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Genre: Historical Romance
Published: March 2009
Pages: 384
Thalia Langley spied him in the shadows and in an instant, knew the man before her was no pious saint. He might claim to be the Duke of Hollindrake’s unassuming country cousin, Milo Ryder, but no man that handsome, so arresting could be anything but... well, he simply must be an unrepentant rogue. His cat-like grace and power leaves Tally shivering in her slippers at the notion of all the wicked, forbidden things he might be capable of doing to her, or the secrets he could uncover.
Indeed, Lord Larken is no bumbling vicar, but a master spy there in His Majesty’s service to find—and murder—a notorious pirate freed in a daring prison escape. Devoted to the Crown, Larken’s not about to let an interfering (and not entirely innocent) Mayfair miss disrupt his ruthless plans. He cannot be tempted not even by the little black gown she dons to tantalize him a dress revealing enough to lead even Larken astray.
(author's site)
I enjoyed this book a lot, I even giggled from time to time. And it was sure hard to keep a straight face while reading if there were others having lunch at the same time. I do love a good historical romance, there is just something sweet, and sometimes oh so wicked about them. Not to mention that I love the time and the manners.
I liked Thalia, she was strong, and she knew what she wanted, a wicked rake, pirate or perhaps a spy. So when the man she spies in the shadows actually is a vicar she is truly disappointed. But still there is something strange about him and she is very curious. How can one man seem to be one thing one moment and something else the next? And after she puts on the little black dress she found, well no one can resist that.
Lord Larken, is all man with a troubled past and a ruined reputation. He comes to the Hollingdrake estate posing as a country vicar, a bumbling fool. But after he has meet Tally he is lost, and he needs to focus on his true quest. To kill the pirate they are believing to be hiding somewhere in the house. Larken is a wicked hero that then is really sweet and torn between what to do. I like them both, cos they fit each other so well.
There is one thing that I didn't like though, the rest was great but I honestly did not care for the sex scene. It felt wrong and weird, it did nothing for me, and I read fast past it since it killed the mood for me. But of course others will love it perhaps.
But except for that this was a great book. Romance, spies and assassins, what was there not to like. I really want to read about Tally's sister Felicity now and see how she met her man because she seemed a bit caught up in her matchmaking and a bit hard at time. Would like to have seen her melt away. Still I liked her a lot too, just as I did their friend Pippin, and yes I want to read her story too, pirates ;) Ok I just want to read all her books in the end, lol. They all sound great.
And it did set the mood for more historical romance, too bad I don't have many, if you don't count all those old harlequin ones I still haven't read.
