Stevie‘s review of Danger Wears White (Emperors of London, Book 3) by Lynne Connolly
Historical Romance published by Lyrical Press 07 Jul 15
This series just keeps getting better as the politics and intrigue are ramped up with each new revelation. The romance plots aren’t half bad either, as we meet more of the Emperors of the series’ title and each of them gets paired off. This time it’s the turn of Antonius, better known as Tony, and his match is probably my favourite heroine of the series so far, helped by her love for a house that is based closely on one that is also very dear to me.
Imogen is happily single and living in semi-exile in the Lancashire countryside, the majority of her father’s estates having been seized, along with his title, for his part in the Jacobite risings. However, the eccentric Tudor house where she lives with her mother remains in trust for Imogen until she either marries or reaches the age of thirty-five. Imogen’s plan is to take care of the house and its estate for the next ten years, carefully avoiding her mother’s matchmaking attempts and then to continue her life as an independent woman of property. Then she comes across a wounded man in an old barn.
Tony is on a mission for his family, to retrieve the important documents they believe to be hidden in Imogen’s house. An encounter with enemies who are after those same papers has left him with a bullet wound – and while disguised as a Jacobite, no less. Fortunately, Imogen takes pity on him and hides him in a partially blocked off room, even though she knows that her family connections combined with Tony’s supposed allegiance could get her into serious trouble. Helped by her loyal family retainers, and hindered by the presence of unexpected visitors in the house, Imogen cares for Tony while leading him to believe that she is merely the housekeeper to the family whose house he is in. Not that Tony has been entirely honest about who he is, of course.
Eventually Tony is discovered, and his cousin Julius is forced to step in to save everyone’s reputations. Imogen finds herself whisked off to London, where she learns more about the Emperors and about her unwitting role in various plots against the crown. All she wants to do is go back home and carry on as before – although she would like to get to know Tony better too – but that’s not going to be possible until those missing documents are retrieved. Even then, it turns out that Imogen’s life is likely to remain complicated, but fortunately Tony may have more solutions in store for her.
All in all I love this book, with its multitude of twists and turns. I’d love to know more about what’s in store for Imogen and Tony, but equally, I’m keen to see more of the Emperors settled and learn how they will ultimately overcome the machinations of their enemies, the Dankworths. I can’t wait for the next instalment in the series.
Grade: A
Read Veena’s review here.
Summary:
Hoping to live down her family’s connections to the traitorous Jacobite cause, Imogen wants nothing more than a quiet life in the country. When she stumbles upon a wounded man, the white cockade in his coat tells her he’s a Jacobite, and a danger to the crown. Yet there’s something about him she can’t resist . . .
In search of a document on behalf of his powerful family, Tony is shot and left for dead. Secreted away to a hidden chamber, he finds himself both a guest and prisoner of a beautiful but mysterious woman. What she wants and who she serves, he cannot know. But what he does understand is the desire burning strongly between them. And that neither of them will be spared until their lust is sated.
When the action moves to London, suddenly it’s Tony who has to act to save Imogen. Forced to become a lady in waiting to Princess Amelia, she is in peril from the Jacobites, who are convinced she is their salvation. Only the strength of Tony and Imogen’s love can save them now.
No excerpt found.
Other books in this series:
