LIBERTINE'S KISS

Author: Judith James ISBN: 9780373775057 8/2010 HISTORICAL Publisher: HQN
Time Period: Restoration England

Abandoned by his cavalier father at a young age, William de Veres grew up knowing precious little happiness. But William has put the past firmly behind him and as a military hero and noted rake, he rises fast in the ranks of the hedonistic Restoration court. Though not before he is forced to seek shelter from a charming young Puritan woman… The civil wars have cost the once-high-spirited Elizabeth Walters her best friend and her father, leaving her unprotected and alone. She flees an unwanted marriage, seeking safe haven, but what she finds is something she never expected. When her kindness and her beauty bring her to the attention of William, and then the king, she will have a choice to make. After all, can a notorious libertine really be capable of love?

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I suppose if you pick up a book by the title LIBERTINE'S KISS, you should be aware it isn’t going to be your average romance novel. Usually the rakish heroes are done with their drinking and whoring when they meet their heroines.

Not so in this book. William and Elizabeth knew each other as children and were forced apart by their families' political differences; met anonymously during the war; then find each other at court. Since James does a lot of moving around in time, we see the characters at these different times, years apart. By the time they meet again, William is a drunk, whoring poet, but still has a spark of that knight in shining armor that attracted Elizabeth as a child.

James has a talent for description and brought the time period to life. These characters have rich histories, but I do have trouble seeing characters like William as heroes because they are so flawed. Still, he is a creature of his time, and sometimes it is refreshing to read a more realistic historical romance! I also enjoyed the literary aspects of this novel, with the inclusion of poetry.

Heather Hiestand