Invitation to Ruin

Evans's debut Regency is filled with sizzling romance. Anthony Craven, the fifth earl of Wickham, wants Lady Cassandra Sudbury as his next mistress. Then his brother's deception results in him bedding Cassie's innocent cousin, Melissa Goodly, whom he is then forced to wed. Melissa tries to seduce her husband and eventually win his love, but Anthony's cruel father has made him believe that he is unlovable and left him unwilling to have children. Melissa is an anachronistically but appealingly independent and stubborn lady who isn't afraid to complain that women of her era are often treated little better than slaves, and a subplot involving England's 19th-century abolitionist movement adds depth to this enticing read. Strong characterizations, smooth plotting, and plenty of explicit sex will appeal to fans of modern Regencies. (Mar.)