RULES OF AN ENGAGEMENT

Author: Suzanne Enoch ISBN: 9780061662225 11/2010 HISTORICAL Publisher: AVON
Time Period: Regency

For proper young ladies, good behavior has always been the rule… Captain Bradshaw Carroway loves the seafaring life—though he’d rather be battling brigands than his current assignment of ferrying a boatload of spoiled aristocrats. One passenger, however, has caught his eye: a bewitching young minx who definitely distracts him from the rules of shipboard decorum . . . Some rules, of course, are meant to be broken. Miss Zephyr Ponsley has traveled the world, but she’s completely innocent in the ways of love. She’s never learned to dance or flirt. But scientific observation has taught her that the laws of attraction have no rules, and that no adventure, on land or sea, is more dangerous—or delicious—than passion!

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I've been greatly enjoying Enoch's "Adventurer's Club" novels and now this one, RULES OF AN ENGAGEMENT, the third novel, is no different.  In each of the other books, Enoch had a heroine that was witty, unconventional and bold.  Her heroes were men who lived through a difficult ordeal, be it in military service or a private matter.  Men who just hadn't been in society for so long and were too damaged to fully handle all it entailed.

Zephyr and Shaw are no different, though due to the close proximity of the quarters (they're on a naval vessel), they have more time than either of the other two couples to interact.  Zephyr is, without a doubt, one of the most brazen women I've ever read about in a historical romance.  From the very first, she starts the offensive, preferring to come out guns blazing than to be caught unawares.  Surprised by Shaw's apparent wit and intelligence, she's taken off guard, but rallies quickly.

The barbs and slings they shoot at each other were priceless.  From the beginning it never felt as if they truly disliked one another; more that they saw something and it frightened them. They were both at a crossroads in their lives—Shaw was discontent with the Navy life, but didn't want to give up the sea, while Zephyr wanted more from her life than just being her father's shadow.  Their banter certainly livened things up.

The secondary characters, the non-navy sailors at least, were all annoying and frustrating enough to deserve to be thrown off the boat.  Zephyr's father, for instance!  Oh, the man!  While I genuinely doubt that he would purposely put Zephyr in danger, the fact of the matter was that he never saw anything beyond botany.  Zephyr gets shot at—she survived didn't she?  Ship may get fired upon—make sure to save those rare specimens of pears!

Thankfully, either Shaw or Zephyr put everyone in their place (multiple times).  They put each other in their places, too.  Several times Shaw would remind Zephyr that she was making him mad instead of conducting a conversation.  She'd blithely inform him that he is completely wrong, about everything.

I certainly hope this is not the last outing for the Adventurer's Club. Surely England has some more damaged, eligible, and attractive heroes who need outspoken, brazen women to heal their wounds?

Alexandra Cenni