You’re the Earl That I Want

Bowen strikes gold with her third Lords of Worth Regency (after A Good Rogue Is Hard to Find). This story has it all: romance, suspense, wit, and Bowen’s trademark smart and slightly quirky characters. Josephine “Joss” Somerhall is a fiercely independent, plain-speaking maiden who’s just returned to London after decades abroad. Although she hasn’t laid eyes on Heath Hextall, the newly minted Earl of Boden, since she was six years old, she’s as enamored of him today as she was then. Joss is now a beautiful woman, but Hextall has a difficult time thinking of her as anything other than the pigtailed imp he used to tease. A twist of fate throws them together when they find Gavin Smythe, a friend of Hextall, after he’s been badly beaten by a gang of ruffians. His dying wish is for Hextall to safely deliver a mysterious packet of papers to Gavin’s brother. Now the lively fun begins as Joss and Heath set out to decipher the encoded papers, find Gavin’s brother, and fall in love. Bowen’s thrilling plot, spot-on pacing, and savvy characterization will delight her current fans and seduce new ones. Agent: Stefanie Lieberman, Janklow & Nesbit Associates. (Sept.)