Thornbrook Park

Browning (Once Wicked) kicks off a series with this charming but somewhat overbusy period piece set in 1906 England. Still recovering from her husband’s untimely death, Eve Kendal returns to London. Short on funds, disowned by her family, Eve finds temporary refuge at Thornbrook Park, home to her old friend Sophia, Lady Averford. While there, she makes the acquaintance of Capt. Marcus Thorne, whose wartime traumas have left him subject to intense rages that he relieves in the boxing ring. His brother, Sophia’s husband, already has a bride picked out for Marcus, but Eve and Marcus start making plans of their own, as mutual admiration quickly turns to affection and desire. When their affair becomes public knowledge, they must decide between familial duty and impractical love. Meanwhile, Eve investigates the fate of her late husband’s mysteriously missing money, which exposes her to a murderous plot. The leads have a sweet, natural chemistry that renders most of the obligatory romantic speed bumps irrelevant; the secondary story line is far more dynamic. Agent: Stephany Evans, FinePrint Literary Management. (June)