A DEDICATED SCOUNDREL

Author: Anne Barbour ISBN: 9780709083481 2/2008 HISTORICAL Publisher: ROBERT HALE LTD.
Time Period: 1812, Spain and London

Catherine Meade swiftly sensed she could not trust the stranger who rudely thrust himself into her home and into her life. He was roughly dressed, but spoke in the accents of an aristocrat. He knew all there was to know of a woman's weaknesses, yet claimed to know nothing of his own past. He called himself John Smith, but to Catherine his name was temptation. If Catherine did not think well of the mysterious Mr Smith from the outset, her opinion only grew worse. It became clear his secrets were scandalous and his nightly trips to London questionable indeed. But even as she exposed one infamy after another about this man who lied as smoothly as he kissed, she found that it was not only his tongue she could not trust—it was her heart...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

A DEDICATED SCOUNDREL by Anne Barbour is a rousing tale of spies, skullduggery and hidden truths. From the very outset it moves swiftly, telling the story of a man held captive by those that would kill him, as well as by the heart that would save him.

Lord Justin Belforte planned on leaving London in order to give his allies time to unravel the mystery surrounding his recent ambush. But when he and his mount come upon a little old shed and sense trouble inside, he rushes to help. When he pulls a dog free from beneath a pile of debris, the shed roof collapses on top of Lord Belforte, knocking him unconscious. When he wakens, he cannot recall his name.

Catherine Meade, the woman whose shed collapsed, can't toss the nameless rescuer out into the cold, no matter what anyone says. She and "John Smith" begin to form an unlikely association. Unmasking the stranger before losing her heart to him may be what Catherine's intentions are, but the reality of being so close to "John" may just wreak havoc with her plans.

I very much enjoyed this story. A lot of the pleasure I derived came from the author's use of vivid description, colorful dialogue and the tie to historical accuracy contained in A DEDICATED SCOUNDREL. The author's attention to detail and fine storytelling skills, coupled with the fact that there was actually a bridge at Huerta, made this a very pleasurable read.

Kay James