The Golden Leopard: 7

by Lynn Kerstan

Book Overview

It's the adventure of a lifetime when a notorious scoundrel is reunited with the titled lady he betrayed. Together they track down the whereabouts of a stolen Indian artifact in London. And it isn't long before they succumb to the reigning passion of a love long thought extinguished.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451410572
• ISBN13: 9780451410573
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: Onyx Books
• Length: 370 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

strong, intelligent characters

Lynn Kerstan is an author whose books I generally enjoy very much, but unfortunately, she hasn't had anything new out for a while, so I'm picking up her backlist here and there. Lord Hugo Duran is in the wrong place at the wrong time, and is captured in India after another Englishman stole the priceless golden leopard deemed necessary to the nizam's rule. He's sentenced to death as a spy and thief, but is granted conditional freedom when he says he's had a dream that he's to restore the leopard. So he has one year to find the golden leopard or die, and to that end, he returns to England with an assassin as a bodyguard/valet and unseen "others" keeping him under constant watch. Unfortunately, the time of the journey is also included in that year, so he's down to a matter of weeks once he arrives in England. To find the leopard, he applies to Lady Jessica Carville, whose heart he once broke, and who now works for Christie's auction house as an expert in antiquities. This is not your usual historical romance. It's more an adventure, on the order of Indiana Jones. It's over-the-top and intense, and a fabulous page-turner. Hugo and Jessica are both strong, intelligent characters, and neither is inclined to sentiment--maybe that's why I liked them so much. They're larger than life, both of them strong enough to keep their emotions to themselves to accomplish their goals. And despite their determination, they find themselves falling in love again, fighting it all the way. The character of the assassin Shivaji is a lovely plus--he's mysterious and possessed of an iron-clad resolve to kill Hugo, yet they become friends of a sort. The resolution of Hugo's dilemma is due to brains and cleverness, and is very satisfying. All in all, an absolutely wonderful read.

enjoyable romance with "real" characters...

unlike some of the other reviewers, I really enjoyed this romance. The book actually had a plot-unlike some regencies which are a series of event goings thrown in with a few love scenes. The hero and heroine are older, realistic characters-no gorgeous 19 year old virgins here. I liked the fact that the heroine takes control of her life instead of wallowing in self pity after she's abandoned by the hero years earlier-in fact she becomes an accomplished business woman. The storyline of finding the golden leopard was exciting, the sub characters-assasins from India-are interesting and add to the exotic flavor of the book and the love scenes are very sensual and erotic-unusual for a regency romance. If you love regencies but are looking for a bit more adventuresome plot, then I recommend this book-4 1/2 stars!

Good, but a tad uneven

I thought for sure I would love this book, and I did for the most part. It starts out very intriguing on the plot side, but the beginning till nearly the middle doesn't allow much time for Jessie and Duran to be together. Alot of plot maneuvers dominate the book until just before midway point when they make love for the first time. It jarred me a bit because this important scene was told in flashback *after* it occurred. Then every love scene from that point on (and there were many!) got more and more graphic in description and style. Not that I'm complaining. I like steamy books. But it felt a little uneven as a result. Almost as if the author suddenly became aware of the fact she skimped on romance in the beginning, then tried to make up for that in the second half by loading on the love scenes in every opportunity available. That said, however, this is a very good story. Just a tad....off.

great adventure romance

This is just a great action adventure romance, with exotic settings, intense scenes, and an undercurrent of humor that helps relieve the tension. Duran is a hero to die for, and Jessica is a heroine women can identify with-- strong yet vulnerable. Their romance is torrid, and so are the adventures they get into together.The plotline involves rare antiquities, and I found this glimpse into the world of the collector fascinating. But most of all, I loved the complex and tempestuous relationship between a desperate man and the only woman who can save him. There is torment and sacrifice and triumph in this book, and plenty of passion too!

combination of Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone

In 1821 India, charming con artist Lord Hugo Duran stands trial for stealing the Heart of Alanbad. Needing a lie when he knows the truth of innocence will not work, Hugo insists a dream brought him here and that he is to go home to England to find the Golden Leopard and return it to its rightful owner. The court rules if he fails to restore the jewel within a year, he will die.Hugo needs help to succeed and at the same time he sees this as an opportunity to finish his business with Jessica Carville, who he once hurt badly. After Hugo failed her, Jessie plunged deeply into her other passion, dealing rare antiquities. Though she wants to tell Hugo to go to the devil, Jessie, tempted by his quest, agrees to accompany him, but does not relish the idea of marrying him to keep her reputation in tact. As the excursion turns dangerous, both realizes they still love one another, but if they survive, she does not trust him to stay.THE GOLDEN LEOPARD is a combination of Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone. The story line is fast paced and loaded with action, twists, and gender bending (at least for the regency period) subplots. The support cast feels like they come from Peter Lorre clones while the lead couple is a delight though why Jessie suddenly worries about her rep after shredding it as a dealer seems a bit stretched. Still Lynn Kerstan keeps the reader enthralled with this suspense thriller that has just enough romance to please readers of both genres.Harriet Klausner