Fortune Favors the Wicked

February 8, 2016
Inspired by a real-life 19th-century lieutenant, Romain (A Gentleman’s Game) takes off on a delightful flight of fancy that puts visually impaired Royal Navy Lieutenant Benedict Frost in search of a fortune in stolen gold in the first of her Royal Reward series. Should he find it, the reward will be the basis for the dowry of his sister, Georgette. The hunt brings him to the doorstep of Charlotte Perry, the prodigal daughter of Rev. John Perry, in Derbyshire, England. She’s abandoned her position as a London courtesan and returned home in search of the stolen loot, planning to use the reward to start a new life. Charlotte has her own suspicions about the treasure’s specific location, and the identity of the thief as well. The duo quickly decide that their combined nine senses make them a stellar team in pursuit of riches and, later, love. Romain exercises her flair for unconventional Regency characters with this intriguing couple. Agent: Paige Wheeler, Folio Literary Management.

Starred review from February 15, 2016
Charlotte Perry didn't tell Benedict Frost her real name when she encountered him in the Pig and Blanket in Strawfield, because she never expected to see him again. So, of course, when Benedict turns up at her father's vicarage as the visiting scholar sent by a friend to stay with them, Charlotte is a bit worried. As it turns out, Benedict is more than happy to keep Charlotte's secret, but the real problem is why Benedict is in Derbyshire. Like every other fortune hunter in England, Benedict has descended on Strawfield in search of the six trunks of new gold sovereigns that were stolen from the Royal Mint. However, as far as Charlotte is concerned, she needs the reward money more than he does, and she is going to be the one to find that gold. Romain launches her new Royal Rewards series on a high note with this richly rewarding Regency tale, in which she brilliantly demonstrates her flair for creating one-of-a-kind protagonists who are not cut from the conventional bolt of romance-hero and -heroine cloth.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)