Skylark

April 5, 2004
This slow-moving addition to Beverley's Company of Rogues series (St. Raven
, etc.) fails to hold the reader's attention, despite its likable protagonists. Laura, "Lady Skylark" to the London elite, was a dazzling 18-year-old when she married Hal Gardeyne, the heir to the Caldfort estate. Six years later, Laura, now a widow, finds herself a virtual prisoner at Caldfort, kept there because she can't leave her son, Harry, in the hands of Hal's forbidding family. Worse, she suspects that Harry may be in danger because he's next in line to inherit Caldfort, and if something were to happen to him, his possibly malevolent uncle Jack could claim the estate. When Laura discovers a mysterious letter implying there may be a missing heir to the estate, she teams up with her old friend, Stephen Ball, and devises a plan to whisk Harry to safety and uncover the secret behind the missing heir. For much of the novel, Laura and Stephen secretly pine for each other as they share close quarters in a little seaside town, but their scruples prevent them from acting on their shared passion. The mystery, which hinges precariously on some overheard phrases and unfounded suppositions, develops just as slowly, and readers may have a tough time holding out for the denouement. Agent, Meg Ruley
.

May 15, 2004
Increasingly suspicious that her late husband's vicar brother has deadly designs on her three-year-old son, the heir to his grandfather's title and holdings, Laura Gardeyne finds help from a most unlikely source, the man she had spurned in order to marry another. But Sir Stephen Ball has never forgotten his "Lady Skylark," and when he arrives at her home, ostensibly to see her father-in-law, he becomes caught up in a situation that is mysterious, dangerous, and ultimately romantically rewarding. Lively intrigue, likable characters, and a plot with enough twists to keep readers engaged result in sensual romance that is worthy of Beverley's legendary "Rogues" series and will not disappoint fans. Beverley is a highly popular New York Times best-selling author and lives in Victoria, BC.

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2004
Laura Gardeyne would do anything to protect her young son, Harry, even if it meant asking Stephen Ball for help. Worried that Harry's uncle, Reverend Jack Gardeyne, is trying to do away with Harry, Laura doesn't know whom to trust with her suspicions until Stephen unexpectedly appears. Laura has never forgiven Stephen for christening her with the sobriquet "Lady Skylark," and Stephen has never forgotten how Laura laughed at his marriage proposal and married Harry's dashing father. Laura's efforts to uncover more information about the reverend's plans lead her to a letter that holds a tantalizing promise of safety for Harry, if she can only decipher its true meaning. After enlisting Stephen's help, the two travel together to Draycombe searching for answers only to find themselves exploring the possibility of a new romantic future together. A delicious air of quiet menace and subtle danger pervades RITA Award-winning Beverley's latest Regency historical, part of her Company of Rogues series, and the author's beautifully nuanced characters and gracefully witty writing help this unforgettable love story soar.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)