A DANGEROUS CHARADE

Author: Anne Barbour ISBN: 9780709084655 9/2008 HISTORICAL Publisher: ROBERT HALE
Time Period: Regency

Alison Fox was the epitome of the lady's companion. Prim, proper and efficient, no one would suspect that, in her past, she had also been Lissa Reynard, successful gambler and adventuress. She had left this life behind her, but knew that it was only a matter of time before she would be found by the one man she feared the most. The handsome, iron-willed Earl of Marchford, nephew of Alison's employer, had vowed revenge on the notorious card sharp who, he believed, had ruined the lives of his brother and his brother's wife. She had eluded him for years, but now he had shown up on his aunt's doorstep, suspicious of the woman who had gained the affection of his beloved—and very wealthy—aunt. How was Alison to prevent the discovery of her previous identity? And even worse, what was she to do about the attraction that had sprung between herself and the earl? An attraction that soon turned to passion, wild as a wind-blown fire.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Anne Barbour sets her historical romance, A DANGEROUS CHARADE, in Regency era Bath, England, where the Earl of Marchford (March to his friends) has gone to warn his aunt away from her lady's companion, Alison Fox, because he believes her to be a money-seeking adventuress. When he gets to know her he is surprised to find that she is not the adventuress sort at all, but both a charmingly, naive young woman that he'd like to get to know better and a snake-in-the-grass who caused the deaths of his father, brother, and sister-in-law.

Barbour creates vivid characters in March and Alison (her secret identity being card sharp Lissa Reynard) and sets them off with the lovable Lady Edith (March's aunt), the energetic Lady Margaret (March's youngest sister Meg), and the vile Jack Crawford (the reprobate gambler at the root of all of Alison's problems). Crawford was husband to one of Alison's two best friends, and Alison saved the day for him after he accrued an enormous gambling debt and then stole to pay it. Alison has a particular skill when it comes to cards. Unfortunately, while Alison was playing benefactress to her friend, one of the women she won money from at the tables was March's sister-in-law who declared that she'd lost thousands of pounds (rather than three hundred) to Lissa Reynard. The sister-in-law's debts eventually caused the death of her and her husband (March's brother) which precipitated the death of March's father. March responds to these disasters by vowing vengeance on Lissa Reynard and then reversing his own dastardly life into one of extreme conservatism. He's even planning to marry a woman because she fits his needs regardless of his lack of feelings for her. As regards Alison, March is both excited by this intelligent, lively (though shelved spinster of 28) beautiful young woman, as well as feeling utterly bewitched and betrayed by her. She must be a first class actress to take him in so thoroughly!

A DANGEROUS CHARADE has much of the usual pastimes of many Regency romances—house parties, picnics, balls, and endless shopping for bonnets and other fripperies. But it also allows for a heroine with a brain in her head as well one who can maintain her head in the midst of danger (that Jack just keeps popping up!). I can recommend A DANGEROUS CHARADE to readers who enjoy a delightful romance (albeit one where the sizzle is relegated to just a couple of stolen kisses) with a nice bit of suspense thrown in for good measure.

Susan Barton