Obsession Wears Opals

Bernard’s fourth Jaded Gentlemen romance (after Passion Wears Pearls) begins in 1860 Edinburgh, as Isabel Netherton makes a desperate escape from her sadistic husband, Richard, and collapses in scholarly Darius Thorne’s garden. With kindness and chess, Darius wins Isabel’s wounded heart and tries to free her from her cruel marriage despite draconian Victorian law. Isabel, meanwhile, helps Darius realize he’s not condemned to repeat his father’s brutality. He simultaneously tries to uncover the mysterious threat facing his friends in the Jaded Gentlemen, a London secret society first formed during the Indian Rebellion. Darius’s relationship with Isabel provides the needed sensuality and also proves more compelling than the other plot line, which may confuse readers new to the series. In a gripping conclusion, Darius uses a scholar’s weapons and makes a nightmarish odyssey through London brothels to find the key to Isabel’s freedom. Agent: Eric Ruben, Ruben Literary Agency. (Dec.)