If you’ve read Laurens’ ‘Bastion Club’ series you’ll find Edge of Desire similar to the previous seven books. It’s supposedly the last of the series but fans will be thrilled to find one more dashing blade to fall. It’s about Christian Allardyce and the beautiful Lady Leticia Randall, a damsel in distress he just can’t erase from his mind. After an understanding in their youth, Letitia gave Christian her virtue to guard. Drafted into the secret service, Christian expected Letitia to wait for him, but a family disgrace means she’s sold into a loveless marriage. After her cruel husband is murdered years later, Letitia is suspected in his killing. With nowhere else to turn, she has no choice but to ask Christian for help. Despite the strain in their relationship after Letitia’s erstwhile abandonment, the skills he’s honed in his career are just what she needs to clear her name. Those who like shades of a detective story in Regencies will delight in this well written yarn, which is hard to put down until the very last. Myriad twists and turns will keep fans of the genre enthralled and the divine ‘happily ever after’ will make them swoon.

Drew Turney is a freelance journalist, graphic designer and web developer

This review from Australian Bookseller & Publisher magazine is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2008, Thorpe-Bowker

Tags: stephanie laurens