Publishers Weekly
Coulter's latest, set in 1831 England, offers an appealing blend of romance and mystery. Handsome lord and part-time smuggler Julian returns home after three years spent abroad trying to escape the tragedy of his wife's mysterious death. As he re-enters London society, his mother wants him to marry the gorgeous young Sophie, but Julian has no intention of falling in love again. Along with his nephew Lord Devlin, a self-styled vampire, Julian meets Sophie and her witty, independent aunt Roxanne, and the four soon grow intimate as they travel from London to Julian's ancestral home, Ravenscar. However, the past refuses to stay past: Richard Langworth, the brother of Julian's former wife, blames Julian for his sister's death and plots unspeakable revenge. Meanwhile, Julian uncovers a startling family history and learns the truth about his father, and the elusive origins of his title—the Prince of Ravenscar. While her trademark wit veers rather tastelessly towards double-entendre and much of the dialogue sounds artificially stilted, Coulter (The Sherbrooke Bride) generates laughs as well as chills, as she shifts between depicting the passion of love and the consequences of hate. (Sept.)
Booklist (starred review)
"The prolific Coulter balances this tale's serious themes and tone with humorous moments and a charming secondary romance ... Fans of Coulter's popular Sherbrooke series will be thrilled by this latest addition."
BookReporter.com
"Coulter instinctively feeds our desire to believe in knights in shining armor and everlasting love- historical romance at its finest."
BookPage
"With an unpredictable plot and characters readers will root for, Coulter delivers a tale of magic, mayhem and true love."
From the Publisher
"The prolific Coulter balances this tale's serious themes and tone with humorous moments and a charming secondary romance ... Fans of Coulter's popular Sherbrooke series will be thrilled by this latest addition." - Booklist (starred review)
"Coulter instinctively feeds our desire to believe in knights in shining armor and everlasting love- historical romance at its finest." - BookReporter.com
"With an unpredictable plot and characters readers will root for, Coulter delivers a tale of magic, mayhem and true love." - BookPage
Booklist
The prolific Coulter balances this tale's serious themes and tone with humorous moments and a charming secondary romance ... Fans of Coulter's popular Sherbrooke series will be thrilled by this latest addition.
Kirkus Reviews
A hard-used family of English aristocrats deals with yet more plots and murder attempts. Julian Monroe, Prince of Ravenscar, has returned from three years abroad making a fortune and trying to forget the murder of his wife, unaware that his mother, the Dowager Duchess of Brabante, has hatched a scheme to marry him to Sophie Wilkie, her dear friend's daughter. Sophie arrives in London for the Season accompanied by her stunning red-headed aunt Roxanne Radcliffe, who's only seven years older than Sophie. Meanwhile, Julian's former brother-in-law Richard Langworth, firmly convinced that Julian murdered his sister Lily, is out for Julian's blood. Julian's nephew Lord Devlin Monroe, who's nearly Julian's age, agrees to accompany Julian, his mother, Sophie and Roxanne on a trip to Ravenscar. They're joined by Roxanne's sharp-tongued sister Leah, who considers herself the most beautiful of the Radcliffes. Leah has set her sights on Richard as her future husband. Julian's former father-in-law, Baron Purley, has asked him to visit in the hope of settling the problems between the families. When one of Julian's ships is nearly destroyed by fire and Roxanne is kidnapped, Julian is convinced that Richard is still plotting to make him suffer. Julian, Devlin, Sophie and Roxanne must sort out their love lives even as they're trying to find out what happened to Lily. The latest addition to the long-running Sherbrooke series (The Heiress Bride, 1993, etc.) offers pleasant characters and an easily solved mystery for fans of historical romance.
