A Deceitful Heart

by Karla Hocker

AN INDIGNANT HEIRESS... — Lady Caroline Dundas may have been raised in New Orleans but she knew how to comport herself as well as any London miss. But proper manners were quite impossible to maintain in the face of Simon Renshaw's arrogance. How dare he declare her father an impostor who had returned to England only to grab the family fortune and title. Renshaw was clearly a charlatan... and a rake as well! For he looked her up and down with an insulting familiarity that made her wish she were not such a lady after all!

A SUSPICIOUS SCOUNDREL...

Simon Renshaw could not believe the raven-haired Lady Caroline was an innocent in the Dundas deception. She was too clever by half -- and suspiciously protective of her scheming papa. Though she appeared to be nothing more than a cold-blooded adventuress, Simon could not help but wish himself in her clutches. Perhaps a stolen kiss or two might melt her deceitful heart... and yield up something even more precious than the truth...

351 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1993

About the author

Karla Hocker, a native of Germany, was the author of fourteen Regency novels and various novellas. She attributed her love of the English language and her fascination with the Regency period to a three-year stay in England. Karla lived with her family - and far too many cats - in San Antonio, Texas. She passed away after a battle with cancer on May 28, 2004.

Reviews

[QNPoohBear · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jeanette Dundas and her father Hugh, rightfully the Marquis of Luxton, travel to England from New Orleans to reconcile with Hugh's estranged family. Jeanette's father informs her that she must go by Lady Caroline in England and that he once made a promise that he'd bring Jeanette to England when she turned 18 and marry her to an Englishman. Jeanette is horrified. She wants nothing to do with marriage. She learned early on that while gentlemen may put ladies on a pedestal, their own behavior is less than noble. She even started a dress ship for girls of color who wish to avoid the kind of life that is common for girls who aren't Creole. In England, Jeanette learns that her grandfather, the 5th Duke has died and her distant cousin Frederick is now the Duke of Granby. Frederick is young and unsure of himself and his cousin, Simon Renshaw, the family solicitor, has taken it upon himself to watch out for his younger cousin. Simon is firmly convinced that "Lady Caroline" and her father are impostors and he's determined to prove it. First, he argues with Lady Caroline and then he decides to charm her into a confession, after all, she is a beautiful woman. Jeanette is firmly convinced her father is who he says he is but he isn't making any moves to prove his identity, so Jeanette feels she must convince Simon of the truth all by herself. Jeanette's friend Annie, who happens to be a ghost, suggests using feminine wiles on Simon and if all else fails, a love potion. While Jeanette is preoccupied with proving her identity and helping Annie learn what happened to her family, she continually runs afoul of Simon. However, Simon proves to be truly an honorable gentleman. He represents the downtrodden in court and even helps Jeanette rescue a young woman who was tricked into entering a "bawdy house." Jeanette discovers that she may not need feminine wiles after all, for Simon is truly attractive, as a man. It's too bad he's her sworn enemy! The rest of the Dundas clan has mixed opinions on the identity of the long-lost family members but Hugh is determined his daughter will take her rightful place in society, even if it means losing her forever.

This story is much longer than a typical Regency and has many twists and turns. Halfway through the book I began to doubt what I was sure I knew. By the conclusion, I was confused because the plot just didn't make much sense. Even so, it kept me guessing and reading late into the night. I wasn't crazy about the romance plot. The hero comes across as such a jerk that I had a hard time believing the romance.I also didn't like the introduction of a ghost friend. That stretched credibility far too much. The romance is kisses only. There is some frank discussion of intimate relations between men and women of lower classes and some advice on marital relations but nothing smutty. Overall, the book isn't bad but it isn't great either. I'd recommend it for someone who likes alpha male heroes and mysteries.