HISTORICAL: Lord Nathaniel "Nash" Trentham, Earl of Wessex, stopping at an inn on the way to his estate, contemplates the boredom of his life when he spies a female disguised in male clothing being attacked. Nash gets more than he bargained for when he discovers a pair of French rogues, but no sooner does he dispatch them when the woman races off on his prized stallion! Nash gives chase, but with snow falling and the woman injured, they must take refuge before his captive freezes to death. Miss Eliza Louise Lyon awakes in a stranger's arms and fears for her life and her virtue. Has she narrowly escaped being kidnapped only to land in a worse mess? But soon Nash and Eliza are working together to capture her attackers, and at the same time tumbling, head over heels in love.
"A Code of Wonder" takes place against the dramatic backdrop of code breaking, British spies, and the Napoleonic War! From the moment Nash catches sight of a disguised Eliza, he can only think about bedding her. Eliza wakes up thinking Nash has had his way with her, is frightened out of her mind, but in the next breath upon learning his identity discovers her attraction to the earl. The emotional attachment between the two is unfortunately not given enough time to develop, so readers may have difficulty feeling the connection between the two. On the other hand, the intrigue of spies and a mistaken kidnapping keep the plot galloping along. "A Code of Wonder" is a fast-paced novella that hints at future adventures and delivers great excitement!
Tricia Hill