Luck Is No Lady

Sandas (Relentless Lord) provides an entertaining atmosphere, but the story starts painfully slowly. Roderick Bentley, illegitimate son of a nobleman, owns a very classy gambling den in Regency-era London. Emma Chadwick is the 25-year-old guardian of her debutante sisters, and has inherited vast debts from her gambler father. Eventually, Emma answers an ad that brings her to Roderick's establishment as bookkeeper, and although Emma and Roderick are attracted to one another immediately, Emma insists on dealing with her responsibilities without recourse to Roderick's non-respectable resources. Additionally, Roderick's parentage makes him scandalous to know in polite society, and maintaining a closer connection could ruin Emma's sisters' hopes. Sandas's characters are well-drawn and their attraction sizzles; after the pace picks up, there's plenty of fun. Agent: Nalini Akolekar, Spencerhill Associates. (Apr.)