Suzanne Enoch has a
long history of writing highly entertaining and sensual Regency
romances. The first book in her new Notorious Gentlemen Series is off
to a great start. Sullivan Waring is the notorious gentleman in this
fascinating debut. He is a handsome and self-assured man who is well
sought out by every gentleman of the ton for the highly prized horses
he breeds. But other than his horses, he is kept at arm's length out of
the social circles of the aristocracy because he is the known, but
unspoken of illegitimate son of the Marquis of Dunston, a
well-respected member of the ton who never recognized Sullivan.
Sullivan discovers further insult to injury upon his return from
fighting in Spain. His mother, a talented artist, passed away while he
was at war. Knowing that her paintings were to be left to her son, his
illegitimate family had sold them to highly placed members of the ton,
knowing as an outsider in this social circle he would never get the
opportunity to enter the homes of the ton and discover where the
paintings are located, nor would he have the power to purchase them
back. Sullivan embarks on a plan of revenge on his father. While
building his successful breeding business, he becomes the famous thief,
The Mayfair Marauder, thus becoming a further embarrassment to his
father and enjoying the blackmail knowing that his father would not
reveal him as the thief and add further scandal to the family. With his
horse business and a well-placed aristocrat friend Phineas Bromley his
perfectly developed plan to re-obtain the paintings is nearly finished.
Until the night he robs the home of the Marquis of Darshear. Just as he
is to make his usual perfect exit, he instead finds a perfectly lovely
lady in his path. To throw her off he kisses her senseless and suddenly
discovers he is not only spellbound, but discovered. The lovely Isabel
at first frightened, becomes enthralled and a bit devious by removing
Sullivan's mask during the kiss. Sullivan comes to realize "After the
Kiss" that the lovely and intelligent lady now has reversed his plans
of revenge and blackmail back on to him. Isabel has been bored with the
men in her social circles and immediately taken with this handsome and
kiss stealing thief, creates a blackmail plan so that she can continue
seeing him and find out more about the man behind the kiss as well as
the mask. Sullivan knows now that he has met his match when he falls
into Isabel's blackmail scheme. She promises to not to turn him in if
he will allow her father to purchase one of his best horses and teach
her to ride every day. Each day Sullivan jumps to Isabel's commands due
to that special kiss that caught him in Isabel's blackmail net. A kiss
that seems to draw Isabel and Sullivan to each other more than they
both expected with a desire and passion that builds and becomes more
sensual with each new encounter. Now that Sullivan has been uncovered
and discovered by the beautiful Isabel and his revenge and blackmail
have taken a reverse in this highly charged, sensual relationship, will
Sullivan's identity be discovered? But most of all will the Marquis of
Dunston ever legally recognize Sullivan as his son?
The characters are interesting, enchanting and the verbal banter highly
entertaining. "After the Kiss" is a well-written story containing many
mysteries, secrets and highly charged sensuality. Each page is a
delight making it difficult to put this book down. Ms. Enoch, already a
favorite with many romance fans, is getting better and better with each
book. This series is destined as a definite keeper. This reviewer is
looking forward to the next book in The Notorious Gentleman Series
about Sullivan's friend Phineas Bromley!
Publisher: Avon
(June 2008)
Reviewed
by Beverly,
Beverly Romance Books
