The Dangerous Gentleman

Romance author London (Wicked Angel) launches the three-book Rogues of Regent Street series with this tale of revenge and redemption set in 1834 England. Following a tragic duel, Adrian Spence, the Earl of Albright, is rejected by the harsh father he has always sought to please. In retaliation, Adrian enters a whirlwind courtship and weds the woman sought after by his younger brother, Benedict, who is his father's favorite. It's a fateful choice, both for the earl and for his na ve, high-spirited bride, Lilliana Dashell. Although passion blooms between them, Adrian seems incapable of expressing love, and the marriage soon hits rocky ground. Benedict does his best to come between the pair, and old secrets haunt Adrian as he charts a self-destructive course. Although the reader may grow impatient with the pair's stubborn refusal to communicate, London deftly builds emotional intensity and maintains as underlying mystery that keeps the story humming. (Apr.)