COUNTERFEIT KISSES by Sandra Heath

COUNTERFEIT KISSES by Sandra Heath
Signet - May 2000
ISBN: 0451200225 - Paperback
A Regency Romance

Reviewed by Brenda Weeaks, MyShelf.Com
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It’s the closing eve of 1803. Duke Richard Exton, Sir Gareth Carew, and Squire Stephen Holland’s futures will reluctantly be tied together once the events involving a card game, a tiara, and Stephen’s sister draw to a final close. Stephen blames Gareth for the loss of his fortune and the famous tiara to Duke Exton. The tiara, with its 25 perfect rubies, has been an object of conflict between the Holland and Fitzgerald families for over a hundred years. The Duke of Exton is planning to take advantage and cash in on this dispute, but not the way one would think. Now penniless, Stephen heads off the America; his sister marries well and leaves for Bengal; the Duke cashes in, and Sir Gareth goes on with his intelligence efforts for the Secretary of State for the Foreign Affairs, Lord Howesbury.

It’s now 1807. Widowed, Mrs. Richard Leighton moves back to England. She is invited by the Duchess of Exton to join her in her purchased box for a recently popular type of play, Pantomiming. Once there, she can’t believe her luck when not only Duke Exton, but also Sir Gareth arrives. Fortune has delivered both the men that played a part in taking her tiara, her brother, and his fortune from her. In taking the stage to play revenge, Suzanne finds she isn’t the only one performing. One woman’s thirst for vengeance leads her into a maze of jealousy, lies, and intrigue, but most of all it gets her a handful of counterfeit kisses.

An enchanting regency romance! Counterfeit Kisses is an enjoyable story carried by two delightful leading characters that capture their audiences’ hearts. It’s a romantic story of London nobility, misunderstandings, revenge, pretending, romance, mystery and intrigue. Sandra Heath has successfully caught all the charm and character of regency England.