The Promise in a Kiss: A Cynster Christmas Novel - Hardcover

Stephanie Laurens

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 006018888X ISBN 13: 9780060188887

Publisher: Avon, 2001

Synopsis

What would you do if you were kissed
by the most handsome stranger you'd ever seen?
And what if that man was a Cynster?

Every girl -- even convent-educated ones -- dreams of forbidden kisses. So when a man literally falls at Helena's feet as she's walking through the courtyard one moonlit Christmas Eve, the pretty, young comtesse d'Lisle knows he's up to no good. He's clearly a bit dangerous... and obviously caught in the middle of a clandestine rendezvous. Why else would he have risked his neck and jumped out of a window into the snow?

It's wrong, it's outlandish . . . and it's the most utterly romantic gesture she's ever seen. So when the good sisters rush up, demanding to know ifshe has seen a man on the grounds, Helena ignores the years of strict upbringing that insist she reveal his presence.

To lie would be a sin, but 'no one can be good all the time.

As a reward for her silence, the stranger takes her in his arms and enticingly, unforgettably kisses her -- and then departs, leaving a lingering if unspoken promise of all that might be, should fate decree that they meet again. Although Helena doesn't know it, her wild Englishman is Sebastian Cynster, Duke of St. Ives, a nobleman who will prove to be her destiny.

Seven years later, Helena has been transformed from a pretty schoolgirl to an aristocratic beauty. Her sparkling wit has made her sought after by London's hostesses; her considerable dowry has made winning her hand the aim of many a gentleman . . . but she is deadeningly aware of how boring so many ofthese gentlemen are.

Her manipulative guardian has unexpectedly allowed her to find a husband of her own choosing, and she has no intention of marrying any man who tries to tame her. There must be someone perfect for her... someone who can live up to the promise ofthat long-ago kiss.

Then, at a ball, fate strikes. Once again, it is the Christmas season, and across the crowded room Helena stands transfixed . . . for there is the man whose kiss she has never forgotten, the man of her memory whom no other has ever been able to supplant. Her wild, mysterious Englishman, Sebastian Cynster, Duke of St. Ives.

One look, and he's determined to reclaim her....

About this title

Review

One unforgettable night, Sebastian, the Duke of St. Ives, stole a kiss from a beautiful young woman at a French convent. They didn't share their names but neither of them ever forgot the magic of that innocent kiss, and when they meet again in London seven years later, each instantly recognizes the other. Helena, the Comtesse d'Lisle, is searching for a manageable husband to thwart her controlling guardian, and Sebastian, a London rake who has sworn never to wed, is clearly not an appropriately biddable candidate. The lovely French comtesse is the one woman who can change Sebastian's view of marriage, but convincing Helena is a task that challenges even the powerful Duke of St. Ives. While Sebastian is courting and seducing the reluctantly tempted Helena, her powerful guardian sets in motion a scheme that threatens the happiness of the lovers and endangers their lives.

In this tale of the passionate couple that parented the unforgettable Bar Cynster siblings, author Stephanie Laurens pulls out all the stops with high adventure, dueling swords, intrigue, and sensual romance. Rounding out the novel with witty dialogue, great secondary characters, and detailed descriptions of the London society scene of 1783, Laurens gives readers another Cynster novel they're sure to love. --Lois Faye Dyer

About the Author

#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens began writing as an escape from the dry world of professional science, a hobby that quickly became a career. Her novels set in Regency England have captivated readers around the globe, making her one of the romance world's most beloved and popular authors.

About this edition

• Publisher: Avon
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 006018888X
• ISBN 13: 9780060188887
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304