Chasing Cassandra

Railway magnate and business mogul Tom Severin has five emotions, and love isn't one of them. At least this was the case before Tom bumps into Lady Cassandra Ravenel at a wedding. One glimpse of Cassandra is enough to melt Tom's frozen heart, enough so that he even begins thinking of marriage. While it's true that seeing her twin sister, Pandora, get married has given Cassandra a worrisome twinge or two about her own spinsterish state, that doesn't mean Cassandra is ready to marry the first man who proposes to her, even if that man happens to be the devilishly sexy Tom. After years of successfully negotiating business contracts, however, Tom thinks he just might know a thing or two that will convince Cassandra to say yes. In the latest exceptional addition to her Victorian-set Ravenel series, Kleypas' (Devil's Daughter, 2019) keen insight into both the strength and fragility of human relationships provides a solid framework for another breathtakingly romantic and exquisitely sensual love story that is deftly enhanced by the author's graceful prose and flair for nuanced characterization.--John Charles Copyright 2020 Booklist

Opposites attract in spectacular fashion in the sixth Victorian-era Romance in bestseller Kleypas's Ravenel series (after Devil's Daughter), which pairs a true romantic with a cynical intellectual. Lady Cassandra Ravenel has turned down many proposals, holding out for real feeling. That doesn't stop railway magnate Tom Severin from asking for her hand within moments of meeting her. Though she ignores his proposal, the shrewd businessman fancies her from just a glance and sees winning her as a thrilling challenge. His pursuit leads the pair to grow close. But when Tom starts to feel more than lust, he abruptly ends their budding friendship to avoid the liability he feels his emotions pose on his cold, calculated life, leaving a smitten Cassandra confused and hurt. They continue to run into each other, and their physical and mental attraction proves too strong to ignore. When one of Cassandra's scorned suitors slanders her reputation, Tom is determined to protect her. The plot is well-balanced, the pace steady, the characters deliciously complex, and the chemistry electric. Returning readers will also be pleased by cameos from characters from earlier installments. Kleypas fans and first timers alike will fall in love with this refreshing romance. (Feb.)

Can instant attraction become something more for a ruthless railway magnate with a frozen heart? Tom Severin has fought tooth and nail to raise himself up from the slums of London. His razor-sharp intellect, cunning, and photographic memory have helped him win great political and financial power, even over the noblemen who would sooner spit on him than do business with him. Having proved himself, he feels an inchoate longing for something new, something more. When he overhears a distraught Lady Cassandra Ravenel mourn her failure on the marriage mart, Tom volunteers himself. He's never been so instantly attracted to anyone in his life and wonders if possessing this beautiful woman might be his ticket out of boredom. Cassandra knows that Tom, a family friend who has appeared in earlier installments of the series, is notoriously devoid of normal human emotion. Unlike the other professionally ambitious heroines in the series, sweet Cassandra wants a conventionally happy domestic life, and she doubts Tom is capable of true love even if she does relish stolen moments with him that set her blood on fire. When his usual tactics fail to win Cassandra, Tom tries to forget her, but "memories of her kept catching at the edge of his consciousness, sparkling like a tenacious strand of Christmas tinsel stuck in the carpet." A sexual assault late in the novel threatens to destroy Cassandra's life and reputation, bringing them back together. Despite Kleypas' (Devil's Daughter, 2019, etc.) trademark witty banter, fun cameos from previous couples in the series, and two likable protagonists, pacing is an issue. The romance stops and starts, the middle sags, and Tom and Cassandra do not spend enough time together for their love to be entirely convincing. Will delight Kleypas fans even if it leaves them wanting more. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.