Christian Reade, Viscount Moreland, has had enough of ghosts, spirits and things that go bump in the night. Unfortunately, after unmasking a fake haunting, Christian has acquired a reputation as an expert on all things spectral and has been deluged with requests to communicate with the dead. Hoping to escape the pleas, he decides to visit his grandfather, only to find another missive there. Forced by his grandfather to accept the assignment, Christian heads to Sibel Hall and Miss Parkinson.
After years of being a companion to her aunt, all Abigail Parkinson wishes out of life is a comfortable little cottage in the country. To get there she has to sell her unexpected inheritance -- Sibel Hall. Unfortunately, the Hall comes with an assortment of cousins and a ghost determined to drive away would-be buyers. Feeling desperate, Abby turns to her Last Resort. She writes the Viscount Moreland and asks for help.
Expecting the owner of Sibel Hall to be a scheming miss out to bag herself a husband, Christian is surprised instead to find a hauntingly familiar young lady dressed like a governess. To make matters more intriguing, she's not happy to see him. In fact, no one is. Of course, Christian decides he will stay until he gets to the bottom of the ghost mystery or past Abigail Parkinson's defenses -- whichever comes first.
A MAN OF MANY TALENTS is an engaging tale peppered with just the right amount of humor and mystery. Christian and Abby complement each other perfectly, while the personalities of the other characters provide contrast and a bit of a red herring. At its heart, though, this is a reunion story and the poignant recounting of Abby and Christian's first "real" meeting will explain the significance of lilacs throughout the tale. Nostalgic and sweet, A MAN OF MANY TALENTS is the ideal companion for a spring afternoon.
TheSchemer