The Tiger’s Mistress
Andrea DaRif combines romance with history and mystery. Portia Hadley’s father, an absent-minded academic, has mysteriously disappeared. Not one to sit around, Portia launches her own search for him. And encounters the infamous Black Cat, Alexander, Earl of Branford, while breaking into the home of a man she suspects of kidnapping her father.
A typical Regency Rake, Alex is haunted by the deaths of his young nephews who were under his command on the continent. A former spy, he is recruited by a close friend to find an important document. Everywhere he goes, he encounters the intriguing and maddening Miss Hadley.
This fast-paced story certainly hooked me, though I did find Portia rather shrill at first and a little too headstrong. But the developing romance was handled well, as was the setting, while the cast of secondary characters, notably Portia’s younger brothers, added depth and humour. The twists and turns of the plot and the accomplished prose ensured an enjoyable read. My only other quibble was with a voyeuristic love scene that seemed rather superfluous. However, it did not prevent me from enjoying the rest of the book, so if you appreciate well-written historical romances, look for The Tiger’s Mistress.
