THE DUKE'S INDISCRETION

Author: Adele Ashworth ISBN: 0061128570 5/2007 HISTORICAL Publisher: AVON
Time Period: London, 1861

Lady Charlotte Hughes lives a double life. By day, she is the plain, demure sister of a domineering brother who wants her married and out of the way. By night, she is Lottie English, an intoxicating, glamorous woman of mystery—a famed opera singer who drives men wild with wanting her. But the only man Charlotte wants is Colin Ramsey, Duke of Newark, though the dashing nobleman would certainly never risk his reputation on a woman like her. Imagine her shock, then, when the duke reveals himself as a smitten fan... and, while attempting to seduce her, inadvertently discovers her true identity. Charlotte will submit to the handsome duke's every wish, but only as his wife—a proposal Colin eagerly accepts. But his secret duty to the Crown—to expose Charlotte's nemesis—threatens the fiery, very real passion that consumes them. And when Charlotte herself is suddenly imperiled, Colin must choose where his loyalties lie—and risk everything for the remarkable lady who has so thoroughly captured his heart.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

While I found the hero in THE DUKE'S INDISCRETION to be so sexy that my mouth waters just thinking about him, I did not find the plot involving the mysterious Handel musical piece to be all that great. Actually, I think the story is such a character driven read, that it truly was not necessary to have that sort of intrigue in it at all.

The tension between Colin and Charlotte was enough to keep me interested in the book without all the fluff and nonsense of the hidden music. Knowing the heroine—Lady Charlotte Hughes by day and a famous Opera singer, Lottie English, by night—and the Duke, Colin, were so well matched and confused by one another, I could only focus on their scenes together and could care less if someone tried to injure Lottie while she practiced onstage. That may sound strange, but there was so little description and upset given to those segments, that I forgot all about the attempts when Colin and Charlotte were alone together. To me, that says it wasn't such a compelling part of the book.

Ms. Ashworth is a great storyteller and I so enjoyed this book and its characters. I simply didn't need the distraction of an unnecessary and uninteresting side plot when all that marvelous sexual tension was going on.

Shannon Johnson