Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard

Starred review from November 18, 2013
If the remainder of Kelly’s Renegade Royals series is as arresting and entertaining as this kickoff, then Regency romance fans are in for a royal treat. Capt. Aden St. George of the Royal Horse Guards is the stony-faced hero who fiercely guards his tender underbelly. Lady Vivien Shaw is the vulnerable yet strong-willed woman who resists accepting his protection. Both are meticulously drawn, and their snappy exchanges create exquisite sexual tension. Threatening their happiness is evil Russian prince Ivan Khovansky, a suspected murderer and serial abuser of women, who will stop at nothing to take Vivien back to Russia as his bride—abetted by her greedy and unimaginative eldest brother, Cyrus, who sees Khovansky as the financially strapped Shaw family’s only hope of survival. Characters who could be flat clichés are made fresh and appealing by dramatic storytelling. Kelly (Sex and the Single Earl) combines diverting dialogue, delightful surprises, and finely tuned pacing to make this a winner. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency.

December 15, 2013
Who would want to kidnap Lady Vivien Shaw? That's the question Aden St. George asks himself as he tracks the lady in question to a cell deep in a tunnel off the coast of Kent. However, liberating Vivien from her abductors and restoring her to her family in London is just the first step in what becomes an ongoing mission for Aden. Without knowing who is behind the abduction, he has no choice but to stick close to Vivien until the culprits can be brought to justice. The first rule of being a good bodyguard is to not become emotionally involved with the person you are protecting. Despite his best efforts, Aden is not only about to break this rule but several others with the infinitely tempting Vivien. Kelly launches a new Regency-set series with Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard, and the novel's thrilling blend of high-stakes danger and intense passion will definitely resonate with fans of Mary Jo Putney and Joanna Bourne.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)