2004-08-12 good but not her best

Having Read most of her works I was really looking forward to her latest series.
This is the first of 3 books about half brothers who are all by-blows of Prinny set in 1813.
The first book is the tale of Alec, the Earl Of Iversley (no-one other than himself, his mother and her husband know that he is the Prince of Wales' by-blow). Who has recently come into the earldom and has found out that his "father" has let the estate go into disrepair.
So he decides to arrange a get together with his two other half-brothers Lord Draker and Gavin Byrne, and form an alliance. Thay help him to marry an heiress and he helps them to attain a goal of their own.
Enter Miss Katherine Merivale, who has been waiting for years for her childhood friend to propose.
Alec "meets" Katherine at a ball and "suggests" that he play the role of a suitor to gently push her friend into proposing. In the meantime allowing Alec access to her and to court her.
Katherine finds that Alec isn't what the ton (herself included) think he is. With his mysterious past and what she feels for him, she feels drawn towards Alec. As the inevitable happens Alec's conscience starts to weigh on him. Even though now he loves her how will she take it that he originally courted her for her money?

This is an average run-of-the-mill romance with non of the real jest she has demonstrated in some of her other works. If you like Sabrina Jeffries you will not be disappointed but wont be really entralled either.