A Whisper of Treason (The Daring Dersinghams Book 4)

Delphi Dersingham’s obsession is with history—so much so that she’s tittered away the last several seasons without even attempting to find a husband. The only man who seems to understand her passion toyed with her, then disappeared without a word. She’s not about to forgive him but is totally taken by surprise when he appears in Rome, far from her home, and envelops her in a passionate kiss on the steps of Trajan’s Column. It’s clear that Adam, Duke of Kilsyth, is not to be trusted. There are secrets he cannot share with Delphi, and no matter how much he cares for her, he cannot pursue their relationship until he frees his brother from involvement in a dangerously treasonous scheme.

This eloquently written tale deserves to be categorized as literary, not genre fiction. That being said, the story suffers the slow pacing of many literary works, lacking emotional depth. The book is an enlightening historical study, with detailed descriptions of everything from architecture to fashion to political history. Sadly, this does not make for an engaging romance novel. Two scenes in particular leave the reader feeling . . . well, nothing. One is a fight and chase scene where the hero and his colleague end up bloodied and battered. The other is the love scene between Delphi and Adam—every detail is too calculated, explained in excruciating detail yet missing one huge piece: emotion. Excitement is lacking. A reader who enjoys solid historical fiction with lyrical prose, however, will appreciate “A Whisper of Treason.”

FS Brown