Review: A Beauvisage-Raveneau Romance and a Romp in England and the Caribbean!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 21, 2012
Winner of Romantic Times' Reviewer's Choice Award for Best British Isles Historical Romance (1995), this is a story that features a Raveneau hero and a Beauvisage heroine, combining two of Wright's most successful series in a tale that takes you from England to Barbados in the Caribbean.Set in 1818, Nathan Raveneau (son of Andre and Devon from SILVER STORM), is known as "The Scapegrace" in London for his handsome face and the rascal he is (though we don't see much of that). He is also a captain of his own ship, the Golden Eagle, and has a home in Barbados (this was originally published as BARBADOS). To gain land next to his enemy, Nathan agrees to Nicholai Beauvisage's request to protect his daughter, Adrienne, from an evil lecher and to keep her safe until her 21st birthday, four months away. Adrienne is cousin to Natalya.Adrienne has sought to become independent, working as a governess, though she could live with her parents at their chateau in France. At their first meeting, Nathan and Adrienne clash as she thinks him an ogre and he thinks her a spoiled brat. In the guise of a hired man named Nathan Essex, Nathan attaches himself to Adrienne as she takes on the new job as the companion of old Lady Thomasina Harms. There the attraction grows between them. When a suitor plots to lure her into marriage, Nathan abducts her to his ship and sails to Barbados.It's a charming story with a few twists and turns and the usual conflict between the hero and heroine (who at times was rather snippy). As in all Wright's romances, the history is woven in so that you get a real feel for the period.The first in the Raveneau series (SILVER STORM) was my favorite.Should you want to read more, here is are the books in the Raveneau Series:SILVER STORM (1981)SURRENDER THE STARS (1987)SILVER SEA, originally BARBADOS (1995)TEMPEST (to be released in 2012)If you like reading a series in time order, as I do, here are the books in Wright's intertwined Raveneau and Beauvisage series in chronological order:1780 - SILVER STORM1783 - CAROLINE1789 - TOUCH THE SUN1793 - SPRING FIRES1814 - SURRENDER THE STARS1814 - NATALYA1818 - SILVER SEA (originally BARBADOS)1903 - TEMPEST (to be released in 2012)