The period: 1813The backdrop: Sebastian Griffin, the Duke of Melbourne, has raised his younger siblings, seen to it that they made correct matches, and basically kept everyone in line. Seen as the most powerful man in England, Sebastian has a reputation for propriety and has maintained a scandal-free life. Until now.
Josefina Katarina Embry is a beauty, to be sure, but she claims to be the princess of a faraway country. While she dazzles the ton with her wit and charm, Sebastian suspects she's up to something. And he's determined to expose her...if only he wasn't so distracted by her brazen sensuality and the irresistible allure of her kiss. Sebastian knows an affair will lead them to scandal, but will the most powerful man in England risk all for a princess of dubious lineage...or will he allow a most sinful desire to rule his heart?
Rating: *** (Good)
Detailed Review:
Sebastian Griffin, the Duke of Melbourne, is the most powerful man in England, but very lonely. Four years ago, he lost his beloved wife to illness. Today, he has all the money in the world, more power than should be deserved, and the love and loyalty of his daughter and siblings. However, he's more alone than ever.
Enters Josefina Embry, the daughter of an ex-soldier of England and a Spanish lady. Josefina's father has been granted a million acres of coastal land in South America and he's the self-appointed king of that land. What he's looking for is the support of England's ruler, bank, and public to raise funds for inhabiting his land. The curiosity about the land grows with the rising popularity of the charming princess and people in England are clamouring to buy a piece of property in the "new paradise."
All very well, but Sebastian thinks it to be good to be true. He starts a bit of investigation and finds a plot of a huge fraud that could prove to be a major embrassment to the Royal family and disaster for England.
What else could the self-appointed guardian of England do, but expose the fraud? However, he's fallen hard for the spunky, fiesty, headstrong "princess," who challenges him at every turn, exasperates him with her demands and exploits, drives him crazy with lust, and fills his heart with tenderness. How he plays the knight, winning his love and saving his and her honor is what the story is all about.
Details:
- The plot: Original. A note at the back of the book mentions that the author was inspired by a real event that happened in 1823, when a master-schemer Sir Gregor MacGregor led a group of English settlers to a barren land in South America.
- Characters: The characters are believable, especially the female lead's family. Yes, they are not holier than thou. They know that they are plotting a fraud and yet they believe in their minds that the end justifies the means. It's not a very comfortable thought that the characters are not lily-white, but life is about shades of grey.
- The female lead: Josefina is wonderfully drawn, with true blend of spunk and charm. However, sometimes it's very hard to believe that a girl with her broad views on sexuality could really exist in 1813. Understandable that people plotted for power and money, and sex was just one of the tools they used. But if she had that views, then why remain virgin till she was 25 years? She enthusiastically participates in her "first experience" with Sebastian, saying she didn't want to "risk throwing away my...potential by falling into bed with a soldier or a tobacco farmer." Hmmm, not very convincing.
- The male lead: Sebastian, is a strong, silent man full of honor. I think his character could have been done better. He sometimes comes out too stuffy for my taste, but maybe the author wanted him to be seen in that light.
- Supporting characters: Too much. The story is a part of Griffin series and perhaps this book is the last, so the author has tried to pitch in as many previous characters as she could - brothers, sister, brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, daughter, and their families. Too many cooks spoil the broth.
- Hotness quotient: Sufficient but it's just sex. Not erotic. Good enough, not really toe curling.
The best scene of the book:
She slapped him.
Sebastian blinked, clenching his rising hands against the immediate instinct to retaliate. The blow stung, but of more concern was the responding roar from the onlookers in the Elkins ballroom. He looked directly into her dark brown eyes. "Never do that again," he murmured, curving his lips in a smile that felt more like a snarl.
"My father and your Regent made a very simple request of you," she snapped, no trace of the soft-spoken flirt of this afternoon in either her voice or her expression. "If you are incapable of meeting even such low expectations, I will see you relieved of your duties to Costa Habichuela immediately, before you can do any harm with your incompetence."
It took every ounce of his hard-earned self-control to remain standing there, unmoving. No one---no one---had ever spoken to him like that. As for hitting him... He clenched his jaw. "If you would care to accompany me off the dance floor," he said in a low voice, unable to stop the slight shake of his words, "I believe I can correct your misapprehension."
"My misapprehension? I, sir, am a royal princess. You are only a duke. And I am most displeased."
The circle of the audience that surrounded them drew closer, the ranks swelling until it seamed that now people were coming in off the streets to gawk. Sebastian drew a deep breath in through his nose. "Come with me," he repeated, no longer requesting, "and we will resolve our differences in a civilized manner."
"First you will apologize to me," the princess retorted, her chin lifting further.
All he needed to do was turn his back and walk away. The crowd would speculate, rumors would spread, but in the end his reputation and power would win the argument for him. As far as he was concerned, though, that would be cheating. And he wanted the victory here. He wanted her apology, her surrender, her mouth, her body. Slowly he straightened his fingers. "I apologize for upsetting you, Your Highness. Please join me in the library so we may converse." He reached for her wrist.
The princess drew back, turning her shoulder to him. "I did not give you permission to touch me."
At the moment he wanted to do so much more than touch her wrist. God. It was as though when she hit him, she'd seared his flesh down to the bone. "Then we are at an impasse," he returned, still keeping his voice low and even, not letting anyone see what coursed beneath his skin, "because I am not going to continue this conversation in the middle of a ballroom."
She looked directly into his eyes. Despite his anger, the analytical part of him noted that very few people ever met him straight on. Whatever she saw there, her expression eased a little. "Perhaps then instead of conversing, we should dance."
