When the Rogue Returns

Starred review from February 15, 2014

Ten years earlier, newlyweds Isabella and Victor Cale's lives were shattered when treachery and distrust (and some stolen royal jewels) drove them apart and out of each other's lives. For years, Victor searched for Isa and for years she hid. Now, as an investigator for Manton's Investigations, Victor heads to Edinburgh to look into the background of a local nobleman's intended. Of course, the respectable widow, an expert paste jeweler, turns out to be Isa, and suddenly both their worlds change as they come to terms with what really happened a decade ago. VERDICT Plot twists galore, a pair of appealing, conflicted protagonists, and a cadre of delightful secondary characters make this a perfect addition to Jeffries's "Duke's Men" series. This beautifully crafted romance reveals the gradual but exquisite renewing of a broken relationship; sure to become a keeper for the author's many fans. Jeffries (What the Duke Desires) lives in Cary, NC.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 15, 2014
Victor Cale spent the last ten years imagining exactly what he would do to his lying, thieving wife, Isa, if he ever found her again, but Victor never thought kissing her would be at the top of the list. That, however, is exactly what he wants to do when he arrives in Edinburgh to investigate Sofie Franke and discovers the soldier's widow from Belgium is really his long missing wife. It has taken Isa a decade to rebuild her life after being duped by her sister and brother-in-law into creating a fake set of diamonds, which, with Victor's help, they switched for the real thing in the royal treasury in Amsterdam. After being abandoned by the man she loves after he got what he wanted from her, Isa isn't about to forgive Victoruntil he starts confusing her with all his facts and kisses! The second in Jeffries' potently sensual series, the Duke's Men, hits all the expected romantic marks with its superb characterization, vividly realized historical setting, witty writing, and an enthralling plot rich in passion and danger.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)