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Author Reviews
Innocence and Impropriety
Diane Gaston
ISBN-10: 0 263 85162 1
Harlequin, March 2007, 304 pages
Regency - England, 1817
$5.50 (US) $7.50 (CDN)
Reviewed by Dorie
April 2007
Beautiful Rose O'Keefe has become a much admired success singing at Vauxhall Gardens. Many men have admired her and one man in particular wants to make Rose his mistress. He is the Marquess of Tannerton and he plans on wooing her, with the help of his secretary, Jameson Flynn.
Jameson is well accustomed to handling Tannerton's affairs and securing a mistress is but one of them. He plans on finishing the business as soon as possible and figures that it shouldn't take very long. What he doesn't plan on is the instant, powerful attraction he feels for Rose. Her sweet voice reminds him of his childhood in Ireland and all that he left behind in pursuit of his dreams and ambitions. He knows that she can never be his, for he has nothing to offer her and nothing can be gained by acting on his feelings. In fact, he would most likely lose his job and all that he had worked for.
Rose knows that it is only a matter of time before she has to take one of the many offers from the men vying for her attention. She has chosen to follow her dream of singing, just as her mother had, instead of the respectable job of teaching that she had had in Ireland. Though she does not want to become any man's mistress, she wants love. She has become pressured by her father and his companion to accept an offer, and especially one as lofty as a Marquess. She had caught sight of Jameson, while singing and is immediately drawn to him. When she is introduced to him and learns that he has been sent on behalf of Tannerton, she cannot help but wish that he was the Marquess.
Rose proves especially difficult to woo, much tougher than any of the other mistresses that Jameson has acquired. Every day that Jameson spends in her company the bond between them grows stronger. Neither can deny the genuine feelings of desire and the yearning that they feel for one another. For all the money that Tannerton possesses and all the privileges that being his mistress would entail, Rose knows that they are nothing compared to Jameson, and the love they share.
As if there weren't enough obstacles standing in their way, they must also face a diabolical villain, bent on thwarting Tannerton and making Rose his own.
Throughout the novel, you cannot help but feel for Jameson and Rose. Both have come from poorer circumstances and have risen above. Jameson might not have been titled, yet he was a great hero, one that could handle any situation with ease. Rose was a delightful, determined heroine and I was glad that she got her own story after she briefly appeared in A Reputable Rake. In a time when most Regencies revolve around titled Lord's and Ladies it was refreshing to see a story set about two common people. The love between Jameson and Rose is almost bittersweet and when they finally come together it is a beautiful moment indeed.
Diane has written another unique and gripping novel. I savored the story and I can't wait to delve into the next one.