Historical
After the Kiss
By Leigh
Jul 1, 2008 - 7:20:39 AM

The illegitimate and unrecognized son of a Marquis, Sullivan Waring has made a place in society on his own, earning a respectable reputation as soldier and topnotch horse breeder.  Now, Sullivan is determined to take back the only birthright he can claim – his mother’s paintings, seized and sold by the Marquis upon her death.  Sullivan’s means for recovering the artwork – thievery – also serves as a blow to the father who never claimed him, who most assuredly knows the culprit and reason behind the rash of thefts.

When Sullivan breaks into the Marquis of Darshear’s London home to recover yet another painting, he’s surprised by the daughter of the house, Lady Isabel.  Stealing away with both the painting and a kiss from the lovely lady, Sullivan is confident they’ll never cross paths and she’ll be unable to finger him as the thief.  As luck would have it though, the next day the two come face to face, and it’s more than apparent that Isabel both recognizes Sullivan as the thief, and intends to take full advantage of her knowledge.

Isabel is on the fence as to which disturbed her more – her home being burgled, or the amount of enjoyment she took in the stolen kiss.  Either way, she’s determined to keep Sullivan close until she decides what to do with him.  Blackmailing him into selling and training a mare for her seems the perfect way for Isabel to keep Sullivan under her thumb, although she’s not quite sure she can actually control such a primal man.

All too soon Sullivan’s games – both with Isabel and his thievery – present more of a danger than he’d thought.  For along with his freedom, Isabel also holds Sullivan’s heart.  And though polite society often specializes in games themselves, they’re also ruthless with their opponents, and Sullivan and Isabel become caught in a scandal that could ruin them both.

AFTER THE KISS is a wonderful debut for Susan Enoch’s ‘The Notorious Gentlemen’ series, a series which looks quite promising for historical romance fans!  I loved the banter and tension, as well as tenderness between Isabel and Sullivan as they found each other.  The love between them was so strong and sweet that it made the obstacles of their class and family all the more heartbreaking.  Most of all, I loved seeing Sullivan come to the realization that his respectability and worth were earned by his own actions, rather than by a birthright.  The secondary characters, especially Bram, add color and interest to the story, and will be sure to peak reader’s interest as the series continues.  Look for book two in ‘The Notorious Gentlemen’ series BEFORE THE SCANDAL in August 2008.