Margaret Cassidy has worked with plenty of addict-ridden
patients, but James Powers is different. Behind his
insulting and addled behavior, Margaret sees someone in
severe pain who she wants to help. When James's father
offers a way to help them both, through marriage, James and
Margaret are hesitant. Margaret soon realizes that in trying
to heal James's addiction, she just might create an
addiction of her own: him.
THE DARK AFFAIR by Máire Claremont is a completely stunning
historical romance with some of the best emotional depth
I've read in a long time. James and Margaret both have
darkness in their past, and I adore the journey they take in
getting to know each other on such a personal level. The way
they discover new love and appreciation for the joyous side
of life is so beautiful and real.
I really, really love the romance between James and
Margaret. They complement each other so well, and the family
touches with James's father and Margaret's brother are very
nice side elements. The only issue I have is a point towards
the end of the story when James is hurt and surprised by
learning a part of the deal his father and Margaret made. I
really thought he already knew, and if he hadn't, it
wouldn't have nearly been the big deal it was by that point.
I do understand how it was used to cause strife between them
for another big point in the plot, but I was still kind of
surprised at his reaction.
THE DARK AFFAIR is a wonderfully enjoyable read that flows
smoothly and quickly. Máire Claremont has a great
talent for romance, and I can't wait to read more of her
books.
The Victorian era was full of majestic beauty and scandalous
secret's a time when corsets were the least of a woman's
restrictions, and men could kill or be killed in the name of
honor¦
Lady Margaret Cassidy left a life of nobility behind
in Ireland, forsaking her grieving homeland to aid
war-ravaged men in England. Still, she never expected a
cruel turn of fate to lock her into an unwanted betrothal
with one of her English patients much less one as broken and
dangerous as Viscount Powers. Wrecked by his tragic past,
Powers opiate-addled sanity hangs precariously in the
balance, leaving him poised to destroy anyone who dares to
utter the names of the wife and child he still so deeply
mourns. So when he is forced to marry Margaret in exchange
for freedom, he is shocked by the desire to earn her trust,
her body, and - most alarming of all - her heart¦