THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE

Author: Stephanie Laurens ISBN: 0060505753 3/2005 HISTORICAL Publisher: WILLIAM MORROW
Time Period: Georgian 1831

Gerrard Debbington is one of the chosen few -- the gentlemen who've learned their social and amorous skills at the feet of the masters. Handsome and wealthy, protégé and brother-in-law of Vane Cynster, Gerrard is part of the charmed Cynster family circle. One of the most eligible gentlemen in the ton, Gerrard is constantly besieged by offers from London's most sought-after beauties, but as the ton's foremost artistic lion, there's only one offer he wants to accept -- the chance to paint the fantastical but seldom-seen gardens of reclusive Lord Tregonning's Hellebore Hall. That chance is dangled before Gerrard, but to grasp it he must fulfill Lord Tregonning's demand that he also create an open and honest portrait of the man's daughter. Gerrard loathes the idea of wasting his time and talents on some simpering miss, but with no alternative, he agrees ... Only to discover that Jacqueline Tregonning inspires him as no other lady has. Certainly she is beautiful, but Gerrard is stunned by the deep emotions she stirs and is captivated by her passionate nature and innate goodness. He is soon convinced that Jacqueline is the soul mate he needs as his wife. But something is horribly wrong at Hellebore Hall. Evil lurks in the beautiful gardens and along the rambling pathways. And that evil reaches out to ensnare Jacqueline, trapping her in a web of insidious whispers -- whispers that paint her as a double murderess. The rumors are false, but someone is actively spreading them. Convinced that Jacqueline is innocent of all wrongdoing, Gerrard is confident his portrait will open others' eyes to the truth he sees, but when a long-dead body is discovered in the gardens, the campaign to blame Jacqueline escalates -- Gerrard and she are running out of time. The days they spend together lead to nights of sweeping passion -- and Gerrard vows to move heaven and earth to protect the woman who, for him, personifies the truth about love.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE marks a reintroduction for me, of sorts, into the world of the Regency era Cynster clan that began with DEVIL'S BRIDE back in 1998. Having missed several of the more recently published books featuring this alpha male oriented family, I was looking forward to once again reading what has to be one of the most successful series written in romance.

To be honest, I don't really remember the star here, Gerrard, the brother of Patience and brother-in-law of Vane Cynster (A RAKE'S VOW), from any of the previous Cynster novels, although I had read ARV several years ago. There's no denying that Gerrard, though not a Cynster by blood, demonstrates the influence the Cynster males have had on him, most notably in his attitude toward women and in this case, toward the heroine, Jacqueline, daughter of a local lord he's been commissioned to paint and the beautiful damsel-in-distress he's resolved himself to save.

While Stephanie Laurens is a very good writer, I figured out fairly early who the villains were, much to my disappointment. The plot was nothing new and certainly not as suspenseful as I prefer to read, which made an already slow read seem to progress even slower. Also notable was an absence of historical details. It would have contributed greatly to the atmosphere and ambience of the story if more historical background had been liberally sprinkled within the storyline; instead, I was left trying to visualize characters set into a time frame of which Ms. Lauren's gave a negligible amount of description.

However, on the upside, still present are Ms. Lauren's signature sizzling and sensually graphic love scenes, from which I felt the emotionally charged physical connection between Gerrard and Jacqueline right down to the end of my toes. Gerrard's vocation as a painter was a refreshing change of pace, and I thought Ms. Lauren's did an excellent job in defining his actions and personality from the viewpoint of an artist. As always, it was nice to visit with several of the family members from previous Cynster books to see how they've matured, and in some cases, multiplied, which no doubt will keep readers well supplied with characters for the Cynster books yet to come.

What I would catalogue as an average read for me, I've no doubt diehard fans of Stephanie Laurens will label a "must have", as Ms. Laurens continues onward in her saga of one of the most popular aristocratic families of the historical romance genre.

Nancy Davis