Smitten by Books

Fallen Angel
Author: Mary Jo Putney
Publisher: Everlyn
Pub. Date: November 2, 2009
ISBN-13: 978-1849670005
Retail: £6.99
354 pages

Taste the Passion, Glitter and Menace of Regency England.

Haunted by the betrayals of his past, Nicholas Davies, the half Gypsy Earl of Aberdare, returns to Wales after years of absence, determined to sever all ties with his ancestral home so he can leave forever.

But the estate and village have suffered in his absence, and only school teacher Clare Morgan has the courage to confront the earl and insist he fulfil his responsibilities. Nicholas offers an impossible challenge that will ruin her reputation, secure in the belief that she will refuse.

Furiously Clare accepts his outrageous demand, and finds herself drawn into a glittering Regency world of danger and desire…

~*~*~

A delightful read with an intriguing plot.

Confronted by a respected Methodist school teacher, a half Gypsy earl of dubious character meets her challenge on his own conditions – he wants her reputation. Determined not to let the earl win, she accepts. Who will succeed in this wicked game?

Back after years spent abroad, Nicholas Davies, Earl of Aberdare, returns to the ancestral home he despises with the firm intention of selling it and leaving the place, and his traumatic past behind for good. But one night, after imbibing too much on brandy, he finds himself cornered by a young woman from the village, intent on forcing him to shoulder his responsibilities. Unable to resist her challenge, he adds a twist to her conditions. She would have to move into the manor and live with him for three months, sharing one kiss per day. Fully expecting the prim teacher to decline this danger to her reputation, he is in for a shock when she accepts.

When she hears about the earl’s return, Clare Morgan is driven by one wish only – to see the local mine made safe, and the village brought up to standard. Summoning up all her courage, she goes to ask the earl for help. But his attitude, and counter-challenge, leaves her no choice but to accept and move in with the dark, brooding man.

While Nicholas tries every trick to seduce her, Clare finds it harder and harder to resist his charms. Drawn to unravel the dark secrets of his past, she begins to fall for him, firm in the belief that after three months, she would never have to cross his path again.

As they share each other’s lives – and several sensual rounds of billiards – neither can deny their growing attraction. But other dangers lurk as they uncover a sinister plot that imperils not only the miners’ lives, but also their own. Thrown together by these unexpected events, Nicholas is forced to make a choice, and to confront his past for a final time.

The beginning of Fallen Angel reminded me of another novel, Brenda Joyce’s A Dangerous Love, also about a half Gypsy earl. The storyline, however, varies greatly.

While Nicholas is brooding, with dark secrets and a complex, fascinating personality, Clare is a determined heroine from an entirely different background. During their time together, she begins to query her own past, and her own beliefs, especially when some locals take against her after she moves in with Nicholas. Her internal journey makes her a realistic, believable character.

At times I felt somewhat distant due to Ms Putney’s writing style. In the early stages, I could not get close to the characters but this changed soon as I was pulled into the intriguing storyline. While some actions are predictable, there is also plenty of suspense. I will definitely read it again one day.

Fallen Angel was first published in the US in 1993 as Thunder & Roses by Penguin Books USA Inc.

Rating: 8 (Very Good)

Heat-Level: 3: (Sensual)