Captain Alex Reid is not happy at all that he is being forced to waste two weeks playing nursemaid to the new envoy…a position that was neither wanted nor needed. Meeting the haughty Lord Frederick did not change his opinion. Though he had pointed it out, Governor General Wellesley had not been amused. The situation in Hyderabad was a powder keg, and Alex feared that Lord Frederick just might be the one to strike the match. He could see that the new envoy was ignorant of the problems in Hyderabad.
Emotionally abandoned by her husband as he gambles and dallies with the local ladies in India, Penelope turns to Alex, who she finds charming. With the deceit of the Court of Hyderabad, she also discovers he is the only one she can trust. Competing in sporting contests, at which Penelope excels and continuously wins, she and Alex fall in love. Penelope has a penchant for finding trouble. Reluctantly, Alex teams up with her to uncover the British flower spy Marigold and save the British Empire.
Mysterious and romantic, THE BETRAYAL OF THE BLOOD LILY, the sixth book in the PINK CARNATION series, is a delightful read. Although this story can be read as a stand-alone, readers will find it hard to stop at just this one, finding themselves consumed by a need for more of this delightful series, which combines historical romance, intrigue, espionage, wit and the exotic setting of India. Author Lauren Willig’s attention to detail takes this book over the top, making her an author whose books readers will want to revisit time and again. This tale is embedded within a more contemporary setting of a graduate student doing research for a thesis based on the British flower spies during the Napoleonic Wars. Readers will find they get two stories in one; the contemporary romance between Colin and the narrator, Eloise, in addition to the historical story of Penelope, Alex and Freddy. I highly recommend THE BETRAYAL OF THE BLOOD LILY to those looking for a terrific story with plenty of adventure and intrigue.
