LOGIC OF THE HEART

by Patricia Veryan ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 20, 1990

Of late, Veryan's been busy churning out the four-volume Golden Chronicles (set in Georgian England), but this rogue Regency proves that the early 1800's is the period that suits her best, given her gift for flippant dialogue and caperish plotting Here, she devises a story about a handsome fellow named Valentine Monclair, second in line to inherit Longhills Manor in Gloucestershire after his older brother, Geoff, who's off in India hunting tigers. Valentine is plagued by a pestilence of relatives--Uncle Selby Trent and awful cousin Junius--who, of course, want Longhills for themselves; by mysterious dizzy spells that are sapping him of his strength; and by the growing fear that someone's trying to do him in. Meanwhile, a fiesty young widow, Susan Henley, takes possession of a cottage on the grounds (claiming that it belonged to her late husband). She and Valentine get off to an unpleasant start, though Susan's spunky daughter, Priscilla (with a vocabulary that includes words like ""eggs-whizzit""), charms Val to his toes. But when a shadowy figure ambushes him in the woods, it's Susan who nurses him back to life (carefully avoiding administering the ""medicine"" sent by the Trents). He'll fall in love with the pretty widow and loft a gang of thieves using her cellar as a lair--which also leads to the discovery that the Trents have been designing his demise, slowing poisoning him and then dispatching ruffians to finish the job. And, finally, Lord Geoff returns, freeing Val to move into cozy Highperch Cottage, with its equally cozy mistress, Susan. Contrived but with reasonable artfulness: bouncy and fun--in the manner of all good Regencies.

Pub Date: March 20, 1990

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1990

Categories: FICTION