Mary Lennox

Lady Caroline Berring has been having a disastrous Season, with rumors hinting that she's not truly the daughter of her deceased father, but has the looks of her father's good friend. She overhears Lord Nearing tell his friends that he would court her, only his beloved grandmother insists on him doing nothing that would sully the good blood of his family line. Caroline is puzzled when Nearing's friend, the coldly aloof Lord Devlin, Marquess of Headleymoor, heir to a dukedom, suddenly takes an interest in giving her cache among the ton.

Devlin may be a catch, now, but it wasn't always so. His deceased mother was the former Queen of Zaranbad (a small but important kingdom located near India, that is in treaty negotiations with Queen Victoria) before she married his father and in some circles Devlin is still regarded as a half-breed, no matter how royal. He's totally loyal to his older half-brother, King Ari, aiding him against many enemies as a secret agent and sometimes interrogator and assassin, which is tearing him apart. His brother is still cool towards him. As the book opens, he is trying to help his brother seek out traitors who are working against him, saving his life when one attempts to poison him while in England talking with Queen Victoria. Devlin also acts as an agent for England, with his knowledge of the Asia, also a dark and risky occupation that is at odds with his nature. He feels neither a part of England nor Zaranbad.

Between saving the King of Zaranbad and seeking out a group of traitors who are also working against the interests of England in Zaranbad, Devlin feels for Caroline, as a fellow outcast from society. He tries to help her standing in society so that his friend Nearing may be able to offer for her without worrying about sullying the family name, but he finds himself falling for Caroline himself. Unfortunately, Caroline only sees him as disdainful and cold. She can talk with more ease to his alter-ego, Ram Dass, a doctor of Zaranbad and servant to the Devlin and his brother, a disguise he uses as an agent.

Not only is the love story between Devlin and Caroline interesting, with their different backgrounds and many secrets on his part, but there is also adventure and danger as Dev's personal enemies as well as those against Zaranbad, threaten him and Caroline. Caroline turns out to be far from the poor wall-flower in need of saving. She has spirit and courage and some unconventional skills learned from her grandfather in Scotland (she can out-shoot and out-ride her brother).

I've been very under-whelmed by most of the romances I've read lately, but his one has revived my hopes in finding something moving and interesting and worth-while: I loved it! It's not perfect, but it certainly is good. I hope this author continues to write many more books.… (plus d'informations)