Dangerous Passions

Black Phoenix #2

by Lynn Kerstan

When he receives a new mission from the mysterious fellowship of the Black Phoenix, Colonel Lord Marcus Cordell must win over Society's most fashionable woman--Lady Eve Halliday, who, despite her intense dislike for him, agrees to pose as his betrothed in order to trap a clever killer. Original.

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical

370 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 2, 2005

About the author

Lynn Kerstan is a former college professor, folksinger, professional bridge player, and nun.

Her first book, A Spirited Affair, published in 1993, was a double RITA finalist. In 1996, she took home a prestigious RITA Award for Gwen's Christmas Ghost, written with Indianapolis resident Alicia Rasley via E-Mail. A pioneer of on-line collaboration, she had previously collaborated with Rasley and Julie Caille on Lessons in Love, the world's first Electronic Regency Romance.

A four-time RITA finalist and regularly featured on awards lists, Kerstan has won the CRW Award of Excellence, the Golden Quill Award, two San Diego Book Awards, two Romance Communications Awards, and been a finalist for the National Readers' Choice Award, several Romantic Times awards, and the Holt Medallion.

Kerstan lives in Southern California, where she plots her books while riding her boogie board and does character research at the San Diego Zoo.

Reviews

[Susan Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady Eve Halliday is set to solve murders with Colonel Lord Marcus Cordell, while seeking revenge on him for the ruined reputation of her best friend. To make matters worse, someone is out to kill Eve but Cordell is determined not to let that happen. Both leads are upstanding characters. I would have given this book 4 or 5 stars - up until the end. Major plot lines are left dangling. We never find out who is trying to kill Eve or who framed her friend. This book was written in 2005 and I see no mention of a third book in the series that wraps things up. I hate when there's no conclusion in a book, therefore I would not recommend reading this one. It is a very disappointing ending. If I'm wrong and there is a concluding book, I'd love to know. But I don't like reading a book that is not self-contained unless I know what I'm getting into.

[Debra Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It did keep me wondering how it would resolve the problems the characters faced. Have not read any other books by this author but I am going to try them out.

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kept me reading, but what a disappointment the ending was! Too many dangling plots. Bad thing to do IMO.
Interesting, nonetheless.