LESSONS FROM A COURTESAN

Author: Jenna Petersen ISBN: 9780061138140 7/2008 HISTORICAL Publisher: AVON
Time Period: Regency

Blackmailed into a marriage five years ago, and forced by their overbearing families to consummate that union so it could never be legally questioned, Victoria and Justin Talbot have been more than happy to live apart ever since, although neither one has quite forgotten the one night they shared. But now Victoria has been forced to come to London in the disguise of London’s most talented and sought after courtesan. Invading Justin’s world, she is on a desperate search to find a missing friend and stay clear of her very angry, suddenly possessive husband. Only this time, one taste is not going to be enough for Justin. He is determined not only to uncover Victoria’s secrets, but to claim her, body and soul.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Jenna Petersen (also writing as Jess Michaels) sets her erotic historical romance LESSONS FROM A COURTESAN in Regency London, where a lovely new courtesan going by the name "Ria" has burst on the scene. She's looking to get all the information she needs to figure out which lord might have whisked away—and possibly murdered—her dear friend, Chloe. Unfortunately, she crosses paths with the one man she was hoping to avoid—her husband.

Three years earlier, Lord Baybary was blackmailed by Victoria's (Ria) father into marrying her, and as soon as they made it legal by consummating their union, he left their estate in the English countryside for society life in London. The chemistry they felt on their wedding night has been weighing heavily on both their minds, but can either of them trust the other?

The story is steamy from the first sentence to the last. Justin immediately recognizes Ria as his wife at a less-than-savory ball filled with playboy husbands and their mistresses. His jealousy is instantly aflame when she speaks to another lord, and the fireworks turn into "can't keep their hands off each other" passion the second he kisses her. Their physical passion is the one constant as they learn more about each other, and truly fall in love despite their concerns about their past and their hunt for Chloe. I found myself totally immersed in their laughter and tears, joys and concerns. Okay, it made me cry.

The only teensy weensy bone I'd pick with LESSONS FROM A COURTESAN is that Justin gets his knickers in a twist over the fact that Victoria had been pregnant and miscarried his child and neglected to inform him. Good grief! He abandons her for three years to run his estate all by herself, which she does admirably despite being a teen, when he runs off and he has the nerve to get upset with her about that.

Nevertheless, I recommend LESSONS FROM A COURTESAN to any reader looking to scratch "that itch" and get a nice little suspense filled plot line besides.

Susan Barton