AFTER THE KISS - Suzanne Enoch
The Notorious Gentlemen, Book 1
Avon Books
ISBN: 978-0-06-084309-0
July 2008
Historical Romance

London, England – 1813

One year after surviving two injuries in the Spanish Peninsular war, Captain Sullivan James Waring's life has taken quite a twist. Instead of being an honored war hero, he's now a robber. As the bastard son of the Marquis of Dunston, Sullivan has no social standing, but despite his parentage, he owns one of the most well known stables in England and is famous for his breeding and training of horses. But while he was injured in Spain, his mother died. She was a painter, and Sullivan's "father" took all the paintings from the house he had rented to her for so many years. Since then he has sold and given away all the paintings, but Sullivan is engaged in his revenge. He is stealing back his mother's paintings that were rightfully his. He is called "The Mayfair Marauder," and knows his father is aware that each robbery is a poke intended for him. Everything is going swimmingly until he is in the midst of leaving Lord Darshear's house and is caught -- by the daughter of the house. As he flees, he grabs a kiss; the chit grabs his mask, and he makes off with his loot.

Lady Isabel Chalsey is naturally surprised by the kiss as she accosts a burglar but is more excited the next day when she's at the horse auction with her brother and meets the robber in person. He's Sullivan Waring, the idol of her brothers and a renowned horse trainer. In order to find out this unusual robber's story, Isabel buys a horse with the ultimatum that Sullivan come to her house every day and train it until it's suitable for riding; let's not mention the fact Isabel is scared to death of horses and has no intention of riding a horse—EVER. But Isabel's blackmail of Sullivan makes her cocky, until he reminds her that just one whiff of scandal regarding her receiving a commoner's kiss would cause irreparable harm to her reputation and ruin any chance of a good marriage. Now whose blackmail will rule? When Isabel finds out Sullivan's reasons for stealing and that he intends to continue the quest to recover his mother's paintings, will Isabel do something to stop him? And how can Sullivan tear himself away from his fascination for Isabel and his dreams of her?

Suzanne Enoch has once again captured the spirit of England in the 1800's with AFTER THE KISS. Here we get a glimpse of the Peninsular War, London society, a young woman's fascination with the "bad boy" (see, it goes way back to the 1800's!) and the age-old fight of good over evil. If stealing is wrong, shouldn't it be reported, even if you like the robber? Life-like situations take us into the center of English society, and we are surrounded by Isabel and Sullivan and their relationship and how they can ever get together, she of the aristocracy, and he not.

Sullivan has many friends from military service who help him in his nefarious actions. Isabel has two brothers and parents who are carefully keeping their eyes on her innocence and are eager to prevent her from associating with a "commoner." Oliver, Sullivan's half brother, does his best to steer her away from Sullivan, and of course the Ton is ever present with its strictures and rules all around.

AFTER THE KISS is a fresh and fun historical novel that also touches on the fate of children born on the wrong side of the blanket in those days. I recommend it for a great start to The Notorious Gentleman series that will feature the rest of Sullivan's friends from the war; BEFORE THE SCANDAL debuts next month. Be sure and enjoy the start of this fun series this month.

Carolyn Crisher