Lady Adriana Sutton has long adored Colton Wyndham, to whom she has been promised by an agreement of courtship and betrothal since childhood. As a young girl, she was wounded by Colton's stubborn refusal to comply with his father's wishes and by his angry departure for a life of adventure and danger in the British army.
No longer the plain tomboy Colton had spurned, Lady Adriana has blossomed into a much desired beauty. Yet the only man she desires is the decorated hero who has finally come home to his rightful title. Arrogant and seductive as ever, he remains averse to the idea of their betrothal, in spite of his growing desire for her.
Forced into a courtship with this spirited woman, Colton's heroic heart is moved by her charm, grace and sensuality. But a secret from his past may doom their burgeoning love ... even as the treacherous schemes of a sinister rival threaten to steal the remarkable lady from his arms forever.
Performed by Lynn Redgrave.
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"I love Woodiwiss books. They are all very entertaining and fun to read. The first few chapters of this book repeated certain memories and story plots too many times, almost as if to fill the pages. I'm not sure why she had done that. There was no need for it. Still, I liked it. "
— Donna (5 out of 5 stars)
“The racy escapades are as entertaining as ever…The introduction of a poisoning expert; a baby switching; and Colton’s lowborn first wife, thought to be dead, keeps the plot lively.”
— Publishers Weekly“[Woodiwiss] makes her hardcover debut without sacrificing the elements her many fans adore, including an arrogantly handsome hero, a beautiful naive heroine, a nicely developed cast of scheming secondary characters, and, unlike most current historicals, distinctively ornate and leisurely prose.”
— Booklist“The perfect Victorian swoon.”
— Night Owl Reviews" Ohhhh...my! Having cut my historical romance teeth on Putney and Balough, If she is the "first lady," it must not refer to her skill. I'd suggest you skip the first 150 pages(you'll figure it out). The repetition is monotonous and her fixation on "orbs" whether they are his eyes or her breasts becomes OH SO tiresome. It was better at the end! "
— Patricia, 2/12/2014" Historical romance. Sexy but not skanky, sometimes cheesy, but entertaining. "
— Mary, 2/12/2014" I love Woodiwiss books. They are all very entertaining and fun to read. The first few chapters of this book repeated certain memories and story plots too many times, almost as if to fill the pages. I'm not sure why she had done that. There was no need for it. Still, I liked it. "
— Donna, 2/11/2014" Historical romance. Woodiwiss is always a good, reliable read when I want an escape into a naughty romance. "
— Melissa, 1/25/2014" ok. first KW. I don't know if this is representative -- but i thought it would be better. "
— Ruth, 1/22/2014" IT's slow at the beginning but in the end it was a good book. "
— Liz, 1/13/2014" It was a sweet story, but way over written. This book could easily be 50 pages shorter by describing things a bit less. The interactions between the characters is nice, and you believe the love story, but I can't see keeping a copy around to reread. "
— Joanne, 1/10/2014" This was a great story but took place in the mind and memory flash backs way too much for me. I love the entire storyline this is one of my favorite era's to read about I just didn't enjoy the flow. "
— R*beth*h, 1/8/2014" Forsooth, there is a sentence in this book that will be forever and unhappily embedded in my brain. "
— Christie, 12/28/2013" I loved this book. I actually listened to the audiobook read by Lynn Redgrave. It was a great story which I finished in two days! Loved it and would recommend it to anyone for a good read. May not be the best of Woodiwiss's books but still quite enjoyable. "
— Morgan, 12/18/2013" Hard to believe this was a favored author in high school. This book was a mess to try and read. "
— Sarah, 12/17/2013Kathleen E. Woodiwiss (1939–2007), creator of the modern historical romance, remains one of America’s most successful and beloved storytellers, with more than thirty-six million copies of her novels in print. She is the author of over a dozen enormously successful masterworks of romantic fiction, all of them New York Times bestsellers. Her final literary work, Everlasting, was published in 2007.
Lynn Redgrave, a member of Britain’s greatest acting family, is internationally known for her work on stage, screen, and television. As narrator of the World of Philosophy series, she brings to life the timeless and vital themes of the world’s great philosophical traditions.