Countess Confidential

by Barbara Dawson Smith

"New York Times" bestselling author Barbara Dawson Smith mesmerizes readers once again in her latest novel of a woman forced to enter the aristocratic world she despises--only to find a man she can't live without "Dear Reader, "" This is the story of how I, a penniless upstart, became a countess."" I never set out to be the heroine in a romantic tale of derring-do. As a spinster of five-and-twenty, I was much too practical to imagine myself tracking...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312932391
• ISBN13: 9780312932398
• Release Date: February 2006
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 356 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.3" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

VERY Entertaining!

Claire goes undercover at her estranged family's home--so she can find the real jewelry theif and get her father out of prison. Simon has his own secret life which is unknowingly intertwined with Claire's. I loved BDS's earlier books--Too Wicked to Love, etc, yet, I was not a fan of the Kenyon series. With this fast moving novel, Barbara has me back. There is a fun mystery--and unlike most Romances, I didn't figure out who the bad guy was the first page--and a sizzling romance. Claire and Simon are intellectual equals and their verbal spats are steamy. The character developement is also great--we are able to watch Claire grow into a woman and understand the circumstances of her life.

Strong tension sexual and dramatic romance

Barbara Dawson Smith carved out a delightful niche in the historical romance mysteries. I fell into the reading very easily and refused to put the book down. Countess Confidential has strong tension sexual and dramatic romance. The love scenes were very steamy. I very much enjoyed Simon and Claire together. It's so funny that Simon thinks he wants a woman he can mold into the prefect wife but fall in love with a fiesty passionate woman. These two share quite a bit of chemistry that, at times, left me quite breathless. This was a sensually laden regency adventure featuring two lively character who spiced up the pages sparring with snappy dialogs as well as some very hot physical encounters. Strong character development adds to the tension-filled plot, creating a satisfying story. Countess Confidential is a great who done it. I LOVE the drama in this book. What is great is that it is dramatic but believeable. Lately I have been reading books that tons of drama but they don't make much since and simply don't flow well. Countess Confidential has a great flow to it. I am glad I started reading Countess Confidential on a Friday so I didn't have to but it down. I can't wait until Barbara Dawson Smith next book comes out.

Delightful Deception!

Barbara Dawson Smith does it again with a delightful story of seduction and mystery. Everyone is not who they appear to be in this search for a countess and a thief. Claire Hollybrooke's mother Lady Emily Warrington married a scholar years ago and was shunned by her family and the ton. She died never reuniting with her family. Claire's father is arrested for the theft of jewels stolen from the Warrington household by a thief called "The Wraith." After his arrest Claire is determined to prove her father's innocence. She impersonates a widow and hires on as a companion to her cousin Lady Rosabel. Simon Croft, the Earl of Rockford, and the undercover Bow Street Runner who arrested Claire's father, has decided he needs a wife. On a wager he decides he will marry the first woman he meets at a ball. Claire runs into his arms in the garden, but since he cannot marry her because she is a companion, he pursues her cousin Rosabel. But it is Claire he wants to seduce and the more he sees her, the more he desires her. The tension builds as Claire works to discover the secrets to clear her father, while yearning to know her family that does not know her. Claire does not know who the thief is, the family and Simon do not know who Claire is, and Claire does not know who Simon is. All of this, together with seduction and mystery keeps the reader captivated to the very end. A book difficult to put down. A truly enjoyable historical romance suspense!

Mystery and Romance

Claire's father has been wrongly accused and imprisoned for being the jewel thief known as the Wraith. Claire is desperate to free her father so she poses as Mrs. Clara Brownley, the chaperone for her cousin, Lady Rosabel. She hopes to obtain information that will clear her father by searching the house for proof that someone in her estranged family is the real culprit. Simon needs to take a wife because he is at the age when he needs an heir. He decides that at the ball he is attending that evening that he will choose the first respectable lady and mold her into the ideal countess. Simon bumps into Claire in the gardens on his way in and without getting a good look at her in the dark he is intrigued by her. Discovering that she is a servant, he dismisses his thoughts of her and decides to court Lady Rosabel instead. Simon is more intrigued and attracted to Claire every time he sees her. He works in secret for Bow Street and Simon is investigating the crimes of the Wraith, trying to prove he placed the right man behind bars. Claire is another mystery that he's compelled to solve. The attraction between Simon and Clair is growing stronger and Simon must choose between the lady he thinks he should marry, and the woman he craves. Claire cannot deny her feelings for Simon any longer so she decides to accept his advances, but the plot thickens when Simon and Claire suspect each other to have committed the crimes. Could one of them be the true criminal or is the villain still out there? Countess confidential had me reading with eagerness, anticipating the discovery of the Wraith's identity. Simon and Claire are a great match; Simon is handsome and noble, and Claire is beautiful and intelligent. The sparks fly between them right from the start. Countess Confidential offers mystery and romance along with many interesting characters. It is a pleasant story to read and I enjoyed it very much. Nannette Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Fast-paced, exciting - I love Barbara Dawson Smith!

I last read Barbara Dawson Smith's The Duchess Diaries in November, and that book garnered a Romantic Times nomination for Best Historical Romantic Mystery. Barbara has captured the same elements in Countess Confidential that drew me in and kept me reading the first time - including compelling, true-to-life characters and intense conflict. Barbara did an excellent job in Countess Confidential of pitting the characters against each other at their core. Simon Croft, the Earl of Rockford, has just made an arrogant wager - that he will court and marry the first eligible woman he meets at the ball. It doesn't matter how young or empty-headed she is, because he could train anyone to be his countess. One thing most people don't know about Simon is that he works undercover as an investigator and he has just put a high profile jewel thief in prison. As you've probably guessed, the first woman Simon meets at the ball is our heroine Claire Hollybrooke, whose father has just been wrongfully imprisoned as a jewel thief. Claire is nothing like the Earl expected - she's a servant instead of a lady, she's sharp-tongued, and she hates the arrogant nobility. They've got quite a bit of pride and prejudice between them. Claire believes her father is being framed by a noble family - her mother's family who disowned her mother years ago for eloping with a poor professor. Claire's posing as an impoverished widow and serving as a lady's companion to her very own cousin, trying to find clues to her father's innocence before he's convicted. Even though Simon has turned his marrying intentions on her cousin, he's much more interested in persuading Claire to become his mistress. He's also having second thoughts about the identity of the jewel thief and continues his secret investigation to prove her father's guilt. When another robbery happens, there's a scramble to determine who's lying, who's telling the truth, and to find out once and for all if love truly can overcome a multitude of sins. This is a fast-paced novel, with an exciting touch of mystery, suspense and sensuality. I loved it and I predict many awards in the future for Barbara Dawson Smith and Countess Confidential.