A NOTORIOUS PROPOSITION

Author: Adele Ashworth ISBN: 9780061128585 5/2008 HISTORICAL Publisher: AVON
Time Period: Victorian, 1850's

From bed partners . . . Two years ago, while on assignment for the Crown, darkly handsome Garrett Burke left Lady Ivy Wentworth sleeping naked in his bed as he went in search of the missing Martello diamonds. After apprehending the dastardly thief, he intended to spend the rest of his life in the arms of the auburn-haired beauty. But when the case came to a shocking and dangerous end, Garrett was certain he'd been betrayed . . . To partners in crime Ivy once loved Garrett with a virtuous heart, but these days she can barely stand him. Arriving at a deserted estate on a mysterious errand, she never expected to see him again, nor feel the same ecstasy she once did at his touch. Now, joined with him in the search for the legendary jewels, she is willing to risk everything. Everything, that is, except her heart . . .

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I just love it when two characters connect emotionally and sizzle sexually. And that's exactly what happens between Garrett and Ivy in A NOTORIOUS PROPOSITION by Adele Ashworth.

First off, while this isn't actually a sequel to WINTER GARDEN, an Ashworth book I loved, its characters are revisited here. I'll confess, I didn't go back and skim over WINTER GARDEN first, but for good reason. I wanted to make sure this book stood well on its own. And yes, it does. Even if you didn't read that previous book and weren't familiar with Madeleine and Thomas from WINTER GARDEN, there's enough depth to their characters in A NOTORIOUS PROPOSITION that they don't feel out of place or unknown. And while this book isn't as complex in plot as WINTER GARDEN was, it is still an entertaining and enjoyable read.

The first third of A NOTORIOUS PROPOSITION is sometimes slow, more of a character study of Ivy and Garrett who have a shared past that ended rather badly. Unfortunately, Garrett suffers from amnesia for a lot of that past, so it's hard for him to make up for his mistakes and realize that Ivy's not the manipulative and cunning woman he thinks she is. Ivy, though gifted with a second sight, can't quite pinpoint exactly what went wrong in their relationship, only that he used her for his own purposes, without regret, and that the love she thought was between them, probably wasn't. Their reconnecting and coming to terms with their past and finding their love again, is what makes this story exceptional. As the hunt for some missing diamonds becomes more complex and sinister, and Ivy's brother Ian disappears, by the start of the last two thirds of this book I was pretty much immersed in both of these characters. The plotting and pacing of the book accelerated as well, turning A NOTORIOUS PROPOSITION into a not-to-be-put-down read.

With its depth of character and sensual, emotionally charged and tender love scenes, A NOTORIOUS PROPOSITION is a wonderful return to the place and a few of the characters that first drew me to this immensely talented author. I highly recommend it.

Nancy Davis.