Pride and Pleasure

Light Regency romance meets a little bit of mystery in this charming if rather implausible tale of Eliza Martin, a practical, intelligent spinster heiress who longs to retire solo to the country but is pressured by her uncle to continue meeting with fortune-hunting suitors. Suspicious that recent mishaps are attempts on her life, she hires attractive thief-taker Jasper Bond to pose as an additional suitor in order to investigate the men around her, unaware of his secret connections to her social circle and his desire to seduce her himself. The plot is mostly put aside to focus on eager public flirtations, private erotic discoveries, and developing true love. Romance readers who like their virgins self-confident and their heroes experienced but not jaded will enjoy Eliza and Jasper's dynamic, and the period feel never falters even when things get steamy. (Feb.)