Black Rose (Mass Market Paperback)

It is the story of Tess Leighton - the "Ice Queen" beautiful, inn-keeper at the "Angel" who harbors secrets and nightmares she shares with no one. Tess, who gave her heart and soul to a Dane St. Pierre, the Viscount of Ravenhurst who deserted her five years before. She, now plays the inn keeper by day, and a smuggler by night.

Dane, only knows that she betrayed him and now he is out to catch the 'Romney Fox' leader of the smugglers. He knows that Tess is involved and is out to unmask the 'Fox' and scourge her from his soul at the same time. The last five years have been torture for Dane - war could not erase the longing for, nor the pain of her treachery from his soul. Even though they both still 'burn' for one another their stubbornness and willful pride, lets neither know the entire story of what happened to one another on that fateful night.

This story is filled with adventure and intrigue and very descriptive and sensual love/lust scenes. While the first part of the book, seemed somewhat choppy rather than flowing along nicely and left me scratching my head a few times - the second half took off like a rocket! The fainthearted reader may be upset by a very explicit rape scene but don't let that deter you. After all, these were brutal times. I was quite amazed at the turn-around and also the way the story went. Up until then I thought I had this story all figured out. I was so torn, at one point over the direction our heroine was going that I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was not what I thought - can't tell you anymore or it ruins the story! I will only say that this story had me biting nails (again) and it is a marvelous love story!

How many cliches and awful situations can 2 people encounter? The writing was good, but could not make up for the plentiful plot holes and rushed ending. I actually did finish this book wondering how it could get any worse. By the end, I was laughing because it did!

Don't get me wrong, there were a few good parts--and I have like everything else I have read by Christina Skye (which is why I tried this one), but I would definitely pick up something else!...