Demon earned his name for his formidable manner in business and with women. The blonde Cynster enjoyed being in charge and was sure that he would never be brought to his knees by a feeble emotion like love or be at any woman's beck and call like so many of his Cynster cousins. Of course that was all before he saw a suspicious rounded backside bobbing in the saddle on his most promising race horse.

The shapely posterior belonged to none other than Felicity Parteger, who was also masquerading as an exercise boy. Demon's trainer, with his near vision, had managed to miss the intense blue eyes above the concealing muffler, and the tendril of corn silk hair escaping from the exercise "boy's" cap. Demon didn't miss a thing, including the way his heart sped up and his body heated whenever his mysterious rider was near. He apprehended Felicity and found, instead of a tomboy, a Botticelli angel determined to take on a race fixing syndicate to save her brother.

Felicity only wanted to save her brother Dillon from dishonor and possibly death while keeping the whole matter hidden from Dillon's father and her ward, The General. Never did she imagine that her impersonation would put her under the exacting eyes of Demon Cynster. He had long been her girlhood image of an ideal man with his good looks, ready wit, and way with horses. Felicity knew he was a matrimonial prize, besides being a well known rake, and wasn't for a simple country girl like herself who could saddle a horse better than she could use a fan. There was also the small matter that she made free to use one of Demon's horses, not to mention that her brother was hiding on his property too.

Tempers flared, as well as passions, when Demon decided that he should assist Felicity in her hunt to track down Dillon's villainous cohorts before they could find Dillon. Declaring his intention to marry Felicity when they were found in a compromising position, Demon was shocked when Felicity refused his proposal. For Felicity it was her girlhood dream come true, except she wanted to be more than an appropriate wife, then there was Celeste, and that annoying criminal business.

Felicity is a well rounded heroine who rides like a man, but wants to be desired as a woman. Her new-found female Cynster friends are more than happy to show her the way. Demon, on the other hand, is probably one of the most stubborn and hard headed of the Cynsters yet. His secretive nature almost makes the relationship a no-go for the last 100 pages.

A Rogue's Proposal is the fourth novel of the Cynster series. It can be a bit of a nail biter in spots because it is hard to see how two fiercely independent people, not to mention stubborn, can compromise enough to make a go of it. To know if love triumphs in the end, read the book.

Reviewed by Morgan Wyatt
© September 2004