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Christiane vows not to let the tumultous feelings she has for Gannon affect how his niece, Claire, is treated. However, she does not manage to keep herself from the uncle after all. At the same time, she is battling to now let others or herself see her as old. Only in her early forties, the idea of a new life with a man she loves is appealing and frightening.
The secondary love story is a sweet romance between Claire and a young Quaker man. Yet, all is not sweetness and light, or fiery passion either. There is a dark secret concealed in Claire's dreams, one that must be solved before anyone can find happiness.
***** Christiane will make readers cheer, as she is an older heroine in a genre traditionally populated with heroines who are extremely young. A strong and vital woman, she provides a decided contrast to young Claire. However, with dual heroines, this novel will appeal to a broader spectrum of ages. With repressed memories, warm humor, and a dog who is more like a person, this novel wins fans easily. *****
Twenty years later, Christiane, whom we met earlier in the wonderful The Suitor, is running a girls finishing school, when Gannon shows up with his neice in tow, wanting her to be a pupil. He is shocked to see her, but it isn't long before he is kissing her passionately and persuing his lifelong love for her. I won't spoil the story by saying more, but as always, this is a wonderfully crafted tale, passionate and sensual. When I say sensual, that is what I mean-even the food is described in detail as a real treat for the senses. I also liked the way Christiane is no vapid girl but a mature woman, sexually experienced, able to recognise how extraordinary is the passion between her and Gannon. Another unusual factor is that Christiane is past the age of childbearing, and speaks frankly about this. Gannon, however is not phased by this, declaring he is not particularly worried about having 'an heir and a spare' as it were,he just wants to spend the rest of his life with her. He is convinced they can be happy together, and his conviction is very seductive.
This book also contains a secondary love story between Claire, Gannon's neice, and a young Quaker, which is very appealing.
Gannon also changes his mind when the headmistress arrives. Twenty years ago in Paris, he offered his heart to Christiane d'Oliveri who rejected it to remain a mistress to a married man and a wife to an elderly male. Though she felt she was gentle in rejecting his offer of marriage, he thought she was cruel. Though he thought he offered his soul with kindness, she thought he was a pest who refused to hear her rejection. Now she is the headmistress of a school his niece badly needs to attend so both are on their best behavior but the attraction and their history remain volatile.
The latest Treadwell Regency romance, THE AFFAIR, is an enjoyable tale that sub-genre readers will appreciate as the plot is freshened by starring the headmistress countess as the lead female protagonist. Though the chasm between Christiane and Gannon opens at nuclear weapon meltdown rapidly depletes into a fly swatter, readers will still take delight in the relationship between them. Claire is a wonderful key player while the truth of what happened to her parents will surprise the audience. Finally, Christiane implies that she has to get (Mrs. Treadwell) a man before she can rest on her laurels so fans watch out.
Harriet Klausner
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