In 1880 on the Isle of Wight, the Earl of Sandown Blake Hargrove intercepts Madelaine Lindsay as she hurries to meet his brother John. Blake makes it clear that John will not be at the rendezvous point. Not listening, Madelaine takes out a sailboat. Later she is officially pronounced dead from drowning.
One year later at an art gallery, Cerise Lindsay admires a statue of Adonis when Blake joins her. Blake nor Cerise knows the identity of the other, but both share a love of sculpturing. Their attraction to one another grows immediate and powerful until they make introductions. Madelaine's death haunts both of them. Cerise has returned from studying sculpturing in Italy to learn what happened to her sister Madelaine. Blake has returned from France where he sought clues as to who would want Madelaine dead. They agree to work as a team undercover the mystery of Madelaine. They fall in love, but an unknown assailant will kill both of them if they get one any closer to the truth.
Jo-Ann Power's ALLURE resides in her descriptive Victorian romances that bring full visibility to a bygone era. Her latest novel paints an intriguing picture of late Victorian England that shows an aristocratic world in flux. The lead characters are warm and intelligent. As with the "American Beauty" trilogy, the support cast augments the story line with a depth that enables readers to feel the time frame without slowing down the fast-paced plot. The mystery adds an element of intrigue that blends well with the main story line. Ms. Power writes a powerful historical romance that leads the audience to conclude NEVER SAY NEVER to any future tales from this awesome author.
Harriet Klausner