Innocent Passions

The Saint of Seven Dials #3

by Brenda Hiatt

Handsome aristocrat-turned-spy Noel Paxton masquerades as the legendary Saint of Seven Dials to expose a deadly conspiracy led by a dangerous traitor, using his seductive talents to get close to Rowena Riverstone, a seemingly innocent country girl who may be in league with his prime suspect. Original.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Regency, Historical, Fiction

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 2003

About the author

Brenda Hiatt is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sparkling romantic adventure. She's written twenty-five novels (so far), including sweet and spicy historical romance, time travel romance, humorous mystery, and her young adult science fiction STARSTRUCK series. Brenda began in traditional publishing with Harlequin, HarperCollins and Avon Books and later made a transition to indie publishing as she began getting rights back to her older books. So far, she hasn't been sorry! She is an active member of Romance Writers of America and Novelists, Inc, where she has served as president. In addition to writing, Brenda is passionate about embracing life to the fullest, to include scuba diving (she has over 60 dives to her credit), Taekwondo (where she is working toward her 4th degree black belt), hiking, traveling…and reading, of course!
Learn more at http://brendahiatt.com

Reviews

[Bigbear Woolliscroft · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Third volume sees a new saint and a new interest, but again the astonishingly modern and self-conscious women are at it again. This is fun to read, but please, don't treat the historical setting as anything but deco.

[Sandy Frediani · Rating 4 out of 5]

The paperback copy that I have has a different cover.

I enjoyed this although at times the dialog was flat. The mystery was mildly intriguing. Rowena and Noel were interesting characters and the interaction between them and the story line was enough to keep me interested.
Nicely done.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book 3 in Ms. Hiatt’s “Saint of Seven Dials” series. This was okay, more on par with her first than her second (which was great!). Set in Regency England. The heroine, Rowena Riverstone, who is a long time friend with Pearl, who was the heroine in Rogue’s Honor, travels from the country to stay with her. Also staying with Pearl and her husband is the hero, Noel Paxton, who is the next Saint, but also is trying to save the crown from a traitor known as the Black Bishop. At first Noel overlooks Rowena because of the way she dresses, pulls her hair back in a tight bun, and wears glasses. Pearl transforms her, much like a makeover today. Noel realizes not only is she beautiful in her own right, but that she also has a very sharp mind and shares many of his ideas about approving the lives of the common man. This plot is all very good, but the H/H lack chemistry. This is not surprising since the love scene comes at the very end and feels very strained and forced. Since it is a Regency and at the very end, it might have read better with none at all.

[Virginia Tican · Rating 5 out of 5]

At 25 and now in control of her inheritance, Rowena Riverstone is eagerly awaiting all the intellectual treats she has been anticipating all those years that she has been writing anonymously and contributing erudite political essays to a leading London magazine mostly read by men of intellect (hence her journey to the English capital). Because of her MRR pseudonym and unexplained movements, she was mistaken for a murderous French spy and the most wanted enemy of the Crown specially by Noel Paxton who lost some friends in the hands of the traitor. At cross~purposes and both harboring secret identities (Paxton using his Saint identity in pursuit of the traitor)... makes for an entertaining and fun read..

[J.A. Kenney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is one of my go to...for fun...exciting...and romantic stories.

I was not let down...

Noel aka Puss In Boots (Which I admit was a kind of lame spy name lol) is trying to track down the Black Bishop a traitor who has killed over and over.

He is searching for this deadly French Spy, and stumbles upon a sweet english rose instead.

But she proves to be brilliant, knowledgable, and strong willed!

Together they over come the threat and become true life partners.

[Janell Sutherland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was mostly pretty awesome. I read it right after the prior two Saint of the Seven Dials books, so it was nice to keep the story going. Sure, there were the required misunderstandings and secrets to keep the characters close-but-not-too-close, and it got pretty darn stupid when physical danger was involved. But otherwise it was fun.

[Cecilia Rodriguez · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is set in 1816, London, England.
Rowena is a twenty-one year old Bluestocking with radical political views.
Noel Paxton works for the Bow Street Runners, and is investigating a case of espionage. His only clue, the Political Register, a paper that Rowena anonymously writes articles for.

[K · Rating 2 out of 5]

standard beach read
bluestocking girl feels inferior, friend gussies up, meets man with secret--spy--fall in love

[Wendy Tavenner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the 3rd book in the series. Noel and Rowena are great together.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.85

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

did not enjoy at all

[Elodie’s Reading Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wonder if this one is for the time being my favorite from the three first books in this series, even if Rogue’s honor is close to the first step.
For once, I have found nothing to fault to the heroine, no naivety close to dumbness nor stubbornness wrongly placed.
Rowena is true to herself and kind, she does not play of her attributes, her competitive mind is rather refreshing even if as a woman in this time period, she has to hide it to avoid being chastened. Of course she made mistakes assuming wrongly who is who but she also had not all the informations. Whatever, she understood when she was at fault and tried to comprehend where she was wrong to right her actions.
Noel Paxton is a man of multiple faces, but each one of his many interpretations has the same purpose, catch the bad guys and try to do some good too.
So when they meet, Rowena’s acerbic brain, her strong ideas and also her secrets attracted Noel like a lure.
He is also the first one to see beyond her spinster appearance, charmed by her unusual intellect.
They both have second thoughts when they are together but even if they fight it, lie to themselves, they can’t deny their intense chemistry.
Now back to the series to the 4th installment.