The Lady Risks All
Fans of the Regency romance enjoy a classic love story, sensual play between hero and heroine, and favorite historical elements of the era. The balance is critical, though. Too much of one, not enough of another, and readers who adore this precise genre become dissatisfied. Many have also learned to spot errors in historical details, and are quick to point them out. But one rule remains: history never overwhelms the romantic fantasy.
One author who has mastered the mix is Stephanie Laurens. In her most recent novel, The Lady Risks All, Laurens adopts a well-loved storyline. Hero Lord Julian Roscoe Neville Delbraith has an addiction to gambling, women and drink — but when the family comes near ruin, he’s forced to find a way to rescue them. He does so cleverly, and anonymously, by making the most of his talent for gaming. But when he meets the lovely Lady Miranda Clifford, he must use his connections to help her locate her missing brother…and risk revealing his true identity. It’s a credit to Laurens’s talent that she’s able to develop believable and interesting characters who work well within complex scenes, rich with detail and clever dialogue.
