Dangerous (Poisonous Passions – Book 2)

When Abigail Riverton decides to flee New York City and the scandal surrounding her family, she travels to England to visit her friend, Delia Wolcott, now married to Lord Carrington. She is accompanied on her trip by Lord Carrington’s younger brother, Hugh Travers. Their crossing isn’t exactly ideal since Hugh is not a fan of traveling by ship. Once they arrive in Cornwall, Abigail finds herself the prime suspect in a murder which takes place at Briarwyck, the home of her friend and Lord Carrington. More murders ensue, and Abigail finds herself on the lam while trying to prove her innocence - with Hugh as her protector.

This second book in the series carries on the story of the Travers family (Hugh and the Lord), and friends Abigail and Delia. More of a murder mystery than the previous book, the true murderer is not immediately apparent, and it isn’t until Abigail is taken prisoner by the real assailant that readers’ suspicions are confirmed. While Abigail is a competent and likeable heroine, Hugh is nowhere near the hero that his older brother was in the first book. The fact that the author added a quite humorous look at Hugh during the ocean crossing was a fun diversion one doesn’t usually see in romance novels. Unfortunately, Hugh never quite gets to the lofty status of a true hero. Still, the story itself regarding the unexplained murders, the wrongfully accused heroine, and the ultimate resolution of the crimes, more than makes up for a milquetoast hero. It would be advantageous to read the first book in the series before this one, although not totally necessary.

NE Kelley