BOOK 2
Cloaked in Danger
Aria has no choice but to pretend she’s husband hunting.
Adam is determined to find her secrets.
Aria Whitney has little in common with the delicate ladies of London society. Her famous father made his fortune hunting archaeological treasures, and her rustic upbringing has left her ill-prepared for a life of parties and frippery. But when Gideon Whitney goes missing, Aria must embrace the unknown—armed with only the short list of highborn men who’d backed her father’s venture, she poses as a woman looking for a husband. She doesn’t intend to find one.
Adam Willoughby, Earl of Merewood, finds London’s strangest new debutante fascinating, but when he catches her investigating his family’s secrets, he threatens to ruin her reputation. He doesn’t intend to enjoy it so much.
When their lustful indiscretion is discovered, Adam finds that he regrets nothing. But now, as her father’s enemy draws near, Adam must convince his betrothed that she can trust him with her own secrets…before it’s too late.
Reviews and Readers
“In ‘Cloaked in Danger’ Jeannie Ruesch has crafted a taut, emotional thrill-ride through the streets of Regency London. Archaeological adventure and drawing room intrigue are combined in a story that will keep you reading late into the night. Jeannie Ruesch is an author to watch.”
Elizabeth Essex
“A thrilling read, Cloaked in Danger was a wonderful historical romance. It was full of romance, secrets, and I really enjoyed reading it…The plot was fast paced and I was hooked the entire way through. There were tons of thrills and secrets along the way that kept me on the edge of my seat.”
Farrah Sayyad
“Jeannie Ruesch has one of the freshest and most original historical romance voices I have read in a long while. I loved her unconventional heroine and the fact that her hero was willing to break society’s rules too. The conflict in CLOAKED IN DANGER is strong. At times it was so dominant that it almost overshadowed the romance between Adam and Aria.
Yet, on the other hand, I appreciated that the heart-wrenching conflict Ruesch developed was one not easily overcome with a simple conversation or the resolution of a misunderstanding. Her characters felt flesh and blood real, and their pain felt was as vibrantly written as the love and passion that held them together, despite the odds against them.”
Christy Carlyle
NIGHT OWL REVIEWS
4.5 Stars
Night Owl Reviews Top Pick
“Adam Willoughby, brother to Blythe from “Something About Her”, gets his turn here, and a challenging romance with Ariadne, daughter to a well-known archaeologist/treasure hunter. Aria’s dad, who had taken her along with him on all his digs after his wife’s death, decides she must go to London to live with his young and pregnant second wife and to learn how to maneuver among the haute ton. When Aria’s “Uncle John” arrives home from Egypt more than half-dead with news their camp had been attacked and Aria’s papa is missing, Aria suspects one of his aristocratic investors might be to blame. Aria is quickly out of her depth, pushing far beyond the bounds of propriety, and ends up in an awkward and compromising situation with Adam that can be salvaged only through marriage (at the insistence of Adam’s wonderful mum). Adam feels drawn to Aria’s refreshingly confident and un-debutantish nature, and is fine with the notion of marrying her — even if he had planned to hold off marrying until after his three sisters are hitched. Then Aria finds out one of her London friends is not what he seems, and her life spins down into hell.
Adam Willoughby is flawed in expecting that he will be able to control everything in his mother’s and sisters’ lives, but he gradually grows in wisdom and learns to let them make their own mistakes. It takes him longer than I liked to realize he was wrong to leave Aria in peace when she breaks off their engagement and tells him to go; and he was plain muleheaded to assume she wasn’t what he thought her to be. (listening to her stepmother, with whom she does NOT get along? Also not bright.)
The strongest point? Ruesch handles the subject of post-traumatic stress disorder with depth, insight, and honesty, leading in to it with a degree of trauma that most historical romance novelists would shy away from (though even she shies away from rape). Seeing Aria struggling to find a way through the tripwires and minefields survivors must confront, and Adam finding his way back to her when she needs him most, is heartbreaking even while it’s life-affirming.
