Amelia Grey, A Taste of Temptation

A Taste of Temptation

Amelia Grey

Berkley, Dec 2005, $6.99

ISBN: 0425207218

Andrew Terwillger feels lonely as the last Terrible Threesome bachelor. His best friends recently married, and spend most of their time with their wives. Andrew plans to never wed, but right now his concern is to find his embezzling estate manager.

Aunt Agatha Loudermilk tells her niece Olivia Banning, that they should go to London because Lord Pinkwater has asked to see her. Olivia is worried since Pinkwater has been dead for thirty years. Auntie explains they go to talk with Pinkwater's ghost.

In London, Agatha and Olivia attend Andrew's party because that is where her aunt insists Pinkwater waits for her. Olivia sneaks upstairs to search for the ghost, but Andrew catches Olivia in his bedroom. He accuses her of being a thief, but soon they kiss as their aunts and a friend catch them. Andrew and Olivia marry; he seduces her, but stops short of making her his wife. When someone tries to kill Andrew, he learns life is precious, so rushes home to make love with his wife; he admits to Olivia that he believes she did not mean to compromise him, but is elated she did, even as they work together to stop a wannabe killer.

This superb Regency romantic suspense, with a touch of the paranormal closes the Terrible Threesome trilogy, with a delightful tale that also brings back characters from A HINT OF SEDUCTION and A DASH OF SCANDAL. The courageous and nurturing heroine will make her a fan favorite, while the audience also will scream at Andrew to get it on with her. The ghost and the assassination attempts augment a fine tale, though the climax seems too easily resolved.

Harriet Klausner