Avon (Paperback), ISBN 0-380-81803-5
Sabrina Jeffries' A Notorious Love created a new, loyal fan. This historical romance packs a powerful punch with snappy dialogue, intrigue and healthy doses of sensuality. Beneath the surface lies a poignant tale of beauty and the beast with the ironic twist that beauty carries the burden of being physically imperfect, while beast possesses a heart-rendering tenderness behind the brawn.

Lady Helena Laverick lives with a pronounced limp for which she must use a cane. Hardened to society's curious, dismissive stares, she survives by erecting a fortress of cool restraint. As for her heart, that proves to be equally fortified after her intended dumps her for a more perfect and mobile bride. She faces her biggest challenge when she learns that her younger sister, Juliet, eloped with a shady character. Suspecting foul play, Helena solicits the only person she knows who could help her, Daniel Brennan.

Daniel Brennan agrees to help Helena, but during the course of their adventures, he questions his decision. With all her fine breeding and silly rules of propriety, she manages to make him feel ashamed of his dark background as a smuggler. He wants approval and more -- he wants her understanding of his shady past as well as his respectable present as a businessman. In any event, his ties and knowledge of the smuggler's world ends up saving their lives and that of Helena's beloved sister.

Helena and Daniel undertake their search as man and wife, both to explain Helena's presence and ensure her safety on their journey. For Helena, she will travel to the ends of the earth for Juliet, even if the infuriating Mr. Brennan's customarily frank assessments of the situation confirm her worst fears.

Daniel despises the rules of the gentry who shun him and hold Helena prisoner. He wants to release the beautiful woman within, consequences be damned. He vows to be the one to seduce Helena and open the door to her inhibitions. But Daniel realizes that when Helena returns to her comfortable life she may hate him for ruining her, and that would break his heart.

As they get closer to finding Juliet, Daniel finds he wants more than snippets of passionate moments with Helena. He wants her for his true wife, but the dark and violent secrets of his past taint any possibility of Helena accepting him or loving him. Or so he thinks.

A fabulous book, A Notorious Love satisfies on every level. Bravo!

Michelle Monkou

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