An Independent Woman

March 15, 2006
When her father dies, Juliana and her mother lose everything they own. Wealthy relatives Lilith and Trenton coldly offer them shelter but only out of a society-imposed sense of duty. Juliana's cousins, both sadistic brats, make sure her life is miserable. Except for orphaned heir Nicholas, who is also at the mercy of Lilith and Trenton, Juliana is friendless. When Nicholas leaves his family estate, Juliana is truly alone. She finds work as a lady's companion; then, years later, while accompanying her charge to a ball, she runs into Nicholas, now a wealthy lord. When he finds out how miserable her life is, Nicholas proposes, although he is not sure that her feelings for him run beyond the bounds of friendship. The wedding itself is made even more memorable when one of their guests is murdered--and Nicholas is the main suspect. The talented Camp (" Mesmerized," 2003; " An Unexpected Pleasure," 2005) has deftly mixed romance and intrigue to create another highly enjoyable Regency romance. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)