THE DUKE'S NIGHT OF SIN

Author: Kathryn Caskie ISBN: 9780061491030 12/2010 HISTORICAL Publisher: AVON
Time Period: Regency 1818

The "Seven Deadly Sins" lived for scandal and delighted in disgrace, but now they must repent—in marriage! A sin he cannot forget The Duke of Exeter knows it's time to find a bride, and he's determined to locate the passionate minx who enticed him in a pitch-black library. But how can you find someone you've never really seen? Then, while supervising his young ward's education, he is irresistibly attracted to her exquisite new teacher. He keeps wondering if they've met somewhere before, never suspecting she's the woman he's never forgotten after his one night of sin. A wicked secret As a beloved instructress at an exclusive school for young ladies, Lady Siusan Sinclair is a model of deportment. But no one knows her secret—that she fled London for Bath, her reputation on the verge of tatters, her fortune lost. Still, no matter how hard she tries, she can't forget the knee-weakening kiss of the man who led her astray . . .

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I am on the fence with THE DUKE'S NIGHT OF SIN. At times, it truly seems like a historical romance read that is destined to fly off the pages and lodge itself forever in my memory as a literary gem like no other. And then, out of nowhere, it becomes a convoluted mire of its own plot.

While repetition can be a good thing, when dealing with a romance read it can become quite tiresome. Case in point, the name of the heroine. Is she Lady Siusan, Siu, Miss Bonnet, or the Lady Siusan Sinclair? Well, it depends on whom you ask at any given moment. Actually, there is no reason to ask, since every couple of pages a new moniker appears to annoy me. The hero gets in on this as well, although I do believe he keeps his names to two. Anyway, it appears silly that no one figures out the identity of the heroine, especially the hero who beds her twice, yet still cannot figure it out. As a heroine, I believe I might be insulted by that.

Okay, so I may be making it appear a bit sillier than it is (not by much), but I still enjoyed meeting the Sinclair family and like the book enough to give it a Four Rose standing. Yes, it trips over itself, and at times I am most certainly befuddled on how the book hasn't yet ended after the hero catches up to Siusan-Siu-whomever yet again. I confess, it is still somewhat touching and sweet, and the siblings are sure to offer their own stories, which I hope will be even better.

Shannon Johnson