The Naked Baron
Sally MacKenzie
Zebra Books, May 2009, 344 pp
ISBN-10: 1420102532
ISBN-13: 978-1420102536
Regency
$6.99 (US) $8.50 (CDN)
Reviewed by Mary
March 2009
Lady Grace Belmont was having her first carefree time of her life. She was grateful to be spreading her wings in the company of her beloved Aunt Kate away from her over-bearing and domineering father, boring soon-to-be husband and stuffy country life. On her first evening out Grace meets David Wilton, Baron Dawson of Riverview and it was hard not being wooed by him, impossible to stop herself from going out to the garden for an innocent stroll or stop him from stealing an innocent kiss. While Grace was naive David was not and he knew that they should not be together because he was the result of the first Wilton-Belmont scandal and his parents caused the hatred between two families but perhaps David and Grace could bury the feud deep in their love.
Grace grew up with a father who had little use for his tall, gangly daughter but David seemed to accept everything about her including those facts that others were against. She was neither thin nor petite but Grace soon became aware that David cared not for her supposed imperfections but he cared for everything that was the person of Grace Belmont. Her tall fame enticed him, her full figure aroused him and very expansive bosom absorbed his every capable desire without judgment or criticism. Even though David did know of the history between the families it did not sway him from going after what he felt was the only woman for him – a woman he wanted as his wife from the moment he first saw her enter the ballroom.
THE NAKED BARON is The Crown Jewel in Sally MacKenzies “Naked” series. It is hard to not fall in love with these characters - they are so full of emotion, spirit and zest for life. Ms. MacKenzie portrays not only the young couple Grace and David as loving and passionate couple with deep conflict and hidden family secrets in the middle. But she also shows through a secondary romance with Alex (David’s uncle) and Kate (Grace’s aunt) that at the ripe old age of forty they were just as full of desire and longing for not only love but companionship and the ability to find that one person you want to spend the rest of your life with. THE NAKED BARON was an enjoyable and riveting read and while it is a part of a series it’s not required that you read the others preceding it. But I guarantee that once you finish this book you will make a mad dash to the book store to secure the rest of them just to enjoy the experience of every “Naked” book!