Another smashing debut-author. Ms Hughes delivers an enticing, appealing early Regency-novel (Georgian Period).With a heroin who knows what she wants: her freedom to do whatever she want, when she wants it and the way she wants it and there’s no man who can dictate otherwise. And a hero who’s the perfect man for her. Georgianna (George) Exley is an extraordinay heroin for the time-period in which this book is set: she hunts, she smokes, has male friends and takes lovers on her own terms. She could easily be a 21st century-woman. But because Kalen Hughes describes her so well, she is never out of place in the 18th century.Ivo Dantry is handsome, mysterious and determined not to want Georgianna, despite his ernormous attraction to her. Picture two magnets but with the wrong polars towards each other. Attraction and rejection fighting to win. It’s not hard to imagine that the attractions wins...and how! Because when he finally gives in to his feelings, he’s determined to have and to hold Georgianna...I melted away at the scene at the end of the book where he comes in and literally sweeps Georgianna of her feet and carries her awayThe love-scenes are beautifully written and hot without getting too explicit or raunchy. For me that’s one of the things why I liked this book so much. Another is her description style. I’ve read books where everything is described in so much details it get’s boring and takes the attention away from the actual story. Same goes for the use of language. But not in this book. I felt like being swept into the 18th century from the first page without a single moment of boredom or annoyance. I know that Ms Hughes does a lot of research into the time-period and it shows in a very good way!Every chapter starts with a made-up quote from a column that actually existed in het Morning Post at that time, called Tête-à-TêteThe only less praising thing I can say about the book is that it has an enormous amount of secondary characters: friends, enemies, children, family, members of society.Sometimes it’s hard to remember all the names and relations between them. And I guess because of the great number of characters they are not really deepened out which leaves Ivo and Georgianna the most powerful characters in the book. Of course that is not a bad thing since they are hero and heroin but I always like a few secondary characters having a bigger role in the book than just being there hanging around in the background.Her writing reminds me of Elizabeth Hoyt, one of my favourite authors, but luckily she has her own unique style which I can only applaude. I can’t wait for Lord Scandal, her second book with Gabriel Angelstone, one of Georgianna’s best friends, as the hero.Quotes: He knew exactly how to ride her, how to wind her up into a ball of pure need and desire.Georgianna after being thoroughly satisfied by Ivo: “Do you intend to remove your coat and boots or is the point to spend the afternoon taking me like a pirate?”
