The Marquess Makes His Move (Clandestine Affairs, 3)
Outraged at a scheme to steal some land from his estate, Alex Worthington, Marquess of Brandon, decides to go undercover himself to find the evidence he needs, and he secures a position as a footman in the home of Roger Fleming, London’s most preeminent mapmaker, who is responsible for the fraudulent map. Roger assigns him to look after his wife, Rose, who, it turns out, is the actual mapmaker in the family. The mutual attraction between Alex and Rose heats up rapidly, though with so many deceptions and misunderstandings, it takes longer to build trust.
Though lively, the plot is complicated and unlikely, and the apparently insurmountable obstacles to a happy ending prove unexpectedly easy to overcome. Fortunately, this, the third in the Clandestine Affairs Regency series, offers an entertaining cast of characters to compensate: the protagonists are sympathetic and have justice on their side; the villains are selfish and deserve their fate; the servants are likeable, especially young Owen, a street vagabond; and Alex’s Arab relatives are warm-hearted and lively. Class snobbery, patriarchal privilege, and racial prejudice are satisfyingly frustrated, and readers who enjoy steamy bedroom scenes will not be disappointed. Recommended.
