In A Dangerous Game Julia Templeton, a new author to this reviewer, spins a tale of rage and revenge, friendship and love with a sensual tone unlike any I’ve ever read. I was so completely enthralled with the hero and heroine, Nicolette Rockwell and Salvatore Casale, I was sad to see the book end. I wanted to see them live their life together, produce babies together, fight and make love together. I’ve come to the realization that what this book needs is a sequel.

This novel is alive and filled to the brim with clearly drawn characters readers will fall in love with. The setting is exquisite: early 1800s, England, lush and vivid, and filled with the antics and perversions of the ton. Nicolette and Salvatore are famous, popular musicians, but they are also bastards of the ton. Salvatore is bent on revenge against his half-brother, Darian Tremayne, Earl of Kedgewick. Darian is unaware he has a brother, though they share the same father whom Salvatore despises. The likeness between the two men is striking. For her friend, Salvatore, Nicolette has promised to seduce Darian, therefore sabotaging the earl’s plans to wed a wealthy young society woman. As Salvatore watches Nicolette begin the dance of seduction, his feelings of friendship slip away and he falls in love with her. In the end, Salvatore can’t sacrifice the woman he loves to his half-brother.

A Dangerous Game is filled with so many delightful secondary characters I can see several novels being created by Ms. Templeton in the future. One character who stands out is Darian Tremayne. He’s the villain in this novel, yet I found myself drawn to him. But then, I’ve always had difficulty resisting an excellently portrayed “bad boy”. His redemption, though, would be a wonderful read.

Ms. Templeton’s writing is top caliber and a must read for readers who enjoy the historical romance genre. The only reason A Dangerous Game did not garnish a top ten rating from me is due to the somewhat repetitious thoughts and feelings of Nicolette and Salvatore that slowed down the pacing of the novel. Also, I felt the ending a bit abrupt, but then that was likely because I didn’t want this beautiful novel to end. I’m of the opinion that for years to come A Dangerous Game will live on in the memory of readers.

Reviewed by Nancy Pirri
© June 2006