The Secret of Flirting

March 5, 2018
In Jeffries’s fast-paced fifth Sinful Suitors Regency (after The Pleasures of Passion), sparks fly between an actress and a baron. Gregory Vyse, Baron Fulkham, is tired of being a spy and hopes to garner a more prestigious position with the government. He’s also one of the noblemen who will help decide the new ruler of Belgium. Gregory meets one of the contenders, Princess Aurore of Chanay, and soon realizes she is Mademoiselle Monique Servais, an actress he met several years before. He’s concerned that exposing her as an impostor could harm his political aspirations, and begins looking into why she is posing as the princess. As he becomes increasingly drawn to the intelligent, beautiful woman, he learns that she’s the target of an assassin. Seeking to keep Monique safe by inviting her to his country home, Gregory uncovers some of her secrets and their mutual attraction culminates in sensuous love scenes. The mystery behind Monique’s deception, coupled with the sinister suspense around a determined killer, add allure to this expertly plotted novel and its magnetic characters.

April 15, 2018

Years ago, Monique Servais's grandmother Princess Solange was banished by her royal family for marrying without their consent. Now, after decades with no contact, they need a favor. The reclusive Princess Aurore of Chanay is gravely ill, and if Monique, who could almost be Aurore's twin, agrees to pose as the princess during some important political negotiations, Monique's grandmother who raised her and is now struggling with dementia will be welcomed back into the family. With many doubts but little choice, Monique soon finds herself in the crosshairs of spymaster Gregory Vyse, Baron of Fulkham, who suspects her ruse and is determined to get to the bottom of the deception. Political skullduggery, betrayal, and an attempted assassination keep the pace swift and the tension rising, while the sizzle that arcs between Monique and Gregory keeps the romance firmly on track. VERDICT Stinging wordplay, well-conceived characters, and an ingenious plot result in a story that adds another winner to Jeffries's popular series. Jeffries (The Pleasures of Passion) lives in Cary, NC. [Previewed in Joyce Sparrow's "Love Is All Around," LJ 10/15/17.]

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