The Earl’s Complete Surrender
England, 1820. When James, Earl of Woodford, and Chloe, the widowed Lady Newbury, meet at opulent Thorncliff Manor, they are both reluctant to open their hearts to love. They are both searching for a secret, encoded journal that holds the key to exposing the Electors, a group of nefarious aristocrats able to alter the politics of Europe. As the two covertly roam the secret passages of the manor looking for the journal, they must learn to rely on one another while trying to distinguish friend from foe. With danger increasing, they travel to London, where they must stay alive, negotiate yet more secret passages, break the code, and try to reach James’s friend, King George IV, with their information.
This story moves quickly but is marred by some anachronisms, such as Woodford’s “apartment” in London. Chloe’s frequent fears can be annoying; James may find them endearing, but readers may not. The couple’s physical attraction for each other plods along, as they spend much time chastely applying compresses to each other’s bruises. Chloe fights a sedate duel, and the story closes with the usual Regency happy ending.
