From Publishers Weekly
Martin (Fanning The Flame; Hot Rain) is well known for her sensuous love scenes, but hot sex isn't enough to make this tepid Regency-era romance sizzle. To ferret out a French spy, Captain Caleb Tanner has taken a position as a stable groom at Parklands, an estate belonging to the famed courtesan Gabriella Durant. One of Caleb's prime suspects is young courtesan Vermillion Lee Durant, Gabriella's irresistible niece. As is the case in many of Martin's romances, instant attraction pulls the protagonists together, but the author wisely allows Caleb and Lee to develop a friendship before they become intimate. A few flimsy hurdles threaten their relationship-such as Lee's determination to become a courtesan, and Caleb's distaste for her profession and his dedication to his own. But in a derivative plot twist, Caleb discovers that Lee is really a virgin who's playing at being a courtesan to please her aunt. The romantic tension runs rampant after Caleb reveals his identity, but the two predictably push each other away until the conclusion's climactic spy unveiling. Though the book's tired plot and stock characters aren't likely to appeal to seasoned romance readers (and may even disappoint some of Martin's fans), readers new to the genre should enjoy this sexy, serviceable story. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Review
Romantic Times Kat Martin shimmers like a bright diamond in the genre.


Book Description
No one sets fire to the page like New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin, who takes readers into the opulent world of Regency-era England with novels that shimmer with passion and linger in the heart long after the last page is turned. Vermillion Lee Durant is well versed in the art of seduction and determined to remain loyal to the destiny she was born to fulfill. But to Captain Caleb Tanner, a British officer hunting a spy who has been leaking information to the French, she may be more than the flirtatious young woman she seems. Assigned to uncover the truth about Vermillion and her aunt, Caleb poses as a groom at the Durant racing stables -- and fights an attraction to Vermillion that may cloud his judgment and threaten his heart. Both captivated and annoyed by the handsome, arrogant groom, Vermillion vows to resist him -- knowing she must choose allegiance to her family over the desires Caleb has awakened. But passion and truth cannot always be denied, even for two lovers who are masters at keeping secrets.


About the Author
Kat Martin is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty novels, including Fanning the Flame, Hot Rain, The Fire Inside, Heartless, The Secret, Perfect Sin, Silkand Steel, and Night Secrets. She is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara, where she majored in anthropology and history. She currently lives in Montana.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

No one sets fire to the page like New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin, who takes readers into the opulent world of Regency-era England with novels that shimmer with passion and linger in the heart long after the last page is turned.

Vermillion Lee Durant is well versed in the art of seduction and determined to remain loyal to the destiny she was born to fulfill. But to Captain Caleb Tanner, a British officer hunting a spy who has been leaking information to the French, she may be more than the flirtatious young woman she seems. Assigned to uncover the truth about Vermillion and her aunt, Caleb poses as a groom at the Durant racing stables -- and fights an attraction to Vermillion that may cloud his judgment and threaten his heart.

Both captivated and annoyed by the handsome, arrogant groom, Vermillion vows to resist him -- knowing she must choose allegiance to her family over the desires Caleb has awakened. But passion and truth cannot always be denied, even for two lovers who are masters at keeping secrets.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly