Lady Anne's Dangerous Man

by Jeane Westin

Book Overview

Lady Anne Gascoigne is eager to take her wedding vows-until she discovers her devious fianc? has conspired to let King Charles II steal her virtue. Now, to save her honor and her life, she must flee under the protection of a notorious but charming rake who has just escaped hanging-and proceeds to win her heart.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451217365
• ISBN13: 9780451217363
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Signet Book
• Length: 346 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 4.2" x 6.7"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

Good

Reviewer:Rebecca "bookworm" (California, USA) beutiful lady anne hears edward ( her fiance ) talking to the king about her becoming his mistress. the king has tried to seduce her in the past and she didn't want him. she escapes from whitehall palace and goes to her father for advice. her father (sir samuel) crashes gentleman johnny gilbert the highway man's hanging and takes him to a pub. there he tells him to protect lady anne and her virtue. johnny takes her to his hideout in the woods. black ben , the leader of another group of bandits, wants to rape her so johnny protects her with fake love making. edward puts a big reward on her, so anne thinks johnny will betray her. they go to edwards house and she escapes to a doctor. the doctor takes her to her uncle in london and he betrays her. lady anne is captured by edward. on their carrige ride to edwards house johnny stops them and they get away. they make love in nell gwyns house and johnny gets the plague. they escape to the doctors barge where anne heals johnny . edward gets anne again and she marries him. johnny is sent of to jaimaica and edward gets sent to holland by the king. the king tries to seduce anne but the lady castlemaine interrupts them. johnny escapes from the ship and goes back to london. johnny and anne are reunited and are told that edward is dead. to read more about their story i recommend you to buy this book. a really good novel, makes you never want it to end.

A Fine Historical!

Gentleman John Gilbert or as he his otherwise known, Gentleman Johnny is seconds away from meeting his maker when he receives a stay of execution...literally. This rogue is going to be given a chance to live provided he does something in return. He must keep Lady Anne Gascoigne safely hidden from her betrothed and the King Charles II. John thinks this should be an easy trade but he was not counting on his honor being tested by the beautiful Anne Anne thinks she is in love with Earl of Waverby but when she overhears him making a deal with the King. Anne realizes what she thought was a strong commitment between two people is in fact a farce. Running to her father with her heartbreak is only natural but when she is delivered into the hands of handsome John Gilbert she can't help but wonder if her father has gone off the deep end. Will John keep her safe or will fate have other plans for this beauty? This was a fine romance but I have to admit I began to wonder if Ms. Westin was reluctant to allow John and Anne their happy ending. Despite this minor issue, the story was well developed and Johnny made a wonderful hero for Anne. I look forward to reading Ms. Westin in the future.

Refreshing setting, non-stop adventure and a wonderful hero!

