Flawless by Carrie Lofty

Historical Romance

Flawless caught my attention when I read that it was set in South Africa in the late 1800’s right after the Boar Wars.  This is an unusual setting for a historical romance.  South Africa during this time was a lot like the old west with diamonds fever instead of gold fever fueling the danger.  Here is what Goodreads says about Flawless.

 
A passion this seductive is more precious than diamonds...

Sir William Christie, ruthless tycoon and notorious ladies' man, is dead. Now his four grown children have gathered for the reading of his will. What lies in store for stepsiblings Vivienne, Alexander, and twins Gareth and Gwyneth? Stunning challenges that will test their fortitude across a royal empire...and lead them to the marvelously passionate adventures of their lives.

Lady Vivienne Bancroft fled England for New York, hoping to shed the confines of her arranged marriage to unrepentant rogue Miles Durham, Viscount Bancroft—though she never forgot the fiery desire he unleashed with his slightest touch. And when the gambling man arrives on her doorstep for a little sensual revenge for her desertion, he is met with Vivienne's dilemma: She must earn her father's inheritance by profitably running a diamond business worth millions in colonial South Africa.

Swept together in an exotic undertaking filled with heated passion and hungry temptation, will Vivienne and Miles discover that the marriage vows they once made are the greatest snare—or the most treasured reward?

Characters:  Vivienne is a very strong female character.  She has a secret that she is protecting.  That secret has been a part of what molded her and added to her strengths.  Miles Durham has spent his life bored.  His behavior has been an effort to combat that boredom.  Vivienne never bored him and now helping Vivienne he has found a purpose in life.  I loved both characters.  There were some really good side characters in the book.  Each added strength to the story.  Carrie Lofty made sure there was one strong African male in the mix.  Without pounding it in the ground she used this character to show how Africans were treated during in this time period.

Plot:  The whole plot revolved around the terms of Sir William Christie’s will.  It made for an exciting story even without the romance.  The romance part just added spice to the mix.

Writing:  The choice of setting really set this story apart.  The depiction of South Africa and the diamond trade was excellent.  Flawless was very well written.

Tension:  There was the sexual tension between Vivienne and Miles but more that that there was the issue of trust.  That tension fed the entire story line.  Making the business prosper added to the trust issue.  Between the two I just wanted to keep reading. 

The next book in the series, Starlight, is due out soon.  I already have it on pre-order.

Pocket Books published Flawless by Carrie Lofty in 2012.