Sandra Schwab, The Lily Brand

The Lily Brand

Sandra Schwab

Leisure, Jul 2005, $5.99, 352 pp.

ISBN: 084395552X

In 1815 though the Napoleonic war is over and the exchange of POWs begun, Gratien keeps his healthier English prisoners incarcerated until he can sell them. At Ch teau du Marais Lillian's stepmother Camille mentors her on domination of the sexes; over the years Lily has learned to ice her heart and obey. As a nineteenth birthday present, Camille selects Troy from amongst Gratien's "guests" as Lillian's pet. Troy loathes his owner who brands him with her namesake flower. Lillian enables Troy escape before fleeing to England to her grandfather's house.

One year later they meet at a gala. He detests her, but to avoid scandal, they marry. To his chagrin he still loves his abomination of a wife although he notices how kind she is to others. To him she shows the ice that enabled her to survive Camille and he displays his scorn towards her. However, soon love blossoms in the most unlikely of relationships as he melts her frozen heart and she peels away his disdain, but the French witch wants her heir back.

THE LILY BRAND is a remarkable extremely dark Regency romance. The metamorphosis of the lead couple is brilliantly developed so that the audience can feel the changes from rage and shame to respect and love. Camille, as sinister as any character in recent years, will fascinate the audience in a macabre way sort of like the first appearance of Darth Vader. The sprinkling of some French (easy to translate) augments a fabulous historical not for everyone but grips the audience once Camille selects Troy as Lily's toy and never lets go until a confrontation on the continent.

Harriet Klausner