I was really excited about this book because I can't remember the last time I read a book set in the Restoration period. Ms Westin's debut is a wonderful, adventure with an intelligent and competent heroine and a hero the reader will likely fall in love with. He made the book for me! In the palace of Charles II in the year 1665, Lady Anne Gascoigne is waiting impatiently for her fiance' Lord Waverby. Lately she has been receiving very improper attention from the King from which her Edward has vowed to protect Anne. But when footsteps approach and the voice of the king - and Edward - are overheard Anne hides herself in an armoire. What Anne overhears shocks her as she hears with her own ears her beloved fiance offering Anne's sexual favors to the king in exchange for lucrative lands in Virginia Colony! Of course Anne flees to her father who devises a plan to hide Anne until he can have the betrothal dissolved. He just hopes he arrives in time! Sir Samuel Gascoigne is a judge who recently sentenced notorious highwayman "Gentleman Johnny" Gilbert to hang. So when Sir Samuel jumps from his carriage, calling a halt, just as the noose is about to stretch his neck, no one is more surprised than Johnny himself! Sir Samuel spirits John away in his carriage and elicits a vow from John to protect and keep safe his daughter Anne. John agrees and thus begins an adventure that will change both John and Anne forever. John Gilbert is the son of a duke but born on the "wrong side of the blanket". He was cheated out of his inheritence, Burwell Hall, by his legitimate siblings leaving a bitter taste in John's mouth toward the "gentry". And so he wound up a highwayman in the spirit of Robin Hood. He's a thoroughly charming and handsome rogue and even the haughty Lady Anne is not immune to this cheerful scoundrel. Especially when she learns there is so much more to him than meets the eye. Anne and John have assorted adventures, calamities and obstacles thrown in their way whilst trying to elude and best Lord Waverby. Along the way, Anne begins to see that those born to the upperclasses are not "better" than those of the lower order and her haughtiness quickly fades to a more egalitarian attitude. She also softens toward the handsome John (who wouldn't?) and he toward her. But can they ever have a future together? Will they live to see it? And therein lies my only issue with the book. After so many obstacles - plague, abductions, high seas adventure and royal intrigues - I found myself a little tired of them. I just wanted to get to the happily ever after already! And personally, in those sections where John does not appear, the book lost some of it's sparkle. While I liked Anne, I adored John! On a certain level, this book felt more like the old romances of the 70's - those sort of big, epic, stories from authors like Kathleen E Woodiwiss perhaps. I also enjoyed the various and sundry secondary characters like notorious actress Nell Gwynn

Refreshingly Enticing Historical

Setting - England, 1665 --- In a frantic attempt at evading the unwanted amorous advances of King Charles II, the Lady Anne Gascoigne encouraged the attentions of the Earl of Waverby. She'd convinced herself that once in the marriage bed his strong arms would be her protection. She was then devastated to overhear her betrothed bargaining her wedding night virginity away to the king in return for royal favors. Fleeing the castle, her father made a pact with the notorious highwayman, Gentleman John Gilbert, to hide his daughter until he could have Anne's betrothal set aside. The illegitimate son of a duke, John was saved from hanging by swearing to protect Anne on the one thing he had of value - his honor. Only time would see his honor being sorely tempted by the very beautiful Lady Anne. *** In this rollicking and boisterous tale the author weaves a wonderful historical, rich in detail with finely drawn characterizations and a fabulously sensual love story. The author gives a splendid portrayal of the haughty Anne, who soon came to discover that `love had nothing to do with what a man gave her, but of what she offered him and what they shared together.' You'll laugh, you'll cry, but you are so going to love this very refreshing and enticing historical that you'll definitely relegate it to your keeper shelf!

amusing rollicking seventeenth century romp

In the modern year 1665 virtue is not rewarded at least in the court of King Charles II. Lady Anne Gascoigne knowing she must do something to keep the stalking regal from taking her virginity, turns to the strongest of her suitors Edward Carter, the Earl of Waverby as she assumes once he deflowers her on their wedding night, she will be safe from royal assault. However, Anne is mortified to learn that her fiancé bartered her virginity with Charles II in consideration of future favors. With the help of her father, Anne flees the castle. Her dad also arranges for the illegitimate nobleman, the notorious highwayman, Gentleman John Gilbert, to keep his beloved daughter safe until he can arrange a new betrothal. John accepts the mission because he owes a debt of honor or this unrecognized son of a duke would have been hung. However, to his chagrin John desires the beautiful and feisty Anne who returns his need, making him wonder how honorable he truly is when all he wants is to bed his ward. Mindful of Fielding's Tom Jones, LADY ANNE'S MOST DANGEROUS MAN is an amusing rollicking seventeenth century romp that uses historical tidbits to paint a depraved court as a background to the romantic adventures of John and Anne. The lead pairing is superb as his brain says honor but his other head says are you nuts (no pun intended) with her sweet seduction encouraging him. As the outlaw and the lady fall in love with the regal retinue looking for her, fans will wonder will they or will they not take her off the virgin commodity exchange. Harriet Klausner