Vexing the Viscount by Emily Bryan

February 24, 2009
Dorchester Publishing/Leisure Books
Historical Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Rating: 4.5

Lucian Beaumont, Viscount Rutland wants nothing more than to restore wealth and respectability to his family line, and rescue his father from the brink of insanity. When he uncovers clues leading to an ancient Roman treasure, all he needs is financial backing for his archeological expedition.

Daisy Drake is longing for adventure but doesn’t get much opportunity for that anymore, not like she did as a child. However, when she runs into an old friend while attending an exhibit of erotic Roman art, adventure is exactly what she’ll get… in more ways than one. Daisy has the funds but Lucian refuses to take money from the family his father blames for his downfall.

When Daisy disguises herself as a French courtesan, Lucian’s interest is claimed by this mystery woman who is willing to finance his treasure hunt… and teach him the art of pleasing a woman, which Daisy has learned from reading things she shouldn’t be. Now between sensual bedroom pursuits and a treasure hunt, Daisy has all the adventure she can handle just Vexing the Viscount.

I adore anything Emily Bryan/Diana Groe writes and Vexing the Viscount ranks up near the top as a delightful read. The Emily Bryan books are more humorous in tone than those under the name Diana Groe while still maintaining all of the trademarks I have come to expect from her. While the humor makes the Vexing the Viscount a lighter read, there is still plenty of the inherent sensuality of the characters. After all, how can there not be such when the heroine is disguised as an infamous courtesan to please the love of her life and make up excuses to spend time with him? This also provides plenty of entertainment for readers as we see Daisy studying the journals of the courtesan she is pretending to be. Then there is the added amusement as Daisy tries so hard to hide her lack of knowledge about the sensual arts when Lucian comes calling.

One of the trademarks I have come to expect from this talented author is the strong complex characters. Lucian is dealing with some rather weighty issues, not the least of which is the struggle to restore pride to his family name in the hopes of saving his father from insanity. This provides extra depth as we are privy to his deep seated worries and fears. Daisy is a highly intelligent young woman with an abundance of spirit that has a tendency to get her into sometimes questionable adventure while never losing that last shred of innocence. The romance that blossoms between them has been a long time coming, at least from Daisy’s perspective, and Lucian finds himself fighting the ever growing attraction, convinced they can never be together. As we all know, the road to love never runs smoothly and following these two as they travel that path provides a wonderful romantic escape for a few hours.

Vexing the Viscount is an intriguing blend of secrets, scandal, adventure, tragedy, and not one, but two romances. We find an exciting treasure hunt that stirs up danger and shocking secrets that cause rifts between families and would cause a lot of scorn if they were revealed. Then there is plenty of scandal associated with the life of a courtesan and bits of naughty ancient Roman art uncovered through Lucian’s archeological expedition. One of the things I loved best about Vexing the Viscount is the dual romance, one taking place during “current” times and one unfolding in ancient Londinium, with tragic results, that is revealed through some of the artifacts Lucian and Daisy uncover leading to the rumored treasure. Vivid historic details add depth to an already well rounded story and bring an additional ring of authenticity to the tale.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, March 2009. All rights reserved.

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