Tempt Me Twice

From Publishers Weekly Far-fetched, formulaic and flat, this lightweight Regency provides few thrills but plenty of melodrama. In an effort to stop talented sketch artist Gabriel Kenyon and her father, Henry, from journeying to Africa in search of a ruined city, 16-year-old Kate Talisford offers herself to Gabe only to be summarily rejected. Four years later, Gabe returns to inform Kate and her younger sister of their father's death and finds that Sir Charles, a friend of Henry's, has already imparted the news. Still angry with Gabe for spurning her, Kate is stunned to learn that her father asked him to be their guardian, especially since Sir Charles claims that he was charged with the task. Kate knows that one of the men is lying; predictably, she assumes that it is Gabe. Even after Gabe reveals that Sir Charles killed her father to get his hands on a priceless statue, Kate remains distrustful of him. Nonetheless, she agrees to take part in a harebrained scheme to retrieve the statue and falls in love with Gabe while carrying out the plan. The narrative's clich‚d dialogue and numerous cliffhanger endings only contribute to the novel's exaggerated feel, and the histrionics of Smith's (Romancing the Rogue) headstrong characters will alienate rather than engage the reader. (Sept.)Forecast: Smith will be lucky if readers are tempted even once by this offering. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. Product Description A rogue shrouded in mystery, Lord Gabriel Kenyon returns from abroad to find himself guardian of Kate Talisford, the girl he had betrayed four years earlier. Now sworn to protect her, he fights his attraction to the spirited young woman. Although Kate wants nothing to do with the scoundrel who had once scorned her, Gabriel is the only man who can help her recover a priceless artifact stolen from her late father. On a quest to outwit a murderous villain, she soon discovers her true adventure lies with Gabriel himself, a seducer whose tempting embrace offers an irresistible challenge--to uncover his secrets and claim his heart forever... Review "Barabar Dawson Smith is wonderful!"--Affaire de Coeur "Barbara Dawson Smith makes magic."--Romantic Times
ASIN: 0312979495
VSKU: 56JTFY003CT5_ns
Condition: Good