Sophia Nash: The Kiss

The Kiss: A
Georgiana Wilde & Quinn Fortesque

He had once been her cherished childhood companion, and then the man she lusted for in secret, but Georgiana Wilde hasn't seen recently widowed Quinn Fortesque since the day he married another woman and shattered her heart. Then fate intervenes and brings the man she dreams about each night back to her . . . .

Returning to the estate on family business, Quinn would like nothing more than to turn the land over to Georgiana and leave the memories of his former life behind. But then the brooding marquis finds himself under the spell of the beauty he once left behind. With her barely concealed passions, Georgiana melts his coolly guarded heart. Suddenly his well-ordered world is in danger of crashing down. And it all began with just one kiss . . . (amazon)

Have you ever read something out of a book, gasp in shock, then moan for the characters?

Ms. Nash’s story was full of those moments. It got to the point where my sister told me to shut up (I was reading in her room, keeping her company as she studied). But it’s not my fault! I couldn’t help it! It’s Ms. Nash’s fault for creating a story full of wit, romance, love, angst, and overall drama (that we all love, even though we claim we don’t). Man, it was one satisfying read!

(I realize that this is another reunion story. Man, I love those!)

Georgiana, Quinn, and Anthony were childhood friends. Quinn and Anthony were cousins, with Anthony as the heir to the Ellesmere Marquis-ship. Quinn was an orphan, one that Anthony’s parents had grudgingly taken in. And Georgiana? She was the daughter of the Ellesmere estates’ steward.

The story starts out with Georgiana and Anthony’s wedding night. She had given up on Quinn, who years ago, married and went away to work as a foreign diplomat. Shockingly, Anthony dies on their wedding night and Georgiana is the newly widowed Marquess of Ellesmere, to the horrification (is that a word or did I just create it?) of Anthony’s mother, the Dowager Duchess.

With the death of Anthony, Quinn is handed the title, and he returns to Penrose, Cornwall with his cutie-pie nine year old daughter, Fairleigh.

There is a strong attraction between Quinn and Georgiana, however, the conflict and drama surrounding Anthony threatens to harm their relationship.

I loved Georgiana’s spunky and independent nature; I also loved Quinn because… well, he was hot. (lol) And as the story unfolds, it is heartbreaking to see the angst and trial that they all go through. It makes you think about how much your actions have on other people – because Anthony and Quinn’s late wife both impacted Georgiana and Quinn in a number of ways.

While this is the sequel to Nash’s A Dangerous Beauty, it can be read as a stand-alone and is utterly wonderful. I’m so disappointed that her next novel is going to be released next February! What, are they nuts?! I can only count down the days for Grace’s story – Lord knows she deserves one.