Review: The Bargain By Jane Ashford

Print Length: 416 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: August 5, 2014
Language: English
ASIN: B00KM5F828

 

A scientifically minded nobleman
Lord Alan Gresham is the sixth son of the Duke of Langford and, as such, has been allowed to remain at Oxford to pursue his scientific studies. When the prince regent asks him to debunk the "ghost" of a dead actress haunting Carlton House, he cannot refuse, and is forced back to the Society he deplores. But upon meeting the daughter of the alleged ghost, his calm, logical investigation is disrupted.

Learns the breathless chemistry of desire
Ariel Harding doesn't believe in ghosts, but she's determined to investigate this haunting. Her mother recently committed suicide, and Ariel is desperate to find the reason. She'll work with Alan because he has access to Prinny's resources, but she never dreamed she'd make a perilous bargain with a man who's as maddeningly arrogant as he is confoundedly attractive...

 My Thoughts:

"The Bargain" By Jane Ashford is an intriguing, suspense-filled historical romance filled with unexpected twists and turns throughout which made it difficult for me to pry myself from between the pages!  I absolutely loved these characters. Ariel Harding is a very determined and persistent heroine with a strong sense of independence and a need to uncover the truth behind her mother's death. Lord Alan Gresham is a man of science and reason but certainly has no clue about romance and emotions of the heart.  However, his overall impression of women is quickly diminished when he encounters Ariel Harding.  Will he ever come to terms with his new found emotions?  Jane Ashford is a very talented storyteller with a special gift of creating a romance that has just enough "spice" that doesn't overpower the story itself.  Fans of Historical Romance are sure to be delighted! "The Bargain" is a prequel to Ashford's new Regency Romance "The Duke's Sons" series with the first installment "Heir To The Duke" scheduled for release on  January 5th, 2016 and is certainly on my list of books to be read. FOUR stars.