December 19: Both Hero and Heroine are full of surprises

[Dls]

I had such fun rereading this book to try to find a puzzler because there were so many wonderful bits I could have chosen from. I am very drawn to how this couple interact—and this scene captures the heat, the humor, the surprising turns the conversations take. Plus, of course, the author throws in Blakeley just for the heck of it...


Hero was leaning against the door frame of the pastry kitchen, covered in flour to the elbows, listening to something Antoine was saying. He glanced up at her and smiled just as he licked a large dollop of almond-pear off his thumb.
Now she remembered why she disliked the kitchens during dinner. The ovens made everything so damned hot.
“Want a taste?” he yelled above the kitchen’s racket.
Well. She had to make sure he hadn’t, oh, forgotten the sugar or something, didn’t she? It was her responsibility. She pulled a spoon from a jar of them that sat on the counter and headed over.
“How are thing upstairs?” he asked. He licked a last drop of sticky tart filling off his lip, and Heroine swallowed.
“Good. I don’t know how qualified our regent is to direct national politics, but he’s an excellent gourmand. Probably one of my few former patrons who’s wholeheartedly pleased with my change in professions.” She dipped her spoon in his bowl. Somehow, it seemed like an incredibly intimate act. Her cheeks heated. It’s just the ovens.
His eyes widened. “You mean you—you slept with the Prince Regent?”
The pleasant heat faded. Not this again. “I did.”
He chewed at his lower lip. “Can I ask you something? I wouldn’t, but I’ve always wanted to know—“
“Certainly,” she said coolly. “But I shan’t promise to answer it.”
“Does he use French holes?”
She stared at him. She hated to admit that Hero knew of a perversion of which she had never heard, but there was nothing for it. “French holes”
”On his corset,” Hero said impatiently. ‘You know—most use ordinary buttonholes, but some use a sort of eyelet made of ivory or bone. You can lace them tighter that way.”
She blinked. Then she bit the back of her hand, shaking with silent, helpless laughter. “I never noticed,” she admitted, when she could speak again.
He sniffed scornfully, but his eyes were warm.
She realized she was still holding her spoon, full of almond-pear filing. She put it in her mouth, and her eyes widened. “Oh.”
He smiled at her. “It’s good, isn’t it?” he said in a low, warm voice, and she immediately pictured him saying the same thing in quite another context.
She eyed him suspiciously. Had he meant that to sound indecent? He blinked innocently at her, and she decided that he had.
“It’ll do,” she said. “Did you know that Sir Percy Blakeney is angling to be sent to France as a spy?”
“No!” Hero’s whole face lit up with glee.

[Monica]

I know I haven't read this one!!!

[Kasey]

I am pretty sure I haven't read this one.

[Beebs]

Definitely haven't read this.

[Okie]

Is this book a part of a series? I haven't read it but for some strange reason, it sounds familiar.

[Dls]

Nope. Not part of a series.

[Zumbagirl]

I have no idea, but it sounds like a great book! By any chance, is it ? That's the only book I can think of that has a lot of food talk, but I've yet to read it

[Dls]

No although I really liked that book. This book isn't that foodie actually.

[Manda]

I have an idea--actually it's between one series and one book I haven't read yet. Can't wait to find out!

[Dls]

This is from Rose Lerner's A Lily Among Thorns.

Probably one of my top 10 romances of the year.

[Dls]

And Blakely of course is the scarlet pimpernel...years after his exploits.

[Manda]

And that was one of my guesses:) Gotta move that one up the tbr pile!

[Janga]

I need to move it up in my TBR stack too. I really liked her first book.