Booklist Review
*Starred Review* It's not easy being Lady Caroline Trevelyan. She lives in the shadow of her mother, Sophia, the Countess of Dalby, London's most famous courtesan. Her parents made sure that Caroline was well educated and raised to be a lady, but their efforts have paid off too well she is the very picture of primness and propriety. Certain that Caroline will never find a husband, Sophia calls in a large marker from Lord Ashdon, a handsome, somewhat roguish nobleman gambler, offering to forgive his debt if he marries her daughter. Grimly, Ashdon agrees to wed the prudish, aloof maiden. Caroline is so outraged, she decides to become a courtesan like her mother. With her extreme change of dress and demeanor, Ashdon finds her exciting and desirable. He resolves to marry her, no matter what, and the chase is on. The talented Dain (To Burn, 2002; A Kiss to Die For, 2003) has created a delectable take on Regency manners. The characters are vividly alive, especially the ever-witty Sophia, whose daring schemes add much color and panache to this already clever tale about a woman who discovers her passion, and the man who is glad she did.--Mosley, Shelley Copyright 2007 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Lady Sophia, the Countess of Dalby and a former courtesan, arranges for her daughter, Lady Caroline Trevelyan, to marry the Earl of Ashdon by buying up his debts. But Caroline refuses to wed a husband who has been "purchased" for her and announces she intends to become a courtesan, instead. Caroline soon regrets her naive decision, but the damage is done-until her charmingly manipulative mother (the real heroine here) lends her considerable expertise to the situation. This cleverly orchestrated, unconventional romp through the glittering world of the Regency elite-both admirable and reprehensible-is filled with secrets, graced with intriguing characters, laced with humor, and plotted with Machiavellian flair. A joy to read, it ends with a hook for a sequel involving the remarkable countess herself. Readers will be waiting. Dain (The Fall), an award-winning author of historical romances, lives in North Carolina. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
