The Lady & the Libertine

by Bonnie Vanak

Book Overview

A young Englishwoman discovers that her necklace is the key to a fabulous Egyptian treasure, and the dissipated earl who seeks it is after her as well. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0843959762
• ISBN13: 9780843959765
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Leisure Books
• Length: 306 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 4.3" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

Vanak's latest is a winner

Set in the Egyptian desert, The Lady and the Libertine is a wonderful story of unconditional love and redemption. The characters are a delight. Hero Nigel Wallenford, Earl of Claradon is a bad boy in every sense of the word. He has lied and cheated to get what he wants and he desperately desires a beautiful ruby worn around the lovely neck of heroine Karida. The ruby holds the key to a treasure trove buried in the desert. Karida is a complex woman. She is a British subject rescued from a workhouse as a child and adopted by a Bedouin Sheik and his British wife. She at one time was a thief but now wears the ruby as a matter of honor to show the world she has reformed, she is now the protector of the tombs. She has no marriage prospects as she is believed to be barren. When she discovers that Nigel has stolen her ruby, she follows him to London to retrieve her stolen gem. Nigel has a good reason for needing money, even an honorable one but he never tells Karida this, instead he is content to let her think the worst of him because he truly believes he is unredeemable. There is great desire between the two of them though and when they act upon their feelings they are tender, passionate and giving. Karida sails back to her homeland hoping to forget Nigel. Ah, but that is not to be because Nigel is just two steps behind her and here the story gets even better. Now both people have to really come to grips with their feelings and learn to trust one another, a difficulty for both of them, but especially so for Nigel. I loved how the author created such complex characters. Nigel is a wonderful, wounded hero who wants to do the right thing but recognizes that it may hurt those he cares for the most. Karida must give up cherished notions and recognize that life is not always black and white. The inner musings these two have is profound but so is their outward dialogue, which always move the story forward. Their conversations are beautifully written. Nigel's transformation from angry nobleman to self sacrificing hero is utterly convincing. I have read many of Bonnie Vanak's Egyptian set novels and have to state that this is her best.

fabulous historical

In 1908 Englishman Nigel Wallenford is a womanizing thief until he regains his birthright as a titled earl. He vows to change his scandalous rascally ways once he has the wealth to live as an earl should live. He knows exactly how to achieve his goal with little work. He will go to Egypt to steal a fabled ruby that will lead him to a hidden treasure. Illegitimate Anne Mitchell was born and raised in a workhouse until her father exiled her to Egypt. There she became a member of the Bedouin Khamsin tribe, an honor that has given her incredible self esteem after being a nothing back home. Using the name Karida, she is guardian of the ruby that Nigel has come to steal. As they end up on a long journey, she knows he is her one, but though attracted to her, he rejects her love as he knows that emotion only hurts. Moving forward a couple of decades from her late nineteenth century Egyptian romantic suspense thrillers (see THE SCORPION and THE SEDUCER, THE FALCON AND THE DOVE, and THE COBRA AND THE CONCUBINE, etc), .Bonnie Vanak provides another fabulous historical. The story line stars two battered souls who reacted differently to their pasts; whereas Anne overcomes her childhood turning into a Bedouin heroic guardian; Nigel engulfs his past with debauchery and thievery. Their gender war over love and ownership of the ruby makes for another great historical adventure romantic epic. Harriet Klausner

Another sensual thriller from Bonnie Vanak!

Bonnie Vanak proves yet again why she's one of Leisure/Dorchester's best authors with this latest offering. Her talent for mingling exotic settings with captivating heroines, guaranteed-to-melt-your-butter heroes, and spellbinding story is unsurpassed. Set again in Egypt, "Lady and the Libertine" gives us a romance with Nigel, a handsome and seemingly conscienceless thief, and Anne/Karida, guardian of a treasure he's determined to make his own. Ms. Vanak gives us a hero whom we want to dislike yet yearn to redeem, and a heroine who has been scarred by life yet still full of love and innocence. (Such a refreshing change from dewy-eyed virgins that permeate so much of romance). I highly recommend this book, as well as "Tiger and the Tomb." Enjoy.