Radiant

Henriette runs away from home beacause her evil father wants her to marry this creepy Reverend Cecil Thwacker. Henriette goes to London to stay with her aunt where she meets Brendan Kincaid. Brendan's brother Will states he will be the next Earl if he gets married in a short period of time and follows all the rules of the 'Game'. The characaters had some great connection - not my favorite book I have read but over all I will read other books by this author.

Captain Brendan Kincaid has just returned from India to claim his inheritance after the death of his brother. However, his brother's stipulation to the inheritance is that Brendan must procure a wife by following the rules of the "game" outlined in the will. Brendan initially intends to refuse, as he has no interest in marriage, but finds himself intrigued and agrees to play. Miss Henriette Purcell has run away from home to escape her arranged marriage to the vicar, Cecil Thacker. While residing in London, she meets Captain Kincaid. He is handsome and witty, but Henriette finds this brainless Adonis annoyingly arrogant and rude, and she determines to dislike him. Brendan is drawn to the strong, self-possessed Henriette, and finds himself pursuing her despite her repeated refusals. His passion for her makes him determined to win her heart. But Henriette is in love with the intelligent, adventurous, well-known author, Felix Blackstone. Felix is the man of her dreams and Brendan will never measure up. Yet she finds herself increasingly drawn to Brendan, and her inexperienced heart doesn't quite know how to handle it. Henriette's in a muddle. As she attempts to work through these conflicting feelings, she finds herself using the voice of Francesca, heroine of the gothic romance story she is writing, to clarify which man truly possesses her heart. Radiant is an imaginative story and a pleasure to read. The primary characters are delightful, and the supporting cast adds such variation and humor to the plot that you will feel compelled to immerse yourself in the story. Well done. I look forward to more from Taylor Jones. Joni Bowen

After several years in India, Captain Brendan Kincaid returns to England to obtain his inheritance. However, he quickly learns that his situation is not quite that simple as a stipulation for him to inherit is that he must marry one of three chosen eligible females. Miss Henrietta Purcell flees the countryside to avoid the amorous advances of Reverend Cecil Thacker, who arrogantly demands she marry him. In London she meets the handsome haughty captain, but though attracted to him, refuses to deal with another overly-opinioned self-aggrandizing hunk. Brendan wants to ignore the exasperating rustic, but cannot get her out of mind. He knows selecting her means overcoming her rejection of him, her infatuation of the writer Felix Blackstone, and forfeiting his inheritance; no wonder he believes love is a lot of trouble. Henrietta is a refreshing lead protagonist as she flees the illicit advances of one male only to meet a hunk, but her desires reside with an author she never met. Brendan has his own dilemma as his inheritance leaves him no apparent wiggle room, but his heart (and his betraying body) says Henrietta is the woman for him in spite of her denial that he is for her. Though the story line becomes typical Regency, RADIANT is a fun tale due to the loving battle between the lead couple. Harriet Klausner