In Pursuit of a Scandalous Lady
Veteran historical romance writer Callen (Never Marry a Stranger) begins this 1840s romance with a painting depicting two items of interest to Julian Delane, earl of Parkhurst: a gorgeous naked woman, rumored to be one of theton, and her diamond necklace, stolen from Julian's father a decade earlier. Demure debutante Rebecca Leland was recently seen sporting the diamond, but when Julian catches her and her sister and cousin trying to steal the painting, all three young ladies claim to be the model. Threats from another gem seeker send Rebecca off on a wild journey across the countryside; lustful, curious Julian soon catches up, and they're quick to take advantage of their unchaperoned solitude. Though the tale sports only the thinnest veneer of historical verisimilitude, the hero and heroine are engaging, making this a pleasantly spicy early beach read.(May)Copyright &copy; Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.