A Gentleman Never Tells

September 3, 2012
Gray retells the events of her A Lady Never Lies from the perspective of gentle Lilibet Somerton, who’s trapped in a loveless marriage. She and her adorable young son, Philip, flee England for 1890 Tuscany, only to bump into her first love, Lord Roland Penhallow. Roland is on his way to an Italian castle with his brother, the duke of Wallingford, and auto inventor Phineas Burke. Coincidentally, Lilibet and her friends are heading to the same castle, intent on hiding Lilibet from her wretched husband. Roland is thrilled to see Lilibet again and sets out to charm her and Philip; despite his scandalous reputation, Lilibet finds it hard to resist. The past and present intertwine in an intriguing mystery, as Lilibet and Roland explore and overcome their past difficulties. Fans of sweet courtship will enjoy this shift from the more raucous romance between Phineas and Lilibet’s friend Lady Morley.

Starred review from November 1, 2012
As it turns out, fate just couldn't be content with sticking Roland Penhallow in Tuscany for a boring, yearlong sabbatical with his brother, the Duke of Wallingford, and his brother's friend, Phineas Burke. It also had to throw Roland's first love, Elizabeth, into the mix. Now married to the vindictive Count of Somerton, Elizabeth hopes that by putting enough distance between herself and her husband, she can keep custody of her young son, Philip, but her plan depends on living quietly with her cousin, Alexandra Morley, in the castle they rented in Tuscany. Any hint of scandal would give Elizabeth's husband the leverage he needs to take Philip away. Unfortunately, the castle is double-booked, and Roland and his friends simply refuse to seek new quarters elsewhere. Now Elizabeth must do everything in her power to resist resuming her romance with Roland from where they left it six years earlier. In the second delectable addition to her elevated historical trilogy, which began with a Shakespeare-oriented A Lady Never Lies (2012), Gray pays tribute this time to composer Verdi while again dazzling readers with scintillating wit, lusciously layered characters, and sizzling, sensual romance, proving she truly is the newest incandescent star in the romance firmament.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)