The Passion of a Marquess, The Sisters of the Aristocracy, #2

Lady Samantha has had four Seasons and no offers of marriage. Her Aunt Caroline, Viscountess Chamberlain, decides that a tour of Italy is just the thing they need to land a suitable husband for Sam. Unfortunately, that plan goes awry when one evening the ship on which they are sailing is hit by a storm and Sam and Ethan Range, the Marquess of Plymouth, are swept overboard. They survive the sea, but are stranded on a desert island. While they have to rely on each other to survive, Sam’s uncle puts a search and rescue party in motion. However, after a week alone, do they really want to be rescued?

Be prepared to be swept away by this delightful historical romance! The swept overboard/desert island plot sounds a bit hard to pull off, but in the crafty hands of the author it works wonderfully. Several POVs let the reader get into the heads of the characters allowing one to really delve into their fascinating personalities and discover what makes them tick. The settings and descriptions are so well done that one can almost smell the ocean breeze, feel the sand between bare toes and see the island in all its greenery. The intimacy between Samantha and Ethan is delicately handled, not particularly graphic and yet so steamy it makes one swoon. Samantha’s decisions after the rescue are the only items to strike a sour note in an otherwise delicious tale, but have no fear. Yo ho ho and a cask of brandywine!

Carol Conley