Ruthless (The House of Rohan, 2) (U)

Few outsiders will ever witness the dark misdeeds of the Heavenly Host. And among this secret society, where exiled Georgian aristocrats gather to indulge their carnal desires, fewer still can match the insatiable appetite of their chief provocateur, the mysterious Viscount Rohan.Pursuit of physical pleasure is both his preferred pastime and his most pressing urge, until he encounters the fascination of a woman who won't be swayed. And while his dark seduction appalls the pure and impoverished Elinor Harriman, she finds herself intrigued and secretly drawn to the man behind the desire.Library JournalDesperate to keep her pox-ridden, irresponsible mother from losing the last of their dwindling funds, innocent Elinor Harriman goes after her and ends up at a dissolute, hellish party where she attracts the unexpected attentions of the host, Viscount Rohan, the King of Hell, himself. She has no idea that the attraction will last or that she will return his regard or that she will need his help when her life is threatened. An intrepid heroine with a fear of rats and a deeply flawed hero who is not beyond redemption find love and salvation in this story that juxtaposes depravity with innocence in a fascinating emotional chiaroscuro that will keep the pages turning. VERDICT Stuart's dark tale of aristocratic decadence and licentiousness among British expats in mid-18th-century Paris will chill the naive and singe the pages and this is just the first in a trilogy. Stuart (Silver Falls) lives in Vermont.