The Willing Widow

New Orleans in 1884 makes a fascinating setting for this fast-paced romance. Beautiful young widow Renee Desselle Soniat is the proprietor of a successful millinery shop when she meets William Collins, newly arrived from Ireland to work as a cotton factor for his uncle. William is determined to never wed again after being jilted in Ireland by his sweetheart, and Renee is content with her independence after being widowed six months into her marriage with a much older man. William flirts with Renee and is surprised that the widow seems very innocent. When an associate of Renee’s is murdered, no one is above suspicion, and the seemingly carefree city suddenly takes on a sinister tone. The constant romantic tension is cleverly aligned with sinister events to create a novel that’s both tender and mysterious. (BookLife)