The Price of Temptation by Lecia Cornwall

February Challenge:
This month you can choose between the following options:
You can read as many books from each topic as you feel like!
- Valentine’s day: Read a book that has a predominantly color “red” cover, that has a kissing/embracing couple on its cover, or whose title has either the following words: kiss, heart or love.
OR
- Read a book by an author you have given up.
OR
- Read a novella, or an anthology.
OR
- Read one of the oldest books added to your TBR shelf.
OR
- Read a Historical Fiction (not limited to Historical Romance) – read a book that takes place in some notable period of history.

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Lecia Cornwall continues to delve into the world of spies and intrigue in her second novel, The Price of Temptation.

Evelyn Renshaw is in limbo -- her husband is a known traitor to the Crown and is missing. The latest rumour is that he is dead. Evelyn's life is fraught with uncertainty -- her funds have been frozen and she can't retire to the country, away from the prying of London society.

Sinjon Rutherford is in limbo -- he's been branded a traitor and is trying to prove his innocence. He can't go home because his family has disowned him -- and he can't trust anyone but himself.

He happens upon Evelyn in the park and saves her from French attackers who believe Evelyn knows the whereabouts of an important treasure that her husband stole from France.

And, by doing so, he becomes a player in the dangerous game of traitors and allies.

Sinjon is recruited by Adam Westlake to discover Evelyn's secrets. He gains a position as footman in Evelyn's household. As footman, Sin becomes privy to his new employer's life -- and desires. And she becomes his lover.

Espionage and infiltration is not a new scenario in romance novels -- but Cornwall adds a unique element: the question of Evelyn's "complicity" in her husband's schemes: how much does she know and how deeply involved is she? Sinjon's quest also puts him in a difficult situation: does he save himself? or does he save Evelyn?

As Sinjon tries to discover the answers, he can't help but fall in love with Evelyn's strength and calm.

There is a poignance to their coming together -- the sinner and the fallen. They are imperfect people in an imperfect world -- but one cannot doubt the sincerity and perfection of their love, which exists despite their circumstances.

Lecia Cornwall blends adventure and intrigue perfectly with the love story. She has created likeable characters that her readers can empathise and identify with.

I usually don't like how conveniently unwanted husbands are dealt with in similar stories -- but I did not mind it so much in Cornwall's novel -- because Sinjon and Evelyn belong together.