Dangerous Weakness

Richard Hayden, “The Marble Marquess” can’t keep his eyes off of Lily, much to his mother’s chagrin. She wants him to wed Sarah because of her impeccable breeding and perfect blonde looks. Richard, unfortunately, has business with Lily. His first business with her is because she has been seen with Volkov, a possible Russian spy. Secondly, Richard took Lily’s virtue when they were pushed together into a situation when they were alone together overnight. He does the right thing, and tells Lily that they will be married, but Lily refuses him, even when he suggests she may be pregnant. She tells him she isn’t, and then leaves London to try to find a solution for her problem.  Of course, her problem is that she is expecting, and she is alone.

Both Richard and Lily are stubborn and are excellent foils for one another. When one pushes, the other shoves right back. They both have emotional baggage that makes them more relatable to the reader.  A downside to the romance is the world politics as part of the setting - it is not always easy to follow. Many of the secondary characters are one-dimensional and do not lend much to the story. The historical notes at the end of the story were very helpful and would have been more so if they had come before the beginning of the story. There is lots of action and excitement in this epic tale; it is a genuine page turner!

Belinda Wilson