Wonderful, mixes the story of a Napoleonic veteran with an isolated artist.

Great interweaving of previous characters in series. ( )

This is Kenneth Wilding and Rebecca Seaton's story. We met Captain Lord Wilding in SHATTERED RAINBOWS. He was Micheal Kenyon's friend. Kenneth lived in the same house as Michael, Catherine's family and Moxbry's. Kenneth also helped to find Michael after the battle at Waterloo and in doing so helped save his life. This story is also about redemption, love, betrayal and artist passion. There is a great deal going on in this story. Kenneth is trying to save his family estate and give his sister the life that he thinks that she deserves. There is an investigation into the death of Rebecca's mother. A reconciliation between brothers after thirty years. Kenneth finding love when he least expected it and finding that he can learn to paint with oils. I like Kenneth a great deal. He is the tortured hero that I love so much. His younger life was very difficult because his father didn't think that men should be artists. So he has hidden his talent all his life. He enlisted in the army as private not letting anyone know that he would one day be a Viscount. He fought in the Napoleonic Wars. His spirit has been forge in the fires of hell and he survived. He is also intelligent, loving and compassionate.

Rebecca has also had a miserable past. She has lived with the infidelities of her father and mother. When she runs off to marry a young poet she realizes that it is a mistake but she is ruin. When her mother dies she complete retreats into herself. Her only companion is her art. She is an intelligent, loving and compassionate woman. When Kenneth starts to work for her father he is determined to get Rebecca out in society again and helps her to make friends. Rebecca also helps in getting her father and his brother to reconcile their differences after 30 years. I liked Rebecca for the most part. There are times that she is a real bitch but those times are not often and the author always shows the reason for the bitchiness.

This story is a little different from the others since Kenneth was only involved with Micheal from the Fallen Angels. I am glad that Ms. Putney wrote Kenneth's story and included it with this series. I fell in love with Kenneth in SHATTERED RAINBOWS and hoped that he would get his own HEA. We get more glimpses of what life must have been like in the army during the regency period. It wasn't a pretty sight and probably very cruel for the men that enlisted. I am sure that it was wonderful even for the officers that purchased their commissions. I liked this story very much and for those that like historical romance I think you will like this story. ( )

Captain Wilding makes an undercover investigation of the mysterious death of Lady Seaton, amid the art world of Regency England, while romantically drawn to her daughter Rebecca.

About midway through the book, Rebecca compares the fire of creativity to a river of fire in your blood. The compulsion above all others to create art and express your internal vision. Although Putney is a writer and not a painter, she is clearly speaking through the voice of her character.

There is a wonderful delicacy as Captain Wilding, a man who has spent his entire adult life at war, opens up to the power of artistic creation and (well this is a romance novel) love. And yet, because he is in the middle of a covert murder investigation in which his prime suspect is his ladylove's father, well let's just say there is a lot of angst and romantic tension.

Rebecca is his match. She's feminine without being a wuss. She's creative. Opinionated. Just a bit prickly because she's been hurt in the past, but willing to love.

The mystery is decent, if not that complex. Well, I mean there aren't that many characters. There is a small amount of action. Mysterious attacks in the middle of the night, that sort of thing. The real suspense comes from watching these two damaged people learn to open up both artistically and emotionally to each other.

Putney's descriptions of painting and the London art world in Regency England are obviously well researched and make a nice back drop to the story's main action. There are a number of repeat characters from other Putney books, however there
is enough explanation that a first time reader shouldn't have any problems.

This is a great book to curl up with on the couch with a glass of wine, a bit of rain outside, and just while away the day. ( )

I like this book. The characters are well developed. The author doesn't try too hard to hide information from the reader. The main characters both have secrets, and unlike in too many stories, it actually makes sense that they can't just tell the other person and resolve their problems by page 100.

Unfortunately, then there's the climax. Which is going along just fine until Ms. Putney drops in a piece of heavy handed, and unnecessary, deus ex machina. It makes me want to smack my head into a wall repeatedly every single time I reread this book. ( )