One Kiss from You [Mass Market Paperback]

In a fit of madness, the Duke of Magnus had wagered his daughter's (Madeline, the future Duchess of Magnus) hand in marriage as a stake while gambling. He lost, and subsequently, Madeline found herself engaged to be married to Remington Knight, a rich American. Magdeline, however, was not someone to sit idly by while others decide her fate. And she persuades her gentle cousin, Eleanor (who also acts as her companion), to pretend to be her and to go to London in order to meet Remington Knight, while she tries to figure a way out of her predicament.

While Eleanor is reluctant to take part in so foolhardy an enterprise, loyalty to her cousin who took her in when she so desperately needed a home and a friend, makes her agree to the risky plan. But Eleanor is not at all sure if she can pull off this masquerade: Magdeline is flamboyant, autocratic and incredibly courageous -- everything Eleanor is not. And when she finds that she's perilously attracted to this brash and commanding American, Eleanor knows that she's sunk. For all she think about is what it would be like if Remington were really her's. But Remington seems obsessed with the notion of being married to the future duchess. And what Remington's reaction will be when he discovers that he's been wooing the wrong woman, Eleanor dare not contemplate...

On the whole I found "One Kiss From You" to be a slightly more interesting read that "Scandalous Again." The story was a compelling one about revenge and murder, with two rather interesting characters at the center of it all. Remington Knight proved to be the rather typical Dodd romance hero -- likable but annoyingly arrogant and sure of himself (and reading about how him becomes fascinated and enthralled by Eleanor was a lot of fun); while in Eleanor we were provided with a heroine that was not quite the usual fare -- Eleanor initially seemed to quiet, timid yet courageous and honourable. But as the novel progressed, so too did Eleanor's character blossom, and she became more sure of herself and her capabilities -- and watching this happen was incredibly satisfying. The plot, however, did not unfold all that quickly but the somewhat sedate pacing did allow for the attraction that develops between Remington and Eleanor to establish "legs" (in fact some of the interaction between Remington and Eleanor were fairly scotching!). If I had one criticism (aside from my usual complaint about the usuage of twentieth century phrases and terms), it was that for a novel that centered around one man's need for revenge, that part of the plot was never really properly developed. All in all, "One Kiss From You" was a rather enjoyable read.

Eleanor and the duchess' fiancé Remington Knight are both shocked by the attraction to one another and more so by how different their image is from the reality. As the Duchess works to free herself from this unwanted engagement, Eleanor and Remington becomes better acquainted until they fall in love. However, she is masquerading as her cousin while he has a hidden agenda of revenge that when either surfaces will destroy the key trust element of their budding relationship.

Regency romance readers will take great pleasure with Christina Dodd's latest trading places tale. The story line is fast-paced and action-packed, but the key is the extended cast that makes the "family feud" seem genuine and even more important fresh as the sub-genre has had enough feuds to eradicate the Ton. The loving couples provide the right romantic spin especially when Eleanor and Remington exchange words and he "faints" out of love for her. Ms. Dodd is at her best with this delightful amusing tale of vengeance going awry.

Harriet Klausner