"a gentle tale of real love and beauty"

Lynsay Sands is back with another wonderfully, charming historical romance, with a less than perfect heroine and hero. And I so enjoyed this one. Lady Clarissa Cambray has problems. Take her glasses away from her and all sort of accidents occur. As one condemned to wear reading glasses myself, and panics when I take them off and cannot find my glasses because I need my glasses to find them, I totally understand, as I think readers will. I also fall, trip and crash, so this heroine is dear to my heart. Her trouble comes because she has a wicked stepmother who refuses to let her wear her glass in public. Without the glasses mishaps take place around her. So the hope of Clarissa ever finding a suitor dims with each bumbling accident.

But ah, there is a lad for every lass in Romance, so enters Adrian, Earl Montfort. He has shunned the ton since the war left his handsome face scarred. He sees Clarissa's vision problems as a blessing to him. If she cannot see well, just hide her glasses and she won't see the outer man, but come to love the inner one. Through Clarissa's love, Adrian learns that his real scars are on his heart, and this lovely, gentle lady holds the magical ability to heal them.

Both learn through love each are beautiful. Highly recommended. A nifty little suspense threat woven in to keep things lively.

Sands proves once again that she has the deft touch to bring such heart-stealing characters to life.

Reviewed by DeborahAnne MacGillivray
Posted October 11, 2006

Summary

He's been warned that Lady Clarissa Crambray is dangerous. Stomping on toes and burning piffles, the chestnut-haired beauty is clearly a force with which to be reckoned. But for Adrian Montfort, Earl of Mowbray, this is just the challenge he needs. He can handle one woman and her "unfortunate past." Can any woman handle him?

Lady Clarissa Crambray wants a husband, but maybe not as much as her stepmother wants one for her. Doffing her spectacles might make a girl prettier, but how will she see? Yet, as all other suitors seem to shy away in terror, there comes a man to lead her to the dance floor. A dark, handsome blur of a man.