Seductive Impostor [Mass Market Paperback]

An amazing novel from Janet Chapman. The main character, Rachel, grew up apprenticing to be an architect like her father. Together they built a truly "smart" mansion to house a local man's treasures. When her parents and the man die in a murder-suicide/love triangle mess in the house, Rachel abandons the house and her passion for architecture. The book opens with the local man's heir coming to town three year's after the tragedy to claim his fortune. At the same time, Rachel finds out that the local man also brokered in stolen treasures and gave many to her father. He tells Rachel, via a note left with their attorney, that he built secret rooms for the illegal goods in both her house and the smart mansion. Rachel tries to sneak in to put the stolen goods in the mansion's vault for the new heir to deal with, but is caught. Rachel and the heir (Kee) partner to solve the mystery of the stolen goods and some legitimate treasures missing from the mansion, but they both hold back on the other.

Kee resembles a modern day pirate, complete with crew and an adorable five year old daughter. Rachel is in desparate need of an adventure. Together they fall in love, find the bad guys, recover the treasures, and still find time to entertain the town. You won't be able to put this book down, it is a truly enjoyable read.

In Puffin Harbor, Maine, Rachel Foster is unhappy to learn that the owner of Sub Rosa, the seaside mansion she and her father designed, is coming to take up residence. Rachel knows that the mansion is the place where tragedy ended in the murders of her mother and their parents' best friend by their father who committed suicide right afterward. However, she learns that her father and his former pal had been art thieves stealing millions and her dad has left it up to her to rectify the situation anyway she wants.

The new owner Keenan Oakes and his five male disciples arrive as Rachel sneaks into the building. He catches her, but she temporarily escapes. Kee forces the issue of Rachel staying with him and his men allegedly to help them open up the state of the art technological house, but in reality he wants to keep an eye on her and not just because he does not trust her. As Rachel and Kee fall in love, he has kept secrets from her while she fears that once he learns her deepest concerns involving her father he will end their relationship.

This is an engaging romantic suspense that has several late surprising twists that will keep readers guessing on who did what to whom. The story line is at its best when Kee and Rachel battle even as they fall in love with one another. Hopefully, future tales starring the disciples and her sister will be coming soon as Janet Chapman seduces her audience with enjoyable tale.

Harriet Klausner

Perched on the cliffs above Puffin Harbor, Maine sits a technological marvel of a mansion named Sub Rosa. Lovingly conceived and designed by Frank Foster and his daughter Rachel for his best friend, billionaire Thaddeus Lakeman, Sub Rosa is where Frank takes his own life after killing his wife and Thadd when he finds them together. Devastated by the tragedy, for the last three years Rachel has shunned her profession and the house she helped build. Now, however, a recently discovered box left by her father uncovers a dark secret -- many of the gifts given to Rachel and her sister Willow by their father and Thadd are stolen goods worth millions. Determined to protect Willow's fast-track law career, Rachel decides to return the stolen treasures to Sub Rosa, but she must act fast, for Thaddeus Lakeman's long-lost heir is due to arrive soon.

Professional adventurer, hunter, and salvager Keenan Oakes has long enjoyed traveling the world on his schooner, the Six-to-One Odds, with his little girl Mikaela, her pet wolf Mickey, and his loyal but motley crew. Arriving at Sub Rosa to begin a new adventure, Keenan quickly realizes he has an intruder -- a beautiful female who deviously disables him and mysteriously disappears. By the time he and his men figure out who she is and arrive to confront her, they find a barely conscious Rachel, badly hurt during her rushed escape. Determined to find out what she's up to, Keenan shanghais the helpless Rachel back to Sub Rosa where he can keep an eye on her. Now Keenan's "houseguest," Rachel tries to complete her mission even as she fights their growing attraction. If that isn't bad enough, things get even more complicated when items from Thaddeus Lakeman's legitimate art collection come up missing. What is going on?

In Latin Sub Rosa means Beneath the Roses or perhaps secrets buried deep, a perfect description for the two lead characters in Janet Chapman's THE SEDUCTIVE IMPOSTOR. Keenan and Rachel make an instant connection, but each hides secrets from the other, and the twists and turns their relationship take will keep readers on their toes. While the plot's central theme revolves around stolen treasures, the heart of the story is the relationships: a man and a woman falling in love, two sisters united against a tragic past, a young child and her group of adoring "uncles," and even a wolf bonding with his master's woman. Each character is unique and memorable. Add to that the beauty of Maine, which, once again, comes to life in Ms. Chapman's narrative, and what do you have? A true crowd pleaser.

TheSchemer