Four popular romance novelists—Kimberly Cates, Christina Dodd, Deborah Martin, and Anne Stuart—contribute their own interpretations of the seductive, sometimes dangerous things that can happen when a woman spends a night with a rogue.
Such Wild Enchantment / Kimberly Cates: His handsome face hidden behind an ebony mask, the dashing highwayman halts a coach in mid-journey--only to be held at pistol-point by a violet-eyed minx who leads her virile Knight of the Road into a passionate duel of hearts.
The Lady and the Tiger / Christina Dodd: Known throughout England for his bold cunning and magnificent feats of daring, the sensual rogue called the Seamaster is undone by a saucy seamstress who steals into his room on a mission of revenge...until the Seamaster's first kiss awakens scandalous desire..
Too Wicked for Heaven / Deborah Martin Caught in a compromising situation with the most notorious rake in London, a virtuous lady is unaware that he has his own secret reasons for pursuing her. Now, in exchange for, reclaiming her honor, she must spend one night with her irresistible would-be seducer.
Dangerous Touch / Anne Stuart As range war spreads across the rough-and-tumble West, a black-clad stranger with an angel's face and a tarnished soul rides into Wyoming, where he clashes with a feisty young widow determined to fight for her land...and win the heart of this enigmatic outlaw who isn't what he seems.
I must confess that I never read the Cates and Martin stories. But I absolutely love the Anne Stuart and Christina Dodd stories. I often reread them. Talking about dangerous heroes? Oh, yes.
Dangerous Touch by Anne Stuart:
If you like gunslingers, look no further. Billy Maddox is a fallen angel in looks and in his behavior. He's a gun for hire that comes to town to deal with a situation in which small-time farmers refuse to give over their land to a big cattle rancher. He has no problem with killing for money. He's done it before, will do it again. But, he takes one look at the target's young, innocent wife, Sara, and his priorities change. Talking about sexual tension, danger, violence, love, passion, all in a perfect package,....That's this story. I love it!!!! I would so run off with Billy Maddox (and there is no real adultery involved, so worry not). If you like Anne Stuart and you haven't read this story, you need to find it now! Gosh, I wish she wrote more Westerns!
The Lady and The Tiger by Christina Dodd:
This story really shows why Christina Dodd is a favorite of mine. Her heroes are scrumptious. Oh, my goodness. And the sexual tension? Off the charts. Laura Haver is a proper, yet impoverished steamstress who is determined to find out what happened to her deceased brother, who died while doing some undercover work in a smuggling ring. She goes to an inn to ferret out if Keefe Leighton, Earl of Hamilton, and the spyleader, was involved with her brother's death, and ends up having to seduce him to keep a special book away that might reveal some important information about what her brother uncovered in his work. That was a hot scene. Would you like a possessive, sexy hero who is set on getting his woman, and getting the job done? Look no further. I love this line:
My name is Keefe Leighton. And you're my woman. Let me show again.. What a line!
Writing this review makes me want to pull this one out for a reread. I think I just might do that!
I only managed to find and read the excellent Christina Dodd story for which I've given the rating. I'm still manically searching for the Anne Stuart story. Hasn't it been reissued?
Honestly, this was one of those rare anthologies that just kept getting better with every subsequent story. So good that it's hard for me to pick a favorite - it was that good!