At 21, the tall, blonde Julia Miller controls her father's conglomerate from London. To advance her into society, a marriage contract has been in force with Lord Richard Allen since they were both small children. Following an accident, Julia's mother is dead and her father is left with only bouts of clarity from a head injury. Julia and Richard, having a fierce dislike for one another from the forced betrothal, impose various inflictions upon each other until Richard, at 17, takes matters into his own hands and flees England for the Caribbean as a pirate.
After 11 years, Richard returns to England and encounters a beautiful young lady of interest only to discover she is his fiancΓ©e all grown up. Scheming together to nullify their betrothal, Julia and Richard decide to steal the contract. Richard's father, intent on pursuing their marriage to fill his own coffers, foils Richard and Julia yet again. Neither Richard nor Julia expects to feel the shifting from hate to love as they balk against being yet again controlled by his father.
As usual, Johanna Lindsey has created another terrific story. Her characters are colorful and lively. The amusing banter between Julia and Richard is creative, as is the storyline. The author has a unique gift for creating a story that will hold the interest and keep the characters alive and feisty so that it is impossible to keep from turning the pages until that last one is read. I have been reading her novels for years and she manages to keep each novel fresh with a new plot and exciting characters.
Returning to the "wickedly witty, lusciously sensual" (Booklist) world of her beloved Malory family, #1 New York Times bestselling author Johanna Lindsey sweeps readers away on a seductive adventure in which a detested marriage contract turns childhood enemies into passionate lovers. Nine years ago, Richard Allen fled England and his controlling father. Determined to live his own life, he took to the sea and settled in the Caribbean, joining a band of treasure-hunting pirates and adopting the persona of a carefree, seductive Frenchman named Jean Paul to guard the secrets of his past. When he slips back into England to carry out an urgent task, Richard becomes infatuated with a married woman, Georgina Malory. But his reckless attempt to woo Georgina at a masked ball turns out to be the worst mistake of his life because it brings him face to face with another beautiful woman.
Thrilled that her solicitors have finally come up with a way to free her from her betrothal contract to the Earl of Manfordβs son who abandoned her years ago, heiress Julia Miller is ready for the marriage mart and hopes to find that perfect someone at her friend Georginaβs ball. Charmed by a masked Frenchman who gives her her first kiss, she canβt help but pursue this mysterious manβuntil she makes a shocking discovery. Now, to avoid falling into a ruthless noblemanβs trap, Julia must enter a risky, intimate charade with a man she never believed she could love.
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