For the Earl's Pleasure
By Anne Mallory
Avon - July 2009
Paranormal Historical Romance Romance
Anyone looking at them would never know the truth. They appeared mere casual acquaintances, passing one another at a ball. In reality, Abigail Smart and Valerian Danforth, Earl Rainewood, had once been close childhood friends. In one afternoon, their intimate friendship had disintegrated to where they continually mocked one another. Valerian was socially far superior than she, and Abigail knew that one careless word from him could destroy all that her mother had worked for.
Valerian had tried to relegate Abigail to youthful folly, yet he continued to be drawn to her. That seemed to continue when he was attacked and suddenly found himself in a dream. The problem with the dream was that it perpetuated the lies Abigail had once told him - that she could see spirits. Now, she was the only person who could see him.
But he wasn't dead. He couldn't be. This was just a dream. There was no way what she said was true. It wasn't possible that he had been wrong all those years before.
For the Earl's Pleasure was an entertaining romance with a fascinating twist to the ghost story. I enjoyed the spirits and watching Abigail try to weave between ignoring the spirits and Valerian while interacting with the ton. There was also the mystery of where Valerian's body was now, what exactly had happened, and by whom. Although I enjoyed watching Abigail and Valerian come together, it was still difficult to accept Valerian as a hero. I wasn't satisfied with his redemption over his role in their past. Also, I truly did enjoy this story, but this reader's expectations were not met as there was nothing to indicate that this would be a paranormal romance and that the hero would be a "spirit", of one type or another.
Kathy Andrico - ReaderToReader.com