A VIEW TO A KISS -- Caroline Linden
Avon Books
ISBN: 978-0-06-170635-6
February 2009
Historical Romance

Regency England

Lady Mariah Dunmore, the daughter of the Earl of Doncaster, is bored to tears with the Season already. She and her family have been abroad and, in her early twenties, she's already older than most of the competition. Mariah has seen too much of the world to be satisfied being the wife of any of the unexciting suitors who are hovering around her. At one soiree, she makes an escape onto a small balcony, hoping for fresh air as well as avoidance of yet another mind-numbing conversation. But she is not alone, and the voice in the dark is both intriguing and seductive. He can't be one of the tedious dandies she's met -- she's sure she'd have recognized such a distinctive voice. As he disappears down the ivy-covered wall when her mother finds her, Mariah hopes she'll be able to discover the mysterious stranger's identity.

Harry Sinclair is a man of many disguises and talents. He works undercover for the government, hired and trained to protect some of England's most important members. Lord Doncaster is one of those, and Harry has been appearing as the elderly Lord Wroth to him at various gatherings. Spying the earl's beautiful daughter, Harry is unable to control himself when she wanders out on the balcony where he is resting his feet from the awful shoes he's wearing. After their delightful conversation, Harry is smitten. And he makes a few clandestine visits to Mariah's bedroom where, hiding in the shadows, he has even more delightful conversations. Where can this possibly go? And how will this play with his superiors if they discover Harry dallying with Doncaster's daughter?

A VIEW TO A KISS is a combination of James Bond and Jane Austen with two charming lead characters who, despite their class differences, are perfect for each other. There is, however, Harry's real job to protect the men he's been assigned to, and he must take care not to let his emotions get in the way. Mariah's dilemma is trying to keep her parents from promoting other suitors while the mysterious, enchanting Harry is winning her heart with his covert visits. Even though nothing is really happening between them, at least physically, Mariah knows that she cannot love anyone else.

A VIEW TO A KISS has realistic dialogue, is nicely researched, and has a well-written character-driven plot. With a hero and heroine who are hard to forget, this is a saucy, sexy, exciting book for all romance readers.

Jani Brooks