D'Alessandro adds another engaging, well-wrought adventure to her Regency-era Jamison family saga (Whirlwind Wedding, etc.). Still wearing her mourning clothes after three years because her efforts to repay the victims of her late husband's schemes have left her penniless, American Allie Brown arrives in England to visit her best friend and return a mysterious ring. En route, however, she begins to suspect that someone may be trying to harm her. Lord Robert Jamison has a sketch of the laughing lady he's to escort to his sister-in-law's home, but the solemn-eyed woman who steps off the ship hardly matches her portrait. Robert's quest to coax her into smiling, an attempted abduction and a pair of burglaries rattle Allie to the core, though in very different ways. Allie is determined to keep her heart safe from another charming man with secrets, but when she impetuously decides to begin an affair with Robert, their physical attraction inevitably gives way to love. A few too many coincidences undercut the suspense, but D'Alessandro's prose and plotting is surefooted. With its sympathetic protagonists and generous applications of humor, this witty escapade will give those searching for another excellent Regency author plenty of reasons to believe they've found her. (Nov.)
Forecast:Though D'Allesandro is a fresh face in the romance field, positive word of mouth and favorable reviews have already put her name on many readers' must-have lists. Like her fan base, her sales will undoubtedly grow with each book.
