A Lady at Last

November 6, 2006
The latest from Joyce offers readers a passionate, swashbuckling voyage in her newest addition to the De Warenne dynasty series. This installment showcases Cliff De Warenne, third son to the earl of Adare, gentleman, privateer, notorious lady's man and, most recently, rescuer of damsels in distress. One such damsel, free spirit Amanda Carre, is left alone in Jamaica to face an angry mob after her father is hanged for piracy. The strong-willed beauty turns to De Warenne to sail her to London for a reunion with a mother she cannot remember and a rigid society she feels certain will scorn her. On the course of their stormy voyage, Cliff instructs Amanda in the art of becoming a lady, determined that she make a successful debut and land a good husband. Along the way, Amanda recognizes that her feelings toward her captain go beyond mere gratitude, and Cliff wonders if his fierce loyalty to the young woman runs deeper than he dares to acknowledge. Romance veteran Joyce brings her keen sense of humor and storytelling prowess to bear on her witty, fully formed characters.

December 1, 2006
Joyce's Regency romance features Cliff de Warenne, a rich, virile privateer and a gentleman. Home again in Jamaica, he can't help but step in to save young Amanda Carre from herself. A pirate's daughter in her late teens, Amanda is an excellent sailor and swordswoman, but has no social graces whatsoever. Now that her father is due to be hanged, she is willing to barter her body to save him. Cliff cannot allow that and, instead, agrees to take Amanda to London, and her mother whom she's never seen. Along the way, Cliff battles his urge to bed her while she alternately shocks him with her actions and woos him with her naivete. She is part child, part woman, and Cliff does his best to relegate her to childhood. At first, Joyce's tale recalls the bodice-ripper romances of 20 years ago, but further reading unveils a more classic Pygmalion tale with an extra soupcon of eroticism.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)