A tempest of desire

Heath's riveting and deeply sensual fifth Scandalous Gentleman of St. James romance (after Gentlemen Prefer Heiresses) takes the series to new heights. After a railway accident in Victorian England results in a brain injury, Viscount Langdon secludes himself at his family's remote island residence, hoping for insight on how to recover his mathematical abilities. He's terribly lonely and desperate for companionship. Enter Marlowe, London's most beautiful courtesan and the mistress of Langdon's acquaintance Hollie, the Earl of Hollingsworth. She quite literally washes up on his beach after falling from a failing hot-air balloon. The pair spend a lot of time together while she recovers from her ordeal and along the way, feelings bloom. Langdon learns that Marlowe's beauty is more than skin-deep, as she reveals the story of how she came to be Hollie's kept woman. When their time on the island comes to an end, Langdon offers to be Marlowe's next protector--but Marlowe refuses, having fallen too deeply in love to be anything but his wife. Both leads possess remarkable emotional intelligence as they do what they must to survive while going against upper-crust society's expectations. Readers will have no trouble rooting for this pair to reach their happy ending. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (Dec.)

Viscount Oliver Langdon's solitude is abruptly disrupted when he discovers that the well-known courtesan Marlowe has washed up on the shore of his secluded island after her hot air balloon went down in the middle of a storm. With the storm raging on, Marlowe and Langdon confront their growing feelings for each other. However, their emotions aren't the only secrets they've been keeping. Langdon lives in fear of discovery, while Marlowe's past jeopardizes her future. Will their return to the mainland be the end of their relationship, or will it only stoke the flames of their desire? Heath's latest "Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James" novel, following An Affair with a Notorious Heiress, is full of passion, and the story immediately captures readers' attention with the opening dramatic rescue. The main characters are flawed, making them appealing and relatable, and their backgrounds offer insight and intrigue into their character development. VERDICT Fans of Sophie Jordan and Eloisa James will be captivated by this story of passion, romance, and overcoming life's obstacles.--Jenn Laskosky

An infamous courtesan crash-lands in a viscount's quiet life. All Viscount Langdon wants is a bit of quiet to recover from his terrible railway accident, and his private island seems like just the place. But his solitude is disrupted one dark and stormy night when a beautiful aeronaut washes ashore after her hot air balloon collapses, and when he saves her from the ocean, he realizes he knows her all too well. She's Marlowe, notorious enough for a mononym among the London gossips, a famous mistress who has been attached to the Earl of Hollingsworth for years. Langdon nearly won an evening with her in a card game against Hollingsworth, in fact, and as he appeared to cheat in order not to win, she's still a bit hurt. Once she comes to and they realize they're trapped in close proximity by the storm, an intense attraction flares up between them almost immediately, but it'll have to be a slow burn. Langdon worries he likes her too much to be satisfied with a single encounter, and he also doesn't want anyone to know that, since his accident, he's completely lost his ability to understand numbers, undermining his entire life. Marlowe has her own set of secrets, which she's mulling over as she starts accepting that her life with Hollingsworth may be coming to an end. The two finally give into a sudden deluge of steamy encounters, and their connection goes beyond just the physical. But since Langdon will have to marry and produce an heir soon and Marlowe cares for him too much to become his mistress, both face difficult decisions. Heath's many fans will be pleased to see her return with such a strong book about the Scoundrels of St. James characters, especially as Langdon's parents are the beloved couple of an earlier book,In Bed With the Devil (2008). But it also stands alone very well, and is likely to win her new fans, thanks especially to excellent and empathic character development throughout the well-paced story. A heartfelt and high-flying Victorian romance. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.