England, 1813

Second of six motherless daughters of a country gentleman and scholar, Grace Ackerly grew up with a great deal of freedom. She loved roaming the countryside with the neighborhood boys, usually clad in old trousers, and sharing their tutor until they moved away, and she enjoyed learning a variety of things from her doting father. It's Grace's conviction that a husband would put a stop to her happily unencumbered life. She once swore never to marry and still holds to that vow at twenty. As for kisses, they'd have to catch her first, and Grace is quick.

Another with no intention to marry any time soon, much to the frustration of society's mamas and available young ladies, is the most desirable parti in England, the rich and handsome Trevor Christian Caldwell, Earl of Huntwick. True, his good friend Sebastian Tremaine, who unexpectedly inherited the title and estates of the duke of Blackthorne, may have knocked Trevor down to number two, but that doesn't change his eligibility much. The two tall, dark, and impressive gentlemen are on the road to inspect Sebastian's new estate one evening at dusk when an accident occurs between their carriage and a young person on horseback...a young girl in boy's clothes. No, not Grace, her youngest sister, Mercy. After identifying the almost-thirteen-year-old and taking her home, Trevor awaits downstairs amid the family portraits for the doctor's verdict. One of the faces portrayed hits Trevor like lightning! By questioning the Miss Ackerly keeping him company, he learns it's our Grace and that she, her father, and another sister are at an assembly in town. Trevor suddenly decides he must go find them to tell them of Mercy's accident. Oddly, once he finds Grace and rescues her from the obviously unwanted attentions of another, he neglects to inform her about Mercy. Strike one against him in the games that are about to begin! In his favor, not that Grace will easily forgive him, is the fact that Mercy is in no danger, unless you count the deep adoration her young heart develops for Sebastian. But that, perhaps, is another story for another time.

GRACE, the book, like Grace, the character, is lively, fun, feisty, and combative. Grace is attracted to Trevor but fears the feelings he arouses in her. Naturally, being who she is, she transfers that fear into anger at him. He just thinks she's adorable; he's made up his mind to marry her. Grace runs to her aunt's in London, taking her sister Faith with her for the Season she has always shunned. Trevor follows. What then ensues is a hey-go-mad contest between two extremely strong-willed persons with passions fully aroused.

And in the shadows, someone watches Grace.

GRACE is a sparkling debut by a talented new author. The characters are eminently likable, the plot rapid-paced, the dialogue catchy, and the action sometimes moving and always captivating. If I had to quibble, it would be over the misuse of forms of address; for example, putting Trevor's last name after "Lord" instead of his title -- calling him Lord Caldwell instead of Lord Huntwick.

Grace is replete with possibilities for future connected novels. Grace's sisters, of course, would make grand heroines. One wonders about Patience, the eldest, who acted as mother after the death of Mrs. Ackerly. Then there is Faith, the cool blonde in contrast to volatile Grace with the curly red hair. The twins come next, then Mercy, the most like Grace. For heroes, we need to see what happens to the reluctant duke and to Gareth Lloyd, another friend of Trevor's and a bit of a prankster.

If you like romances with lots of sexual tension, a pursued hero becoming the pursuer, and deep emotion masquerading as antagonism in a heroine, you'll love Trevor and Grace...and GRACE.

Jane Bowers