Review: captivating historical!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 28, 2008
London - 1867Dylan Blake has spent twelve long years in dedicated service to the Crown.  He's sold his commission with the hopes that his father would allow him to take over one of the many Blake estates.  His father refused and Dylan's attempts at finding comparable employment on his own are proving unfruitful.  He may be the son of an earl but his situation is getting dire.  His has very little funds, is on the verge of being evicted from the boarding house where he's staying and his father's hatred for him is blatantly obvious.Because of her large dowry, Lady Natalia Sinclair is a highly sought after young woman.  She has no illusions about her many would-be suitors - they're all far more interested in her monetary value then her.  Besides, she's perfectly aware that her father will select her future husband and therefore the endless parties and courtship techniques are pointless.  There's only one man who appeals to her, Captain Dylan Blake, but he's a second son and doesn't possess a title.Dylan takes great pride in infuriating his father and what better way to accomplish that then to arrive late for his father's all-important annual ball.  Receiving one of the prized invitations is considered a social accomplishment - there are only one hundred guests to his shindig and Dylan throws off the whole thing by arriving late.  While most of the guests are horrified at Dylan's audacity, Natalia is intrigued.  She's read newspaper articles lauding his military accomplishments and would love for a man like him to court her.Dylan escapes from the stuffiness of the ballroom along with his friend Lord Basingstake.  Once there, Dylan is confronted by Lord Jonathan who makes a wager regarding Dylan's ability to charm a woman of Jonathan's choosing.  The woman chosen is Natalia and all Dylan has to do is get her to agree to a second dance - something which no man has thus far been able to accomplish.  The wager is for one hundred pounds.While he's never had any trouble charming any woman, Dylan will soon discover that Natalia is unlike any other woman and she sees right through his good looks and bluster and sees the empty shell of a man he's become.  There's no emotion behind his request for a dance and because of that simple fact she turns him down.  Dylan's life is about to change in a major way - all because of a good woman who's too smart to accept any less than all of him.  Throw in a few well-hidden family secrets and Dylan may just find the one thing he's always wanted - someone to love him unconditionally.Diana Bold captivated me with THE AMERICAN HEIRESS and I really wanted to know more about Dylan and Natalia's story.  Dylan's need for love and acceptance really pulls at the heartstrings and makes you wonder why his father hates him so much.  Natalia is impossible not to like - she's smart, beautiful and not at all pretentious.  I loved the emotional turmoil both characters experience throughout this storyline and especially enjoyed how Dylan learns about the family secrets his father tried so hard to keep hidden from him.  This is a wonderful tale and I highly recommend both THE WAGER and THE AMERICAN HEIRESS - trust me, you'll want to read all about Dylan's brother Michael's trials and tribulations with a very improper American woman.Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)