Monday, September 5, 2011

The Accidental Courtesan-Cheryl Ann Smith

The Accidental Courtesan
Cheryl Ann Smith
Berkley, Oct 4 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780425243978

To keep her former courtesan student Bliss from Newgate, Lady Noelle Seymour sneaks into an aristocrat’s home to return a necklace stolen by her pupil. However, while inside the bedroom of the Earl Seabrook Charles, she finds the lord intoxicated. She explains she is a courtesan to the occupant Charles half-American cousin Gavin Blackwell. He kisses her before falling into a drunken sleep while she exits the boudoir.

Charles and Gavin discuss who the mysterious mistress is and where did the former’s courtesan Bliss go. When Gavin sees Noelle, he knows who she is and demands she live up to the promise she made to him when she entered his bedroom although she insists her “deal” was with the Earl and not the cousin. As they fall in love, Noelle has doubts that she can trust him based on her observations of father’s behavior over the years. Having an estranged aristocratic English dad, Gavin is patient with his beloved until she finally stomps on their love.

The sequel to A School for Brides is a wonderful historical romance between The Accidental Courtesan and the Bostonian. A mystery subplot adds to the entertaining story line. The solid support cast enhances the courtship between a Bostonian business mogul and a distrusting teacher at what might be better named The School for Scandal (by Richard Sheridan).

Harriet Klausner

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