Earl Interrupted

Forester’s second Daring Marriages Regency romance is a knockout. Daring sea captain and privateer Robert Ashton returns to London as the Earl of Darington, hoping to get married, but English society misses aren’t lining up to say yes. He is shot while rescuing his twin, Kate (introduced in If the Earl Only Knew), from a kidnapping, and wealthy Emma St. James nurses him back to health. Emma fled her odious stepbrother’s scheme to marry her for her inheritance, and marrying Robert would solve her problems, but she refuses to trap him into marriage. Like Kate, Emma is feisty, practical, and willing to fight her own battles instead of waiting for Robert to be her hero. Forester gets giddy with nearly a dozen over-the-top scenes of high jinks while revealing more details about the conspiracy that led to the death of Robert’s father and landed the Ashton siblings in debtor’s prison. The adventures are well-paced and absorbing, the characters likable and imperfect, and the mystery just complicated enough. The comedic elements and a strong cast of secondary characters save this amusing romp from being overblown. Forester combines romance with adventure on the high seas, the machinations of the ton, and family secrets to create a witty read for historical romance fans who like their heroines to show a little spunk and heroes to learn a little humility. Agent: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary Agency. (Jan.)