2008-06-30 Engaging and exciting historical romance

Madeline Prescott is determined that her new teaching role at Mrs Harris's School for Young Ladies will help repair her father's tarnished reputation. But that is until the devilishly handsome Anthony Dalton, Viscount Norcourt tries to enrol his niece at the school.

With a reputation as a rakehell, there is only one way to ensure that the Viscount is truly willing to change his ways - get him to give "rake lessons" to the pupils to teach them how to avoid the advances of unscrupulous gentlemen.

Madeline has always believed attraction is a scientific matter but there is nothing scientific about the way Anthony makes her feel. And as the pair are brought together, first to help the pupils and then to help Madeline's father - Madeline knows she is playing with fire. For there is nothing more dangerous than a rake. Even more so when he is trying so hard to behave himself!


This book is the fourth in Jeffries' School For Heiresses series (after Never Seduce A Scoundrel (School for Heiresses), Only a Duke Will Do (School for Heiresses) and Beware a Scot's Revenge (School for Heiresses)) and is a fantastic addition to the series. Despite that, it also stands alone quite nicely so there is no real need to have read the other books before reading this one.

Both Madeline and Anthony are stand out characters that really make this book. Madeline is intelligent, passionate and every thing she does is for a reason - there are certainly no stupid heroines in a Sabrina Jeffries novel. Anthony is the kind of character that you just love to read about. He's sexy, alpha, a little arrogant with a dark and tortured past - the perfect hero to be tamed by love! Together the pair have delicious banter and hot chemistry which makes for some scorching reading in parts.

The story is fast paced, interesting and so rich in detail that you can't help but be transported into the Regency times where this story is set. There is obviously a huge amount of research that has gone in to this book but at no point does it come across like a boring history lesson with the author simply telling us facts about the period for the sake of it. This gives the book an intelligent edge that is sometimes lacking in other books of the same genre.

Overall, this is another wonderful romance from Sabrina Jeffries. Intelligent, engaging, romantic and wonderfully written - you really can't ask for more from a historical romance and it's easy to see why Sabrina Jeffries is one of the best in her field. Highly recommended and definitely worth the full 5 stars.