Pink Heart Reviews
After the Kiss
Suzanne Enoch
AVON, July 2008, 357 pp
ISBN-13: 978-006843090
Series: Book #1 -- Notorious Gentleman
Regency
$6.99 (US) $7.99 (CDN)
Reviewed by Mary
July 2008
Sullivan Waring was a respectable soldier, is an exceptional horse breeder and a thief with a mission. He chose to fight for his country, honed his skill with horses and was forced into thievery so that he could retrieve his mother’s paintings. Sully never wanted this life of crime and knows that the punishment is harsh but when his father, a man who refuses to acknowledge his illegitimate son’s existence sold the paintings that were rightfully Sully’s it was what he had to do. It was on one of these excursions where Sullivan is caught by Lady Isabel and while he found the painting he also found his reason to live in this beautiful, vibrant woman.
Isabel stands up to Sullivan and tells him he will not be allowed to take her family possessions, Sullivan disagrees but not without cost to his well being and a kiss for the fair lady. He is so taken by her beauty and strength that he finds himself not only compelled to take the kiss but forget himself and winds up losing his mask and exposing his face. Now Isabel knows who he is and when she next encounters him she finds herself in a position to control the relationship and Sully’s life through blackmail. But exactly what kind of blackmail is it when you are making the thief teach you to ride – who holds the cards in this game of chance?
What does Isabel hope to gain by challenging this man to accomplish what no one else has been able to by teaching her to ride a horse? She is not sure but what she is sure of is that Sullivan is someone she wants to be with despite his reputation, his parentage and title issues and his notoriety with women. Isabel is sure this man could come to know that she accepts him for what he is and not what he thinks she should have.
Their adventures together through riding lessons, night time encounters and one magnificent masquerade ball is that which makes romance great and gives hope to those who believe this genre is as magical as it appears. Isabel is more than anyone gives her due credit and she fights with everything she has to keep the love she has found and retain the respect she so deserves. Sullivan tries to overcome the misfortune of his birth, maintain his dignity and control the relationship with Tibby – good efforts but not everything is about the right and wrong which is what both of these characters come to learn and appreciate about life and each other.
Suzanne Enoch is off to a great start with her new Notorious Gentlemen series with AFTER THE KISS. The next book looks to be as exciting and interesting as this one and I can’t wait for its arrival and wish there were more than just the three in this series!
