Violet Redmond has had plenty of suitors, but none has come close to capturing the interest of the beautiful and intelligent heiress. When Violet spies Captain Flint, the Earl of Ardmay, across a crowded ballroom, she is intrigued, and more than a little disconcerted by the Earl’s commanding presence and alarmingly good looks. A shared waltz unsettles both of them, and they realize that they have more in common than their physical attraction. This begins “I Kissed an Earl” by Julie Anne Long.
Violet’s older brother, Lyon, has disappeared, taking only a treasured wooden box along with him. Flint is looking for Violet’s brother, seeking vengeance for the death of a dear friend and fellow sea captain. Violet realizes that Flint can lead her to her missing brother, and perhaps help prove that her brother has not become Le Chat, a notorious pirate who has been responsible for the sinking of several ships. When Violet manages to hide aboard Flint’s ship as it sails out from London Harbor, her only thoughts are those of locating and saving her beloved brother from those who wish to find and punish him.
Captain Flint is not happy to find his stowaway, and makes plans to put Violet ashore at the next port until he realizes that she may help lead him to Le Chat. They continue to travel together to several ports, always arriving just behind the departure of Lyon. Lyon realizes that his sister is on his trail and leaves her a cryptic note that helps explain where he is going and what he is doing. Violet is caught between the two men – her brother whom she must help protect, and Flint, with whom she shares a strong and growing attraction.
The tension between Violet and Flint sizzles across the chapters and fairly arcs right off the page. Julie Anne Long knows how to build anticipation, and I Kissed an Earl doesn’t disappoint. The parallel stories of Violet and Flint’s romance and the search for Le Chat are interwoven perfectly, and the story flows perfectly from one page to the next. I Kissed an Earl is rich with detail and emotion, along with a dose of suspense and intrigue, wonderfully balanced and wonderfully written. Absolutely delicious!
