A sequence of improbable events propel a virtuous, 21-year-old spinster and a moody rogue to meet and fall in love in the second installment in Foley's Regency-era Knight series (after The Duke). The story opens with a dramatic flourish when Alice Montague stumbles upon an orgy organized by the mysterious Lord Lucien Knight. Alice has come to "rescue" her sister-in-law, Caro—a one-dimensional character who spends the entire book flitting in and out of men's beds and making mischief—but she soon finds that she needs rescuing herself. Lucien, who is really one of England's premiere spies, has refused to let her leave his side for at least a week, but she fears that it will take less time than that to fall in love with the devilish rake. The story is at its best when Lucien and Alice are alone together, sharing their dreams and insecurities and developing a genuine relationship. Unfortunately, these intimate moments are all too rare. Midway through the novel, their romance gives way to a far-fetched subplot involving the capture of a French spy who plans to kill Lucien and terrorize England. Though they occasionally devolve into stereotypes, Foley's protagonists are captivating, but her hackneyed plot doesn't do them justice. (Jan.)
