Lady Lyte's Little Secret

December 1, 2002
For Felicity there was nothing more inconvenient than a lover who refused to gracefully take his leave. Felicity enjoyed her brief affair with Hawthorn "Thorn" Greenwood, but as soon as she realizes that she's pregnant, she knows she must end their liaison because once this reliable, trustworthy gentleman discovers her condition, he'll insist on marrying her. With memories of her former marriage still fresh in her mind, the last thing Felicity wants is another man taking control of her life. However, when Thorn's younger sister Ivy elopes with Felicity's nephew Oliver (characters introduced in Hale's novella "Cupid Goes to Gretna Green" in " The Love Match" [2002]), the two are forced together again as they race after the young lovers to prevent a hasty wedding in Scotland. Hale skillfully matches up Thorn, a sensible man who discovers how much fun being a bit scandalous can be, with Felicity, a woman who gradually learns to trust others, as realistically flawed characters and a poignant, emotionally satisfying romance blend seamlessly together in this superbly written historical regency.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)