Busbee's latest 18th-century romance (following At Long Last) depicts a pair of charming lovers who become enmeshed in an improbable mystery. Thea Garrett is notorious because of a scandal that occurred in her youth. When she was 17, she was wooed and raped by a fortune hunter, and her brother was killed defending her honor. Although her aristocratic lineage and extensive fortune ensure that she is still received by most of society, she's convinced that no man will ever be worthy of her trust again. This notion is promptly upset when she meets dashing Patrick Blackburne. As it happens, both have fallen prey to the same blackmailer, and they join forces to defeat him. In the meantime, meddling relatives on both sides take advantage of the couple's attraction to forge a more permanent bond between them. Readers will quickly identify the villain at the heart of the story, and certain plot elements are never resolved. Nevertheless, the passion between Thea and Patrick is genuinely steamy, and both hero and heroine manage to avoid the usual pitfalls that stem from not communicating. Although this tale lacks the historical detail present in her previous romances, her well-developed characters make this a satisfying, if not exceptional, read. (Dec.)
