From Duke Till Dawn: The London Underground

Leigh's magnificent Regency-era erotic romantic thriller, the first installment in the London Underground series (which has nothing to do with present-day London's mass transit system), crosses class boundaries with abandon. Alexander Lewis, Duke of Greyland, believes he's finally found love, but after one unforgettable night, the object of his affections vanishes without a word. Two years later, he learns that the affair was nothing but the end of a well-practiced ruse by beautiful Cassandra Blair, who's been forced into a life of crime. When Cassandra is abandoned by her mentor and left to fend off angry investors and jilted employees, she turns to Alex for help. He reluctantly agrees, but insists they work together to retrieve the funds she's owed. As they brave the unsavory areas of London, Alex's wild side emerges and he gets to experience life outside of wealthy enclaves, while Cassandra learns that not all "aristos" are selfish and uncaring. With her dedication and loyalty to Alex, Cassandra challenges the old adage of "no honor among thieves," and Alex breaks free of his ducal shackles to claim his beloved despite her bloodline. A variety of weapons, plenty of riffraff, a couple of wanton and witty friends, and a hint of kink make this a fast-paced and seductive treasure. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Alexander Lewis, Duke of Greyland, has just been jilted by Lady Emmeline. Rather than crestfallen, he is numb: another woman has found him wanting. Yet the lovely Mrs. Blair, who left in the middle of the night two years ago in Cheltenham, dealt him a bigger blow. Now, could that really be she, working in the floating gaming hell he was dragged to by his friends? Cassandra feared London would present the risk of running into Alex, but when Martin Hughes asked her to join him for one last scheme-just encouraging rich folks to gamble perhaps more than they intended to-it seemed the right ploy to set herself up and never have to look poverty in the eye again. She'll avoid Alex and then be gone. But Alex overhears Martin discussing their plans, and now Martin has run off with all the money, leaving Cassandra holding the bag and confronting a furious duke. Verdict Leigh's (Temptations of a Wallflower) new series opener casts an eerie glow on the denizens of London's criminal class, letting one of its own become the answer to a duke's stolid life of propriety. Strange bedfellows indeed, with heat in abundance. Readers will enjoy watching these two overcome enormous barriers to find happiness. For most romance collections.-Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Can love and chemistry transcend lies and class? That's the question a straight-laced aristocrat and a con woman must answer when fate puts them in each other's path a second time in the first of Leigh's (Temptations of a Wallflower, 2016, etc.) London Underground series.Cassandra Blake has been a grifter since being orphaned on the streets of London. Her one regret is fleecing Alexander Lewis, Duke of Greyland, but she's told herself it was just business and no one was hurt. When a legal enterprise brings her back within his radius, he inadvertently learns he was dupedright before he's about to give up a lifetime of caution and declare his love for her. Refusing to grovel before his righteous anger, Cassandra tries to bluff her way out but must beg for his help when her swan-song scheme goes horribly wrong. In the manner of Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Leigh puts a flawed, proud heroine at the mercy of an angry hero and a community baying for retribution, but she doesn't sustain the tension. Alex quickly turns protector as the two venture into the unsavory parts of 19th-century London to find Cassandra's missing partner. Visiting a sex club triggers their old attraction, but they tell themselves that it's a short-term affair. Interspersed with these scenes are a kidnapping, foot chases, and fisticuffs. The heroine's back story gives her some three-dimensionality, but despite the deep point-of-view narration provided to Alex, he still seems like a one-note character. The resolution feels unconvincing, with a potential Jane Eyre-like exile never being a real threat. Leigh riffs on Pretty Woman to present a sympathetic portrait of a poor woman surviving through sheer will, but her novel doesn't have the charm of Julie Anne Long's To Love a Thief or the poignancy of Susanne Lord's Discovery of Desire. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Alexander Lewis, Duke of Greyland, has just been jilted by Lady Emmeline. Rather than crestfallen, he is numb: another woman has found him wanting. Yet the lovely Mrs. Blair, who left in the middle of the night two years ago in Cheltenham, dealt him a bigger blow. Now, could that really be she, working in the floating gaming hell he was dragged to by his friends? Cassandra feared London would present the risk of running into Alex, but when Martin Hughes asked her to join him for one last scheme—just encouraging rich folks to gamble perhaps more than they intended to—it seemed the right ploy to set herself up and never have to look poverty in the eye again. She'll avoid Alex and then be gone. But Alex overhears Martin discussing their plans, and now Martin has run off with all the money, leaving Cassandra holding the bag and confronting a furious duke. Verdict Leigh's (Temptations of a Wallflower) new series opener casts an eerie glow on the denizens of London's criminal class, letting one of its own become the answer to a duke's stolid life of propriety. Strange bedfellows indeed, with heat in abundance. Readers will enjoy watching these two overcome enormous barriers to find happiness. For most romance collections.—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal (c) Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Leigh's magnificent Regency-era erotic romantic thriller, the first installment in the London Underground series (which has nothing to do with present-day London's mass transit system), crosses class boundaries with abandon. Alexander Lewis, Duke of Greyland, believes he's finally found love, but after one unforgettable night, the object of his affections vanishes without a word. Two years later, he learns that the affair was nothing but the end of a well-practiced ruse by beautiful Cassandra Blair, who's been forced into a life of crime. When Cassandra is abandoned by her mentor and left to fend off angry investors and jilted employees, she turns to Alex for help. He reluctantly agrees, but insists they work together to retrieve the funds she's owed. As they brave the unsavory areas of London, Alex's wild side emerges and he gets to experience life outside of wealthy enclaves, while Cassandra learns that not all "aristos" are selfish and uncaring. With her dedication and loyalty to Alex, Cassandra challenges the old adage of "no honor among thieves," and Alex breaks free of his ducal shackles to claim his beloved despite her bloodline. A variety of weapons, plenty of riffraff, a couple of wanton and witty friends, and a hint of kink make this a fast-paced and seductive treasure. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary. (May)