The Devil in Disguise

April 4, 2011
Sloane's delightful debut Regency features a spirited heroine and a daring leading man. Lady Lucinda Grey is surprised when William Randall, duke of Clairemont and a notorious rogue and heartbreaker, begins courting her. Little does she know that "Iron Will" is actually a member of the Corinthians, a top-secret English spy agency, and assigned to protect her from a kidnap plot masterminded by notorious French assassin Antoine Garenne. Lucinda only agrees to suffer Will's company because he promises her a prize racing horse, but soon she comes to see the man beyond the rumors and he learns to admire her spirit. The danger and misunderstandings all come undone in an action-filled climactic scene. Though veteran romance readers will not find the characters and plot particularly original, they will nonetheless be charmed by the opulent details and happy ending.

June 15, 2011

Exceedingly rich, stunningly beautiful, and firmly "on the shelf" by choice at 26, Lady Lucinda Grey skillfully refuses myriad suitors while helping her three aunts build up their horse-breeding enterprise. All they need is one particular stallion. So when the horse's owner, the notorious Duke of Clairemont, comes into her life with a wager--three months of courting vs. the stallion--she can't refuse. Little does she know that the duke is on an undercover mission to protect her, and his presence has nothing to do with courtship. Attraction and love catch them both off guard, complicating things rather nicely. VERDICT Engaging, proactive protagonists, a delightful assortment of supporting characters (especially Lucinda's strong-willed aunts), and solid, often witty writing are pluses in this adventure that, despite a rather hasty conclusion, is a lively and entertaining read. This debut novel is the first in a back-to-back trilogy (The Angel in My Arms [Jul.] and The Sinner Who Seduced Me [Aug.]) featuring spies in the Young Corinthians group. Sloane lives in Seattle.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2011
William Randall, the Duke of Clairemont, the best agent in the secret Young Corinthians Society, is assigned to protect beautiful Lady Lucinda Grey in the first installment in Sloanes new Regency series. Lucinda has been targeted by the notorious Frenchman Garenne, who wants to kidnap and ransom her for her fortune. For years, Will has cultivated a hardened rakes reputation as his disguise, which precludes him from getting close to the virtuous Lucinda. Consequently, he decides to pretend to woo her, promising her his horse, which shes long coveted for her breeding stables, if she will accept him as a suitor. She agrees, at first with an eye to owning the horse, but as they get to know one another, they slowly fall in love, all the while evading Garennes kidnap ploys. Sloane writes a tight plot with a sensible heroine and lusty hero, which will garner her many fans and make them eager for her future books.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)