DANGEROUS

Author: Monica Burns ISBN: 1599988828 3/2008 HISTORICAL/EROTIC Publisher: SAMHAIN
Time Period: 1897 Victorian

Behind the mask lies love-a dangerous and deadly emotion. Constance Athelson, Viscountess Westbury has a gift she can’t reveal. She sees things others can’t, including the dead. The only thing she can’t see is into the heart of Lucien Blakemore, Earl of Lyndham. After one blissful night in his arms, she knows if she’s ever to win his heart, she must free him from his tortured past. Lucien Blakemore met the Egyptian goddess Isis at a masked ball, but she vanished into the night before he could learn her real name. It’s just as well, since the Blakemore Curse makes love a dangerous and deadly emotion for him. But the erotic night he spent with his mysterious lover makes him want to throw caution aside-if only for one more night with his masked goddess.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Monica Burns is back with another Egyptian-themed Victorian-era romance. This 1897-set sexy story starts off with a bang as the widowed Lady Westbury has a quickie with Lucien, the Earl of Lyndham, at a Black Widows ball. What he doesn't know is she's been carrying on a correspondence with him in the hopes of getting a job cataloging the antiquities collection at his estate.

The earl is gobsmacked after meeting his "Isis" at the ball and is desperate to see her again, though also extremely nervous about his feelings. The men of his family are known for murdering loved ones in the heat of passion, and he's resolved not to get involved with anyone for fear of activating this curse.

Lady Westbury gets the job, and is happy to escape London and the feeling that she's being searched for. She arrives with her son, but soon regrets taking the new job. The antiquities are fabulous, but the keep is full of ghosts and violent memories.

Lucien arrives soon too, and recognizes her as Isis. Can they give into their passions without ending up dead?

I really liked how Burns turned up the interest with the psychic subplot. She's got plenty of material to drive the long, complexities of DANGEROUS. I especially enjoyed the plot twists involving Lady Westbury's young son. Burns writes the kind of sexy, paranormal historical stories I want to read, and I look forward to her next offering!

Monica Burns