THE SAINT WHO STOLE MY HEART – Stefanie Sloane
Regency Rogues , Book 4
Ballantine Books
ISBN: 978-0-345-53114-8
eISBN: 978-0-345-53444-6
May 2012
Historical Romance

England, 1813

In 1798, four young children found Lady Afton with her throat cut in the nursery of her home during a house party. The countess was the mother of one of the children, ten year-old Sophia, but beloved by all four. Eleven year-old Dashiell Matthews's own mother died at his birth, and he gave his love to Lady Afton. She had also won the hearts of Langdon and Nicholas Bourne, thirteen and eleven. Because her death was thought to be connected to matters under investigation by the Young Corinthians, a clandestine spy organization of peers working for the British government, the children were urged to never speak of the murder.

Now, years later, the four are grown. Dash, now Viscount Carrington, is a member of the same Young Corinthians, along with Langdon, now Earl of Stonecliffe; they are still under orders to remain silent about the Afton affair. But during a reunion of the four friends, Lady Sophie expresses her deep desire to learn who killed her mother, and Dash is entirely sympathetic. He and Nicholas Bourne, newly returned from India , decide to investigate on their own.

Dash's life is about to become more complicated. His father's wish was for his library to go to his good friend Henry Barnes, Baron Harcourt. The good man's daughter Elena, an intelligent—and bookish—young lady of five and twenty, is to travel to London to catalogue, pack up, and transport the late Lord Carrington's books. The library purports to contain many rare and wonderful tomes.

The motherless Elena had suffered a disastrous Season when younger, chaperoned by a lady who did her no favors. Consequently, Elena believes herself plain and has no desire to socialize. But she has yet to meet the lady Dash imports to act as chaperone. Lady Elizabeth Bradshaw, Marchioness of Mowbray, is one of the three sisters known as The Furies. With a gleam in her eye, she takes Elena in hand.

Dash is going to have trouble with Elena in the house. While he has a mind like a steel trap, a photographic memory (to use an anachronism) and an ability to see patterns and solve puzzles—a handy combination for an agent—he is generally thought to be a slowtop by the world in general. This makes for some highly amusing encounters between the two.

THE SAINT WHO STOLE MY HEART has an intricate plot with several main themes. At the same time it is character rich. All of which makes for excellent reading, but difficulty in giving a clear idea of the whole, in a few words. In short, look for dangers and intrigue, humor, romance and passion.

THE SAINT WHO STOLE MY HEART follows three earlier connected books (see THE DEVIL IN DISGUISE, THE ANGEL IN MY ARMS and THE SINNER WHO SEDUCED ME) and watch for two more Regency Rogue novels (THE SCOUNDREL TAKES A BRIDE, and THE HERO MEETS HIS MATCH) to come. A varied and splendid series!

Jane Bowers