When the Rogue Returns
Isabella is highly skilled in creating imitation jewelry, and her husband, Victor Cale, is a guard for the same jewelry store where Isabella works. Her sister and brother-in-law, Gerhart and Jacoba, want her to replace real Dutch diamonds with her imitation pieces, but their plans go awry when Isabella feigns illness to avoid becoming a thief. The replacement takes place, but Isabella and Victor are forced into exile as the blame falls on them.
Ten years later, they seem to have evaded the real thieves and are doing well, Victor being recognized by a wealthy relative in England and Isabella working for a jeweler and caring for her daughter, Amalie. Victor, however, dreams of revenge against Isabella, for he believes she was completely responsible for the crime that occurred a decade ago. When they finally meet, the animosity between the two is palpable, but so is the former passion constantly rising over their mutual accusations. The reader wonders if they ever learn to trust each other again while Victor determines to find Gerhart and Jacoba. What he discovers fuels his determination to end the ever-looming threat to him and his wife.
While the reader imagines how the intensifying plot evolves, Victor and Isabella are filling in the blanks with their deepening love and healing trust. Sabrina Jeffries is the consummate romance author, creating credible characters and plots with complex twists and turns with the requisite scoundrels galore. Highly recommended for lovers of romantic historical fiction.
