THE HANDMAIDEN'S NECKLACE

Author: Kat Martin ISBN: 0778322076 1/2006 HISTORICAL Publisher: MIRA
Time Period: Regency 1806

Five years ago Rafael, Duke of the Sheffield, believed he was betrayed by the woman he loved and the pain haunts him still. When Rafe discovers that he was cruelly tricked, and that Danielle Duval was never unfaithful, he's desperate to win her back. But Dani is already on a steamer bound for America to marry another man. Impulsively, Rafe follows her and, trapping her in a compromising situation, quickly makes her his wife. Promising her that with time he can prove his love and win her trust, Rafe presents her with a stunning necklace rumored to hold great power. As much as Dani wants to believe it can right the wrongs of the past, she fears there is one truth it cannot conceal, a truth that could cost her this second chance with Rafe, the only man she has ever loved ...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

The third and last book in the Kat Martin's The Bride's Necklace Trilogy is called THE HANDMAIDEN'S NECKLACE. This book leaves the necklace in the hands of Rafael—the Duke of Sheffield. After believing for five years that his betrothed was untrue to him, he finds out the truth of that horrible night and sets out to America to reclaim his fiancé before she marries another. His then fiancé, Danielle, is still hurt over Rafael and his refusal to believe that she had never cheated on him, and still being outcast by the ton, she meets an American and goes overseas to marry him and start a new life. When Rafael finds her and blackmails her, she has no choice but to break her engagement, marry Rafael and return to England.

I must admit that I haven't read the other two books in the trilogy, but this story can stand by itself. I really liked this book and I totally fell in love with the characters. The sexual tension between Rafael and Danielle was so thick you could cut it with a knife. The sex scenes between the two of them were steamy! Even though they enjoyed each other sexually, there were secrets between them that were either going to break them up or make their relationship stronger.

It was Danielle's darkest secret that brought tears to my eyes. She was injured in a horse riding accident and as a result of that fall, she was told she would never be able to have children of her own. The one thing Rafael needed was an heir, or all of the family's fortune would be turned over to their drunken cousin upon Rafael's death.

It wasn't just Rafael and Danielle that I loved. I also loved the relationship between Danielle's maid and best friend, Caroline, and Robert, a bond servant whom she met while they were in America. Robert was convicted of a crime and escaped his master to return to England, clear his name, and marry Caroline. This is where the necklace comes into the story.

I don't want to give too much more of the story away. I think you'll really enjoy reading Kat Martin's THE HANDMAIDEN'S NECKLACE. It doesn't matter if you've read the previous two books or not, I think you'll really enjoy this book. Now I think I'm going to go out and buy THE BRIDE'S NECKLACE and THE DEVIL'S NECKLACE to read, too!!

Julie Kornhausl