other begins something new and tantalizing for both of them.  It only escalates when Hugh is assigned to assist Mary's uncle in his diplomatic work in Paris helping the new Bourbon government negotiate its first baby steps toward stability.  Mary goes along to be eyes and ears for her uncle while enjoying the delights of Paris.  While their attraction to each other grows, Mary and Hugh stumble onto deep intrigue that pushes them both to use their skills and luck.I enjoy this type of historical romance plot where the woman is spirited and independent and the man must be strong and settled enough to appreciate her.  The added bonus of the intrigue and adventure on top of the romance was great.  I really enjoyed the tension between Hugh and Mary.  They were fantastic together even when they were sparring a bit.  The intrigue wasn't too tough to figure out, but I still found it a nice piece to the story.  I not only liked the main characters, but I found the friends and family of both characters added depth and interest to the story for me particularly Mary's uncle.  He's a wise tricksy old statesman who knows his stuff.  It was only just near the end that I was a little irritated with Mary.  There was a twist to the story that left Mary hurt and upset- which I totally understood as it would have floored me too.  The thing was I was disappointed when she almost wallowed in her misery.  Thank goodness her uncle came to her rescue because she sure wasn't willing to fight for her own happiness or give Hugh a chance.In the end, it was a wonderful reading experience that I can recommend to all the historical romance lovers who like it a bit on the spicy side.