Review: A definite keeper!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 13, 2011
This is one of my favorite dark romances. By dark, I mean that there is almost no humor in it. There is explicit, sensual sex. The hero, Mikhail Khanaury, is an enigmatic man, both wealthy and powerful, from a Central Asian country. The plot is simple enough. Prince Peregrine, as he is known, comes to England early in Queen Victoria's reign, seeking revenge on his mortal enemy. He uses an acquaintance to further his ends by introducing him to the ton, where he plans to establish himself and ruin his foe. As it happens, his sponsor's cousin has just contracted an engagement to his enemy and Mikhail sets out to end that betrothal. You can guess what happens next. There are not many surprises in this book - what makes it such an excellent read is the development of the hero, from a ruthless, icy man who is willing to die to extract his revenge, to a loving husband who sees that he can have a future if he gives up the single goal that kept him going for so many years. The heroine is an intelligent and educated woman of firm principles, dealing with a man who has never encountered ethical behavior and isn't sure he approves of it. Their interaction and growing intimacy hold the reader from their first meeting. There is a mild secondary romance between Mikhail's lawyer and a prostitute he rescues from a brothel where she was held against her will. "Silk and Shadows" is the first book in Putney's Silk trilogy, and introduces Ross, Mikhail's friend, who is the hero of the second book.