Thursday, March 17, 2011

A Sense of Sin-Elizabeth Essex

A Sense of Sin
Elizabeth Essex
Kensington Brava, Apr 1 2011, $14.00
ISBN: 9780758251565

In 1794 England wannabe botanist Celia Burke still grieves the suicidal death of her best friend Emily Delacourt although a year has passed. Emily’s brother Rupert has struggled to move on though he has indulged in all sorts of hedonistic activity.

However, he finally decides Celia caused his sister’s death and vows vengeance by ruining her. When each is blackmailed, they assume the other is the culprit. However, as they spend time together, Celia and Rupert find a common bond in their love for the late Emily. They realize that someone wants to extort money from both of them, when Celia goes to London for the season she finds love.

This is a warm late Georgian romance with a twisting suspense subplot refreshing the otherwise well written but typical story line. Celia and Rupert are fully developed lead characters whose connection is the late Emily; readers meet Emily as this pair perceive her. Sub-genre readers will enjoy the transformation of the lead couple from enemies to loving partners as a predator cleverly manipulates the grief impacting both of them.

Harriet Klausner

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