To
Save a Lady by Patricia Preston
A
DARING MASQUERADE
A move from Paris to New Orleans brings disaster to Elise Plaisance’s predictable life as a lady’s maid. The son of her grief-stricken mistress disappears, and Elise becomes involved in a web of deceit when she turns to a cunning gentleman for help finding the missing boy.
A CAPTAIN BEWITCHED
Captain Jesse Cross has journeyed to New Orleans with General Jackson’s army, but his biggest battle is one of the heart when he falls for a French girl cloaked in mystery. With the city on the brink of war, their romance is born in the darkness of a moonlit courtyard and never meant to last forever.
A FUTURE IMPERILED
Deceived by an adversary and haunted by her tragic past, Elise must risk everything to rescue her mistress’s son before all is lost, and Jesse knows he has to stop her even if it means sacrificing his life to save a lady.
To Save A Lady is a mainstream historical romance novel set in New Orleans in 1814. Contains occasional strong language and sensuality rating: warm.
A move from Paris to New Orleans brings disaster to Elise Plaisance’s predictable life as a lady’s maid. The son of her grief-stricken mistress disappears, and Elise becomes involved in a web of deceit when she turns to a cunning gentleman for help finding the missing boy.
A CAPTAIN BEWITCHED
Captain Jesse Cross has journeyed to New Orleans with General Jackson’s army, but his biggest battle is one of the heart when he falls for a French girl cloaked in mystery. With the city on the brink of war, their romance is born in the darkness of a moonlit courtyard and never meant to last forever.
A FUTURE IMPERILED
Deceived by an adversary and haunted by her tragic past, Elise must risk everything to rescue her mistress’s son before all is lost, and Jesse knows he has to stop her even if it means sacrificing his life to save a lady.
To Save A Lady is a mainstream historical romance novel set in New Orleans in 1814. Contains occasional strong language and sensuality rating: warm.
Published & Release Date: River
Oaks Press, November 2, 2014
Time
and setting: 1814, New Orleans, Louisiana
Genre:
Historical Romance
Heat
Level: 1 Scorching Hot Flames
Rating: 5 Gold Crowns
Vikki’s Musings
When Romantic Historical Reviews sent out the review
request for To Save a Lady, the book description sounded it very
interesting, and I accept the book. I am so glad I did. I have always enjoyed
stories set in New Orleans, ever since I was a teenager. My mother had a large
collection of American historicals, many written by Frank Yerby. Quite few of
them were set in Louisiana, and truthfully a bit risqué for me, but I would
sneak them to my room late at night without my mother’s permission. Needless to
say, I have fond memories of reading those books. To Save a Lady is an outstanding
book, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Elise Plaisance is a young lady’s maid to Madame, a
woman who saved her from a horrific experience when she was ten years old. She
will do anything for Madame, even if it means staying in New Orleans on the eve
of a great battle. Madame’s fourteen-year-old son has run away, and Madame has
already lost two children and her husband. Elise greatly fears that her
mistress will grief herself to death, so she leaves the plantation and comes to
the city to look for the boy.
Captain Jesse Cross is part of General Jackson’s
staff and has arrived in New Orleans to defend the city against a British
attack. When walking down a street in the French Quarter, he senses someone
following him. He wheels around and grabs the cloaked figure and to his
astonishment, he discovers it is a woman. He is further astounded when the
masked young woman tells him she is his liaison between certain individuals,
desiring to help his general defeat the British.
They make arrangements to meet in a courtyard on the
Rue d’Orleans to pass information. If either of them have information they must
tie a red ribbon on the carriageway gate as a signal to meet at midnight. During
these brief encounters, Jesse is enthralled by the mysterious Rose and aches to
see her face. When she finally unveils herself, telling him about her mission,
he loses his heart, even though he believes he can never claim her as his own.
Can Jesse protect Elise from harm, even against her
own reckless behavior as she attempts to save her mistress’s young boy, or will
he lose her forever?
Ms. Preston has written an emotionally-charged story
with unforgettable characters. Elise is an incredibly brave and loyal young
woman willing to face any danger to find Madame’s young son, even if it means
spying for a greedy creole gentleman. She is fearless and determined and never
allows herself to be deterred from her goal. Preston is a true master in
clearly revealing the goal, motivation and conflict for her heroine.
Her hero is a
chief, willing to endanger his life ‘to save a lady’. He is a true leader of
men and as fearless and honorable as Elise. His only fault is his domineering
attitude as he attempts to protect Elise from harm. I love a well-written chief
archetype, and in To Save a Lady, Ms. Preston gives me a chief I can love.
The plot is well-drawn out and the characters are
given many facets to their personality. This book grabbed me from the first
page and held me in its thrall to the very end. The tale is steeped in
historical details, bringing to life what it must have been like in the days
leading up to the Battle of New Orleans.
The passion between Elise and Jesse is so sensual
and deeply emotional. While there is explicit language and descriptions used,
it is the underlying feelings that carry the scenes. Ms. Preston’s writing
brought me up close and personal with the hero and heroine and had me waiting holding mt breath to see how they could ever find their ‘happily ever after’.
I highly recommend To Save a Lady. I believe you will find it an unforgettable
tale of love and sacrifice. One that you will want to read more than once. Happy reading!
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