The Naked King

MacKenzie concludes her seven-book humorous Regency series (The Naked Viscount, etc.) with a variation on the theme of sisters undertaking a London season. Stephen Parker-Roth, the "King of Hearts," is the most eligible of bachelors. Lady Anne Marston is a bespectacled, dowdy bluestocking with a disgraceful secret: at 17 she was raped by the dastardly Lord Brentwood. She retreated to her country home and has only come to London 10 years later to help her younger sister enter society. When Anne meets Stephen, instant sizzle and an unfortunate public mishap lead to a pretend engagement and real romance. Then Brentwood turns up to reveal Anne's past and she finally gets the chance to defend herself and her honor. While the characters are a bit predictable, the enjoyable blend of passion and humor will please MacKenzie's fans. (June)