Lanterns

Marietta is holding together a family that has been impoverished by her father's gambling debts. She finds herself attracted to a strange man who has befriended her youngest brother, despite rumors that he might be a kidnapping murderer. As dozens of cut-throat treasure seekers arrive near their home to find a stolen jeweled picture, Marietta finds herself on his side, fighting for his honor and his legacy. I liked this book amazingly well for a romance that did not have so much as a kiss in it. The story was compelling, the characters richly developed, and everyone had their good and bad points. I do wish, however, for one really romantic scene here. Perhaps Veryan can turn up the heat on her next offering.

I think that this was a very entertainig book. I love all things written by Ms. Veryan. Her characters are colorfull and real to life. I especially liked the child. He truly makes life a place that can be shared with our favorite people, both past and present.

I'm a major Veryan fan who I think is the closest Regency author to the great Georgette Heyer. Her tales are always sparkling and her characters are real. I like the lace of humor that she includes too. I enjoyed this book, but felt it fell short of some of her others. However, I'm waiting anxiously for the next one

Laughter, love and....the unexpected. That's the norm from Patricia Veryan. LANTERNS tells the story of a Regency spy, his love, and a Chinese giant. Oh, and there's Sir Lancelot, a very small & hairy Friar Tuck & the hurricane. But I don't want to give away the plot. If you enjoy a good read, you MUST get LANTERNS