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The Barnes & Noble Review
Jo Beverly returns to the world of Georgian England in this historical filled with romance and intrigue. At 24, newly widowed Laura Gardeyne, once the toast of London society, finds herself trapped in a seemingly cozy prison, living on the estate of her father-in-law with her three-year-old son, Harry. Since young Harry stands to inherit both estate and title, a few near-accidents are all the evidence Laura needs to deduce that someone very close wants to murder her child. To safeguard Harry, Laura turns to an old friend and former suitor, Stephen Ball. Together they embark on a dangerous journey that not only reveals the most hidden of family secrets but also the mysteries of their own hearts. Ginger Curwen
Publishers Weekly
This slow-moving addition to Beverley's Company of Rogues series (St. Raven, etc.) fails to hold the reader's attention, despite its likable protagonists. Laura, "Lady Skylark" to the London elite, was a dazzling 18-year-old when she married Hal Gardeyne, the heir to the Caldfort estate. Six years later, Laura, now a widow, finds herself a virtual prisoner at Caldfort, kept there because she can't leave her son, Harry, in the hands of Hal's forbidding family. Worse, she suspects that Harry may be in danger because he's next in line to inherit Caldfort, and if something were to happen to him, his possibly malevolent uncle Jack could claim the estate. When Laura discovers a mysterious letter implying there may be a missing heir to the estate, she teams up with her old friend, Stephen Ball, and devises a plan to whisk Harry to safety and uncover the secret behind the missing heir. For much of the novel, Laura and Stephen secretly pine for each other as they share close quarters in a little seaside town, but their scruples prevent them from acting on their shared passion. The mystery, which hinges precariously on some overheard phrases and unfounded suppositions, develops just as slowly, and readers may have a tough time holding out for the denouement. Agent, Meg Ruley. (May) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Library Journal
Increasingly suspicious that her late husband's vicar brother has deadly designs on her three-year-old son, the heir to his grandfather's title and holdings, Laura Gardeyne finds help from a most unlikely source, the man she had spurned in order to marry another. But Sir Stephen Ball has never forgotten his "Lady Skylark," and when he arrives at her home, ostensibly to see her father-in-law, he becomes caught up in a situation that is mysterious, dangerous, and ultimately romantically rewarding. Lively intrigue, likable characters, and a plot with enough twists to keep readers engaged result in sensual romance that is worthy of Beverley's legendary "Rogues" series and will not disappoint fans. Beverley is a highly popular New York Times best-selling author and lives in Victoria, BC. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
