One Whisper Away

Author: Emma Wildes
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
ISBN: 978-0-451-23397-4
Purchase Link: One Whisper Away: Ladies in Waiting
Source: The Season for Romance

From the moment Lady Cecily meets the charming, albeit slightly barbaric Earl of Augustine, her life is anything but boring!  While a simple scandalous gesture sparks the tons’ gossipmongers, Lady Cecily is intrigued and infatuated by the brief yet very public moment shared with the Earl of Augustine.  Soon, Cecily finds herself enamored with the Earl who is of mixed blood and dashingly handsome.  When her father notifies Lady Cecily of an impending marriage offer, Lady Cecily knows she must act quickly if she is to avoid the marriage which would prove to be a terrible match for many reasons.  Though she doesn’t realize the full impact of her soon-to-be business deal, Lady Cecily is sure it is her only option.  Will the Earl agree with Lady Cecily’s proposal or is the possibility of great scandal too high a risk?

One Whisper Away was a deliciously original story.  Jonathan, Early of Augustine, is of mixed blood and has arrived from America to take over the responsibilities left by his late father’s death.  Known as Earl Savage, Jonathan is not without scandal as he arrives in England with his daughter who is rumored to be from a mother he refused to marry.  The cultural differences between the shores are evident to all of London as Jonathan attempts to tame his wild side while the ladies of London have other ideas.  In the midst of his arrival to London is the new season, which is well underway and in all its glory.  Lady Cecily has made her debut this season and does not lack for options in potential suitors and dance partners.  Matters are complicated when the man who intends to ask for her hand happens to be the same man her sister desires, though she has not admitted it with her words.  The story is full of twist and turns that kept me intrigued with the plot as well as the characters.

While the novel for the most part was fairly predictable it did surprise me on occasion.  I enjoyed the many storylines the book had to offer, though a few of them seemed slightly undeveloped.  Ms. Wildes is a skilled author.  The heat between the characters was evident as Emma writes with the emotion her characters portray.  Though the book did not grab me from the start, it was with the scandal that lies around every corner that proves this book to be a page turner until the last words have been written.  If you enjoy reading novels by authors such as Jude Deveraux and Nicole Jordan you will probably enjoy this historical fiction by Emma Wildes.

Heat Level: 3