Twice Tempted

September 29, 2014
Dreyer’s fifth Drake’s Rakes Regency (after Once a Rake) sizzles with romance enhanced by intricately woven tales of espionage. Lady Fiona Hawes has always taken care of her twin sister, Mairead, and continues to do so after being cast out by her grandfather. Fiona tutors young girls in London, barely making enough money to support herself and her sister. When Alex Knight, Lord Whitmore, learns of her troubles, he declares his intention to help Fiona and Mairead take their rightful place in society. Fiona believes that she is doomed to disappointment if she relies on anyone else, but when she can no longer protect herself and her sister from harm, she’s forced to lean on Alex. As Fiona and Alex succumb to their mutual attraction, rumors of treasonous plots and secret codes swirl around them, and they are both forced to make exceedingly difficult choices. Fiona is an admirable heroine whose tenacity will keep readers cheering. Agents: Andrea Cirillo and Christina Hogrebe, Jane Rotrosen Agency.

Starred review from December 1, 2014

Lady Fiona Ferguson is forced to fend for herself and her twin sister, Mairead, when their cruel, judgmental grandfather tosses them out upon hearing that their brother, Ian, had been accused of treason and is now dead. Her brother's friend government agent Alex Knight tracks Fiona down, though, with the news that Ian is alive and exonerated but in hiding. Though Alex was her teenage crush, Fiona is not so pleased with his determination to "rescue" her and her sister and return them to society. The young women are content with their quiet life of teaching and astronomy, until a fire and a gruesome murder turn their lives upside down and they become targets of a particularly vicious killer. VERDICT A smart, savvy heroine and a dashing "White Knight" are joined by a plethora of engaging, beautifully rendered supporting folk in this complex, exquisitely crafted romance that gifts fans with a tender, secondary love story and adds another winner to Dreyer's irresistible series. Dreyer (Once a Rake) lives in St. Louis.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 1, 2014
Alex Knight is going to help Fiona Ferguson whether she wants him to or not. After her brother, Ian, is accused of trying to kill the Duke of Wellington, both Fiona and her twin sister, Maidread, are kicked out of their home by their grandfather, the Marquess of Leyburn. Once Alex discovers what the marquess has done, he vows to find the sisters and restore them to their proper place in society. Fiona, however, is perfectly content with her new life teaching students and helping Maidread with her astronomical studies. As far as Fiona is concerned, she doesn't need any help from Alex, until she and her sister become the target of a dangerous group of traitors. In the latest thrilling addition to her Drake's Rakes series, following Once a Rake (2013), Dreyer's brilliantly complex characters, addictively tart sense of humor, and flair for crafting sizzling sexual chemistry once again prove to be irresistible, and her skillful incorporation of the contributions of Regency women to science provides the perfect historical counterpoint to the story's danger-rich plot.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)