Jo Goodman One Forbidden Evening

One Forbidden Evening

Jo Goodman

Zebra, Aug 2006, $6.99

ISBN 0821777769

In 1817 the masquerade ball hosted by rakish Earl Christopher Hollins is boring. However, the tedium ends abruptly when he notices a woman dressed as Boudica. She has his full attention as he neglects his guests when his warrior queen seduces him. However, before he can learn her identity, Boudica vanishes into the night leaving hr spear in his bedroom.

Unable to forget her, Christopher snoops and soon learns his sex goddess is recently widowed Cybelline Caldwell, a mother of a small child. Cybelline stepped out of character for the ball needing an escape from her grief and her impoverished state and of trying to bring to life her neglected estate. During a blizzard, Christopher rescues Cybelline; he hopes that wins the way into her heart, but he soon finds an adversary stalking her as she has secrets involving her spouse Nicholas' death that if revealed could ruin someone.

The opening sexual encounter, perhaps a bit overly drawn out, is a sixth of the book with the heat generated making global warming seem frigid. The Regency story line is driven by the lead couple as he wants his Boudica in spite of her baggage of a child, a late spouse, and her deceased husband's secrets. She desires him, but fears any relationship. Fans of the Regencies will enjoy Boudica warrior woman get her man.

Harriet Klausner