Brought up by loving, wealthy, and unconventional parents, Lady Pandora Effington Pandora dubbed the “Hellion” of Grovsner Square has freedoms few debutantes are allowed including the choice to marry…or not!  After seven seasons (depending on who’s counting) only one man has ever piqued her interest, Maximillian Wells, the Earl of Trent.  Consequently because he never seemed to notice her Pandora was taking steps to change that. 

Maximillian wasn’t around for Pandora’s first few seasons, but he did notice and was intrigued by her these last few years.  He was happy to note his feigned disinterest was working remarkably well in gaining her attention.  A well-known rake, he’d sown his oats and was ready to settle down. But, Maximilian wanted more in a mate than the placid simpering debutantes up for grabs – no, what he needed was a wife with spirit and the “hellion” was precisely what he needed.  On a lark he asked that she give him a test to show he could be her hero --  never suspecting she’d give him the twelve tasks of Hercules to achieve.  For a mere man these tasks would be impossible, but with ingenuity, resolve, and creative interpretation Max would succeed!

Some authors were born to write Regency Romance and one must truly put Victoria Alexander in this category!  In this reissued book of what appears to be the beginning of the Effington family series her dialogs were witty and the main characters were quickly embraced for their affability. I absolutely loved Pandora Effington whom I found to be a delightful intelligent and independent heroine.  I’m also looking forward to discovering the rest of this larger brood of other unique Effington family members after getting a glimpse of a couple of them in this volume.  I loved Max,  the reformed rake and the ‘take-charge’ hero as he came up with creative ways of working around the impossible Herculean tasks on his list to win the lady of his heart.   If he ended up with a little bit of some ingenious help from Pandora’s relatives who were all most anxious to have him succeed at his tasks, then so be it!    The secondary romance that blossomed between the protagonists’ best friends added another layer of interest to this regency romp that kept the entertainment at a high pitch and the sensual heat at a more than adequate simmering temperature!   This should be high on the top of all regency genre lovers buy lists.

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Posted January 2007