Title:Sweet Madness
In the dark, the greatest lover can become the most dangerous conspirator…
Footsteps In The Fog
Lord Frederick Aveline, otherwise known as Derick, has successfully kept up appearances as an English nobleman. What no one knows is that he’s a full-blooded Frenchman—a double agent for the British against the French. But there is something else no one knows about Derick. Deciding to leave behind his days of espionage, he’s arrived home in Derbyshire to finish one final order of business: to find and expose a dangerous traitor in their midst.
But Aveline Castle holds its own share of secrets — including murder — and an unexpected lure in the brilliant and feisty Emma Wallingford. Emma’s loyalty lies with acting as the town’s magistrate, and she doesn’t welcome an unanticipated, though appealing, intrusion like Derick’s. As the two of them are drawn closer, the sordid past of Derick’s family comes to light, as does the true nature of his arrival. But when deception, however sweet, is the name of the game, no one can be trusted. And every love — and every life — is at risk.
Frederick Aveline, is quite a complex character, and I quite enjoyed his personality. He had quite a bit of depth to him, and he was the brooding hero that I just always fall in love with. Aveline is a spy for England, but has had to spend most of his time in Europe. To his country, he is only half french, but what they don’t know is he doesn’t have one drop of English blood in him. Frederick struggles with not feeling worthy of the title. Frederick, is quite talented at giving off the image he wants to convey. But he isn’t read for Emma’s smarts. He has always liked Emma, since they were children, even if she followed him everywhere. But he holds great affection for her. Frederick was quite the hero, a bit different than I was expecting. He is charming, handsome, and a scoundrel. But when you dig a bit deeper you see he has a heart of gold, but suffers from the sacrifices he has had to make, and you how tormented he is.
Emma Wallingford, may be a woman, but she is quick and smart and sassy. She is stubborn to a fault and determined to win. Emma was the type of heroine you just admire from the get go. She has tenacity and spirit, but has the sweet endearing quality about her you can relate to at any given moment. I loved how quick she is, and sees through Aveline’s facade of a pompous rake. Emma has a mathematical and logical mind, her father passed away, and her brother is suffering from a mental disability, where he is only lucid for certain periods of time. So she has had to take it upon herself to be the magistrate full time. She is determined to bring a end to crime. She sees things in her mind very logical, and is determined to find out the cause of crime in England and put a stop to it (quite a challenge I know). But she is quite strong willed, and she is smart enough to do it. I loved seeing her character become quite a strong element in the story.No flight young miss we have here, I wish I was half as smart as she seems to be. And boy does she know how to answers to riddles and puzzles.
This is quite a complex story, and so the plot definitely keep you excited and anxious. From the first chapter, you are drawn into a story that you know its going to surprise you…and boy did it pack quite the punch of surprises, shocks and delights. I just couldn’t get enough of Sweet Deception. You see how this author weaves a tale of mystery, intrigue, depth, and heart pounding desire. I can be picky about the regency romances, but I swear this author keeps winning me over with this genre. Sometimes I get bored with it, but now when Heather Snow is at the helm. She has a beautiful way of creating a story that is intense, keeps your mind active, and at the same time satisfying you will a delightful romp of a romance. There were so many things that I adored about this story. One of the things that I found delightful was how Emma is determined to show Frederick that they are worth fighting for. She can be very bold and daring, which I wasn’t expecting. At first you think of her as smart and quick, but more of the sedate time. But no, when she wants something, she goes after it, with any means at her disposal. I loved the banter between Emma and Frederick, it was quite fun and playful. Despite the seriousness of the story line, locating a traitor and a killer on the loose, but the story is also packed with a some sizzling sexual tension, and some complex character and this is a story to keep your heart racing, and guaranteed to hold onto your attention and won’t let go till the last page.
Now I will say I just love the covers for this series. They fit the profile of the story, and the cover for Sweet Deception is mysterious and beautiful. I am a big fan for the color green, I feel like its such a good color, and really fits the heroine’s style that is displayed in the story. As a whole it has a simplicity to it, but at the same time gives off a edge of mystery as well. I love her pose, its very self assured and confident–which is exactly Emma. I love the way the dress is draped on, not too revealing, but gives off a hint of sensuality. Quite stunning.
Sweet Deception is a is a wonderfully written romance that combines, witty dialogue, captivating characters, fast paced plot, a few twists along the way, and a breathtaking love story. Heather Snow is a author that you HAVE to watch out for. Quite simply…refreshing and tasteful!!
“My little Pygmy, ” he murmured. “Are you planning to save the world?”
“Yes,” she whispered. caught in his gaze. Something sad and cynical crept into his eyes, coloring the green–a shadow of the pain she glimpsed last night. She wanted to banish it for him. Something in her knew that even more than she wanted to make the lives of Britons better, she wanted to help heal Derick Aveline. She reached her other hand to his face, cupping his jaw. “Yes” she said again, aloud, more firmly than before. “I am going to save the world.”
And I am going to start with you, her heart whispered.
Geoffrey Wentworth, the Earl of Stratford, is a war hero focused on affairs of king and country rather than affairs of the heart. Nevertheless, his mother is playing matchmaker and has invited potential brides to visit the family estate. Geoffrey resigns himself to playing host to a gaggle of husband-hunters more interested in his title than in him—until he unexpectedly meets one notable and intriguing exception.
Miss Liliana Claremont has no interest in being an earl’s wife, least of all Wentworth’s—the son of the man she believes murdered her father. Liliana is determined to find evidence of the crime, but her behavior rouses the earl’s suspicions as well as her own undeniable attraction to a man she thought was her enemy. As Geoffrey and Liliana explore their growing passion for one another, the truth behind their fathers’ enmity threatens to destroy their newfound love…
Geoffrey, the Earl of Stratford, is a military man, and ever since the war ended, has been looking for a way to get a bill passed, that would allow those brave soldiers to find jobs and have a safe place to live other than the streets. When he learns that his mother has planned a country house party, under his name, to find him a bride…he is furious. He refuses to marry yet, there is so much he needs to do and the last thing he needs is a woman he could never love or trust. Liliana Claremont, despite the pretenses, is not looking for a husband. Her father was murdered, and she believes the answers to his death will be found at Stratford. When she meets Geoffrey, and they become friends, her heart begins to soften toward him, but will the truth behind their father’s death destroy the love they have or fortify it?
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