When Lord Alaric Wilde returns from his explorations, he is shocked and annoyed to discover that not only have the "Lord Wilde" accounts of his travels become wildly popular but that Wilde in Love, a play purportedly—but inaccurately—based on his adventures, has taken London by storm. Alaric heads for his childhood home, Lindow Castle, only to find a house party in full swing, attended by a number of adoring ladies. Unfortunately, the only one he finds interesting is outwardly reserved, well-read Wilhelmina Everett Ffynche, and she wants nothing to do with him and his notoriety. The adventuresome Alaric is not about to give up. A heroine who wants to stay out of the limelight and a hero whose novels have turned him into a magnate for the masses come to terms with their feelings—and their situation. A would-be killer and an American sable (aka skunk) named Sweetpea add both danger and humor. VERDICT Witty and sensual, enhanced by dazzling sartorial descriptions, and tempered by a sinister edge, this occasionally bawdy Georgian romp gets James's new series off to an excellent start and hints at complications to come. James (Seven Minutes in Heaven) lives in New York City.

Historical romance doyenne James kicks off a Georgian series with an entertaining and intellectual story in which a famous author and explorer falls for a woman who shuns the spotlight. After a long absence exploring the globe, Lord Alaric Wilde returns to his home at Lindow Castle to learn, much to his shock and dismay, that a play about him called Wilde in Love has England's ladies thinking he's a Casanova. His fans' adulation—and unseemly desire—knows no bounds. Alaric doesn't want the notoriety; instead, he seeks the companionship of Willa Ffynche, a beautiful young woman attending a house party at the castle. The romance between them builds gradually and realistically, and intensifies through their exchanges of witty repartee and sensual innuendo. But Willa has no desire to share his life of fame, and Alaric fears that the one woman for whom he would give up his bachelorhood might spurn him. Expertly developed characters will draw readers in, and the cliffhanger conclusion is full of promise for future installments. Agent: Kimberly Witherspoon, Inkwell Management. (Nov.)