While Beatrice, Lady Somerfield, is chaperoning her niece, Emily, at a masquerade ball, she meets a man in an exotic costume and the physical attraction is undeniable. They knock off a quickie against a wall in the garden, but since Beatrice is a respected widow with two young daughters and her niece to think about, she makes her escape without her identity being known.

After their assignation, Gabriel, Marquess of Thayne, can't stop thinking about his "Artemis" and he finds himself looking for her in every woman he meets, but he also has other duties to tend to. He has promised his parents that he would begin looking for a bride.

While Beatrice is busy helping Emily land Gabriel, he figures out that Beatrice is his "Artemis" which puts a wrench into all of her carefully laid out plans. Since she and Gabriel are unable to deny their attraction, they decide to carry on their secret affair and begin plotting to change Emily's mind about landing Gabriel as a husband.

Beatrice has vowed to never marry and give up her freedoms again, but their relationship is soon exposed and her reputation is shattered. Gabriel attempts to do the honorable thing and asks for her hand and Beatrice finds herself torn in a battle between the things that matter most in her life.

This is another typical regency romance with a few, seldom used twists. For a change of speed, we're not hounded with the traits of a regency-era, chaste, virgin, suddenly turned sex fiend and the idea of Beatrice being an experienced widow lends a bit of credence to the steamy sex scenes in this book. I enjoyed Beatrice's adventurous side in the bedroom. While not a bad story, there is nothing spectacular or original to set this book apart from the rest, either.

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Publisher: Signet (August 1, 2006)
ISBN: 0451219201
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