An added benefit: Michael, the oh-so-aggravating and deceitful hero of Book 1, redeems himself in helping Adam through some extremely rough patches. By the time he’s done, Adam, and the readers, can’t help but acknowledge he’s become worthy of Blythe Willoughby. And I no longer wanted Adam to pound him to a pulp.”
The barriers that both faced were well plotted by Ruesch. The poignant storyline was so engrossing that I could not put the book down. I loved the backup characters and could not believe the way the story progressed. The ending was inevitable; however, it was such a surprise that it made the agonizing worthwhile.
I loved this story and feel that anyone would love the book. I highly recommend that you read it and promise you will not be disappointed. Kudos, Ms. Ruesch. ”
Amazon Review
“Very delightful! Warm, likeable characters, murder, danger and sweet romance make this a lovely Regency reading experience…Aria and Adam are very warm, likeable characters, even though they both have their share of bullheadedness and there was a point where I rolled my eyes at Aria’s headlong foolishness. The mystery is wrapped in danger and intrigue and the details are well crafted. … The romance is sweet and sensual… I recommend this to any reader who enjoys a good historical romance.”
Read an Excerpt
Chapter One
Aria Whitney curled shaky fingers around the cold metal key she’d nabbed from the desk drawer. Voices filtered in from beneath the door for the tenth time in a score of minutes, and the knots in her stomach tightened. She turned to survey the dimly lit room.
Searching a man’s study was proving far more risky than she had anticipated.
In retrospect, she should have conceived a less foolhardy plan. Chosen a time when the man was not throwing a party. Or at least not a party with a guest list the size of a small village.
As Aria’s father often lamented, forethought was not one of her strengths.
“Dear God, please let me find something.” Her skills at asking for divine intervention were rusty, but she would settle for even a dribble of help.
She had searched almost everything. The windowless, wood-paneled room contained simple furnishings: couch, chaise, an armoire and desk, all impeccably maintained and neatly organized. It hadn’t taken long.
All what she might expect of a duke, with one exception: a chest that edged the wall—a piece so ostentatious it all but grew talons, snatched you and forced you to gaze upon its shiny gold embellishments. It seemed foolish to bother. Who would put something worth finding in such an obvious place?
But Papa wouldn’t have overlooked the chest.
Worry billowed in her gut like the heavy edges of a burlap tent.
“Miss Whitney is a title hunter.” The prickly words, snapped out by an even pricklier feminine voice, slid under the doorway.
“Are you sure you saw her walk this way?” The high-pitched voice was close. Too close.
Aria twisted around to watch the door.
The door she had left unlocked.
“I am certain she’s doing something scandalous.” Glee punctuated every syllable.
“And we’ll be certain the good people of London are well aware,” came the snide reply.
Since she had thrust herself into this impossible world, she had made few friends. And if someone caught her snooping around in the study, the tentative progress she’d made would be destroyed.
She would lose all ability to saunter through this world freely.
Her only opportunity to find her father.
The beat of her blood hammered in her head. She took silent steps across the hardwood and stopped at the door, flattening her hands against the painted surface.
“Did you see her dance with my George? Twice! And the way she boldly introduces herself to her betters. I shall not let George fall prey to her manipulations.”
“Don’t be silly. George adores you. She’s nothing…”
Their words turned unintelligible, and Aria bit down hard on her lower lip to keep from yelling a few insults after them. Her father’s men had taught her to swear like a sailor—in five languages, no less, so she had plenty to choose from.
Instead, with a quick flick of her wrist, she locked the door, dropped her head to rest against the solid wood.
A stupid mistake, one she couldn’t afford.
With that kind of carelessness, her reputation would be in tatters by the end of the week. That fact was as indisputable as the distance between England and her father’s encampment in Egypt. But she’d be damned if she’d let those prattling ninnies be the cause of her disgrace.