Limecello’s review of Priceless by Christina Dodd
Historical Romance published by Avon (originally) 1 Aug 92

I really like historical novels, and found it interesting and enjoyable to read one now, that was written by Ms. Dodd sixteen years ago. The story was well developed, and the characters refreshingly different from so many of the other books that are out there.

Bronwyn Edana is a plucky heroine, and the odd woman out. She’s the ugly duckling amongst her six sisters, and her mother. All of them are beautiful clones of each other, but she’s short, and has “moonlight” hair. She also is smart, independent, and speaks her mind. Basically, she’s the despair of her mother and essentially unmarriageable. Still, she becomes engaged to a man she’s never met. He has money, and she has the status her family offers.

Adam Keane is looking for a wife that will give him respectability, and heirs. He betroths himself to one of the “Sirens of Ireland” – but gets the one he describes as “the maid” and a “King Charles Spaniel” after first seeing her. However, just like a man, he finds himself intrigued when she avoids him. He’s then taken by her mind and looks, and quickly decides that his initial assessment was wrong, and that Bronwyn is the woman for him. Unfortunately, after a frustrating moment he vents, and Bronwyn hears words Adam didn’t mean, and leaves him. It was nice to see a hero who had an occupation, and one who wasn’t loved and adored by all and sundry.

I love that the heroine is strong enough (and proud enough) to value herself more than what society expects of her. She refuses to be taken in by a man who doesn’t love or want her – and makes a life for herself, where she becomes quite popular and comes into her own. She changes the way she dresses, adapting a style much more suited to her looks and form, and soon men are worshipping at her feet. Bronwyn also flaunts the dictates of society that women shouldn’t be intelligent – and finds a place that welcomes her special skill set of translating ancient documents.

Bronwyn is caught up in living her own life, getting over her hang ups about her looks, and dealing with the sticky situation she involved herself in. For his part, Adam’s father was an embezzler, and he’s had a hard time living down his father’s reputation. He’s also a licensed broker, and much of the book revolves around the British stock exchange. Knowing more than most people would care to about stocks, I did know about the South Sea stock – and the crushing result it had on the economy, so it was fascinating to read about a book revolving around that issue. That however, was just an added bonus, and knowing nothing about it doesn’t detract from the book at all.

I’ve enjoyed all the histocials I’ve read by Ms. Dodd, and am glad that her older ones are being republished. Priceless is unique in it’s subject matter, story line, and characters. I recommend this book to anyone who likes historical, and would encourage anyone who hasn’t read them yet, to try this book.

Grade: B

Headstrong and adventurous, Bronwyn Edana regularly stuns polite society with her reckless exploits. But there is one type of exploit the fiery beauty has never experienced. Still innocent when it comes to men and their roguish ways, she can barely believe the breathless desire she has begun to feel for Adam Keane, a distinguished nobleman and a man with more than his fair share of liaisons in his past . . .

Now branded by a haunting tragedy, Adam will not rest until he lures Bronwyn to his bed. When a shocking conspiracy threatens their lives, he’ll bring her from the dangerous streets of London to the sweeping countryside-for he has seen enough of the world to know that a passion like theirs is priceless.

Read an excerpt here.