Rating: 
Summary: Completely Awesome!
Review: I just happened to be at my local bookstore and mentioned how much I was looking forward to Stephanie Laurens' new book. They told me they had some in so I quickly bought it. I told my husband and son to go away because I was reading tonight. I couldn't put it down it was so good. I loved Gabriel and Alathea. They had been so right for each other for 20 years. Alathea HATED the thought of asking for HIS help, and could only do it if she was disguised and acted completely unlike herself. Gabriel does his best Cynster seduction on the disguised Alathea, and to her dismay, does eventually figure out who it was he seduced. This is one of those keeper books that go on the shelf with all the other Laurens'!
Rating: 
Summary: Another formulatic romance
Review: I enjoyed the first books of the Cynster series, but the major problem I have with this book and with following books that Ms. Laurens writes is that they basically have all the same plot. It doesn't help that most of the Cynster men are all the same. They all refuse to fall in love, they all do, and they all have to convince the girl to marry them. For the first few books this type of plot makes a fun read, but after the first few it wears thin. I would highly recommend Devil's Bride, it's the best in the series.
Rating: 
Summary: 4 and a half stars! - the best since Devil's Bride
Review: I wish that Amazon has half stars so I could rate this properly. I truly enjoyed reading this book. This is by far the best Cynster novel since Devil's Bride.
Lady Alathea Morwellan finds a promissory note which could spell disaster for her family. Having managed the family finances for over a decade, she goes into action immediately and seeks Gabriel Cynster's help, her childhood friend, and an expert in investments. Not willing to reveal her true identity, she disguises herself as a widowed countess and sets up the meeting with Gabriel. He is intrigued and agrees to help her, but in return, she must kiss him each time he finds some information. Eventually, he finds out the truth and, along with his discovery of her identity, he also discovers his true feelings for her and the romance begins.
What makes this such an entertaining read is the banter between these two and the constant tension. On the surface, these two will strike you in the beginning as such an unlikely couple, as they seem to truly hate each other at times, but we know that there is more to it, which is of course their attraction to each other. Their antipathy towards each other also makes for some pretty hilarious read. Their arguments, especially Gabriel's disgust for Alathea's cap, is truly entertaining. And there are some really sweet moments too, such as Gabriel's first declaration of his love through the note he included with the flowers.
This is almost as good as Devil's Bride. A wonderful book and I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: One of her better books
Review: I find it amusing that most of the readers including the Amazon.com review call the female protagonist Althea as opposed to Alathea her real name. I guess this mistake indicates how carelessly people read the book and what pulp it truly is.Having said that, it is good for its genre. I agree with another reviewer who is also relieved that the lead characters are adults (29 & 30) another correction - guess no one is really paying that much attention to the details of this book. I also find it amusing that Alathea is really so imbecilic and continues to have sex with 'Gabriel' and not think about the possibility of scandal through pregnancy. She refuses to marry him after his proposal but somehow you don't get the impression that she is going to stop sleeping with him having already done so many times. It was one of Laurens' more mature books and I like that. I liked the Alathea's psychosis - she is older, taller and does not think of herself as particularly attractive. She seems a more well-rounded individual than most of Lauren's female lead characters. Rupert/Gabriel falls into the Alpha-male/hero role and so is not as interesting a character. We are told that he has difficulty in trusting but we don't know why but at least we are spared from the usual line that he is a `tortured soul'. I think the sensuality rating is a bit harsh - this is not one of Laurens' truly raunchy reads - it is really quite tame when compared to The Promise In a Kiss or On A Wicked Dawn. Enjoy it - it's great pulp fiction but careful not to overdose on Laurens as most of her books seem to have the same plotlines.
Rating:
Summary: Of all the Cynsters Gabriel is the best!!!
Review: I was first introduced to Stephanie Laurens when I read On a Wild Night and couldn't put it down. In the front of that book is a family tree with a list of the of Cynster books. So I ordered the whole set and loved them all but Gabriel's story was the most touching. Thea is an old friend of the family that was the playmates of Gabriel and Lucifer. She gives up her debut into the ton to save her family and 11 years later must do so again. But instead of asking Gabriel for help she dons a disguise so Gabriel won't know its her. She thinks that they despise each other because of the feelings they both experience when they are together but as the Countess she can explore her feelings for Gabriel. So Gabriel agrees to helpthe Countess find out information on the East African Company her father promises the family fortune to. Gabriel is bound and determined to marry his countess if he can figure out who she is. Once he relizes its Thea he is angry and hurt because she didn't trust him to help her without the disguise. Thea is very level headed with her explaination and Gabriel continues to help her. As the book reaches its climax Gabriel is bound and determined to stake his claim on Thea (so she never has to again wear those ugly spinster caps he hates), but she is good friends with Gabriel's mother so she knows all of the Cynster tricks about how they declare themselves. So Gabriel must come up with another way. His way is so romantic he makes your heart melt. I love the Cynster family and Gabriel is the most lovable because he and Thea always loved each other and didn't know it.
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