Description: "... [A] rakish spy finds more than he bargained for in his pursuit of an earl's enchanting runaway fiancâee. The mission: Find the Earl of Brundage's runaway fiancâee in exchange for a fortune. Child's play for legendary British former spymaster, Christian Hawkes. The catch? Hawkes knows in his bones that Brundage is the traitor to England who landed him in a brutal French prison. Hawkes is destitute, the earl is desperate, and a bargain is struck. Fleeing a savagely shattered dream, the sheltered Lady Aurelie Capet finds refuge in an alias and the warmth and kindness of the Grand Palace on the Thames--until a gorgeous, mysterious disturbance to her peace literally topples through the door. An unexpected, fierce desire that feels destined, dangerous--and devastatingly sweet--ignites between the sheltered beauty and the jaded spy, and as they slowly unravel each other's shocking secrets Hawkes closes in on the truth about the earl. Soon it's clear they can have no future without vanquishing the past: Hawkes knows that loving her means avenging her. Aurelie knows that loving Hawkes means freeing him to do that, no matter the cost"--
Brief description:
USA Today bestselling author and Rita(R) Award winner Julie Anne Long's books have been translated into eighteen languages, nominated for numerous awards, and have appeared on dozens of "Best of" lists. NPR named her Pennyroyal Green series as one of the Top 100 romance series of all time. She currently lives in Northern California.
Review Quotes:
"Julie Anne Long reinvents the historical romance for modern readers." - Amanda Quick
"Deploying her usual perfectly calibrated mix of irresistibly dry wit and superbly nuanced characterization, RITA Award-winning Long adds another winner to her Palace of Rogues series with this lushly sensual, exquisitely emotional, and gracefully written tale about two people desperately trying not to fall in love with each other."
- Booklist (starred review) for Angel in a Devil's Arms
"Delightful...refreshing. Readers will enjoy this rich depiction of how the past informs but does not dictate the future."
- Publishers Weekly for Angel in a Devil's Arms
"I am in awe of her talent." - Julia Quinn
"Charming...Long's distinctive metaphor-rich style is a treat, a visual and textural tapestry that expresses the characters' emotional lives through their senses. She suffuses the prose with images of fire and musical reverberations, distilling into them the erotic affection, sensual banter, and crackling chemistry that arcs between the combatant lovers. You'll be seduced by this fake-engagement romance set at the London docks." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on I'm Only Wicked with You
"Long finds that delectable sweet spot with Angel in a Devil's Arms, welcoming us all to the cozy warmth of the Grand Palace on the Thames with the peculiar blend of humor and pathos she writes with such aplomb." - Entertainment Weekly
"Each of the brilliantly written entries in Long's Palace of Rogues series is master class in how to successfully marry stunning sensuality with scintillating wit, and the fifth entry is no exception with its resplendent prose, impeccable plotting, and perfect-for-each-other protagonists." - Booklist (starred review)
Long enhances her complex narrative--loaded with wit, mystery, and sizzling romance--with attention to historical detail and the emotional depths of her characters. This may be the author's best yet. - Poets & Writers (starred review)