Always a Temptress by Eileen Dreyer

It surprises (and saddens) me that not more people are reading Eileen Dreyer's Drake's Rakes series.

Eileen Dreyer made a remarkable leap from writing suspense novels to writing romance novels. Her first romance series, about Drake's Rakes shows Dreyer's expertise in writing about crimes and conspiracies -- but what is surprising is that she has an amazing talent for writing about love.

In most romance novels, it is the hero who is an unrepentant ne'er-do-well -- but in Dreyer's Always a Temptress, it is the heroine who is fallen and in need of reform.

Kate is a duchess and she knows how to wield the power that comes with her title. She has also earned a dubious reputation among the Ton -- but, instead of being ashamed by it, she revels in her notoriety.

Harry has known Kate ever since they were children -- they even fell in love 10 years ago -- but now he hates her and everything that she has become.

Harry and the rest of Drake's men have been following the trail left for them by The Butcher -- and the final clues to the conspiracy lead to Kate.

Harry and Kate are thrown together once again -- and they discover all is not as it seems with each other.

This was a page-turner from beginning to end. Dreyer has kept the suspense of The Butcher's villainy from Book 1 and I can't wait for the resolution in her next book.