Pam Rosenthal, The Slightest Provocation

The Slightest Provocation

Pam Rosenthal

Signet, Sep 2006, $14.00

ISBN: 0451219473

Marquess Walter Stanstell expected his young naive wife Emilia to produce his heir and his spare. Following her doing well in 1771 providing him with "Wat", she realizes she is no different than the nearby livestock to her spouse, so she cuts a deal to give him one more purebred male and then he is to never touch her again; she will turn to other men but any offspring Walter must recognize. Walter agrees and nine months later Will is born followed by Belle, Kit and Georgy.

Over the years Walter and his neighbor Lord Penley became embroiled in a dispute. The two patriarchs warned their respective family members to stay away from their enemy, but Mary Penley and Kit Stanstell continued secretly to see one another until they fell in love and eloped. However, both were too immature to withstand family pressure until their relationship collapsed in spite of their desire for one another. Kit escaped to the military while Mary turned to the intelligentsia.

Almost a decade later, the pair meets only to immediately realize they remain in love, but agree on nothing else as he believes in national security while she considers freedom for all is more important. Trouble looms and Kit needs Mary's help to prevent a deadly scheme that threatens both their values as England is in jeopardy.

This Regency romantic suspense is an exciting tale of how Romeo and Juliet find a second chance at love while trying to save England. The story line is fast-paced from the time that Kit and Mary reunite and reignite their desire for one another and never slows down until the final post confrontation between the lead couple over the still timely security vs. freedom issue. Though the rationale seems reasonable, some will ask why Mary feels that strongly but none will question that Pam Rosenthal provides a very entertaining and enjoyable historical tale.

Harriet Klausner