Amber [Paperback]

Lauren Royal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 10, 2001

When Kendra's brothers catch her with a mysterious highwayman, they demand that she marry him. But this dangerous, complex man may not be at all who he seems...

BRIMMING OVER WITH PASSION AND EXCITEMENT. (Romantic Times)

Lauren Royal knows how to make history come alive. (New York Times bestselling author Patricia Gaffney)

Dazzling praise for Amethyst and Emerald:

Richly atmospheric. (Publishers Weekly)

Wonderful...captures all the pageantry, excitement, and color that was Restoration England. (Romantic Times)

Brings 17th-century England vividly alive...passionate...fast-paced and filled with action from the first page to the climax. (Midwest Book Review)Entertaining...fun-loving, sensual. (The Romance Reader)

Strong characters and an action-filled plot...a Royal flush. (Affaire de Coeur)

Action, adventure and love...brings Restoration England to life right before the reader's eyes. (Romance Reviews Today)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This lively Restoration romance is the third in Royal's Chase family Jewel Trilogy (after Emerald). Lady Kendra Chase is long overdue to be married, according to her protective older brothers, but she'll have none of the many titled lords who have asked for her hand. When Kendra is found unchaperoned with the Black Highwayman, Patrick Caldwell, aka Trick, her brothers seize the opportunity. Kendra can't deny the immediate passion she feels for Trick, but she's perplexed as to why her brothers are so willing to wed her to a coach-robber. Before long, Kendra discovers that Trick is not all that he seems he's actually the Duke of Amberley. So why is he holding up Puritans at gunpoint? The answer to this question is tangled up in the mystery of Trick's own childhood, a mystery solved when he visits his estranged, ailing mother in Scotland. This energetic tale is filled with likeable characters, particularly Kendra, who takes the refreshing step of talking to her husband about his confusing behavior rather than generating conflict by jumping to conclusions. Trick is a bit on the broody side, but his interactions with his family are drawn with charm and warmth. Although Royal is a new romance author, this winning debut will earn her critical kudos. (July 10)Forecast: Royal is an impressive new talent, and it's no surprise that she has already signed a deal to write three more books featuring the Chase family. This novel should sell well boosted by the March release of In Praise of Younger Men, a story collection that features Royal along with Jo Beverley, Jaclyn Reding and Cathy Maxwell.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

After she rejects all of their choices for a prospective husband, Kendra Chase's two brothers give Kendra an ultimatum: find someone to marry or they will select someone for her. Fate lends a hand when Kendra is found in a seemingly compromising situation with Patrick "Trick" Caldwell, a friend of her brothers and the notorious Black Highwayman. Forced into marriage with Trick, Kendra quickly discovers she has not married an impoverished aristocrat posing as a mysterious highwayman but instead is now wed to the wealthy Duke of Amberley. Can true love flourish between two people who don't even know each other? The glitter of Restoration England is expertly evoked in Royal's latest romance, the third to feature a member of the Chase family. Liberally laced with intrigue and danger, the book's quicksilver plot is nicely counterbalanced by the passionately detailed romance that slowly develops between Trick and Kendra. John Charles
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Signet (July 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451203917
• ISBN-13: 978-0451203915
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #182,446 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lauren Royal decided to become a writer at the age of eight, after winning a "Why My Mother is the Greatest" essay contest and seeing her entry printed in a major newspaper. However, after college she spent fourteen years as the CEO of her own jewelry store chain before remembering her childhood dream and writing her first book. Since then, Lauren's books have been nominated for and won awards including the Golden Quill for Best Historical Romance, Romantic Times Best First Historical, the Award of Excellence, the Booksellers' Best Award, and Booklist's Top 10 Romance of the Year.

Lauren lives in Southern California with her husband, three children, and one constantly shedding cat. She still thinks her mother is the greatest.

Visit Lauren on her website at http://www.LaurenRoyal.com, where you can see the real people and real places in her books, enter a contest, sign up for her newsletter, and find recipes for the foods in her books.

Follow Lauren on...

Facebook: facebook.com/LaurenRoyal
Twitter: twitter.com/ReadLaurenRoyal

Lauren's Blogs:

"Authors Are People, Too," where your favorite writers talk about everything but writing.
http://authorsarepeopletoo.com
twitter: @AuthorsRPeople2

"Glutenless Goodness," where Lauren posts her favorite gluten-free recipes.
http://glutenlessgoodness.com
twitter: @GlutenlessGood

"Stuff Siri Said," screenshots of Siri (iPhone's humble personal assistant) in her wittiest moments.
http://stuffsirisaid.com
twitter: @StuffSiriSaid

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Good Book, January 21, 2002

By 

Thea (New London, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amber (Paperback)

Her brothers are laying down the law, and Kendra Chase must choose a husband. The one man Kendra is attracted to is a highwayman, a man she has just met, and only for a few minutes. Angry that she must choose a husband, Kendra rides off in a huff, contemplating her suitors, when she finds herself face-to-face and alone with the handsome robber.

Patrick "Trick" Calwell was attracted to Kendra and can't believe that she is actually in front of him. When it started to rain, he invited her to keep warm and dry in his nearby cottage. Through some innocent mishaps, her brothers catch them in a compromising position and now they must wed.

Kendra believes the wedding is an elaborate prank put on by her brothers to make her choose one of the other suitors, while Trick thinks that the time is right to get married. After all, he needs an heir and he's sexually attracted to Kendra. It's not the best way to start off a marriage, and it doesn't help that Trick isn't what he seems. Lies, omissions, fears and intrigue all threaten to tear their marriage apart. Can Kendra learn to trust, and can Trick learn to love?

AMBER is the third novel in the Jewel Trilogy, following AMETHYST and EMERALD. Kendra Chase is a smart, willful, compassionate woman, and I just knew from the start that I'd like her! Trick is a honorable man, he has his reasons for robbing men, but he can't tell Kendra and this is a point of conflict for them. The characters are sexy, funny and believable. The love scenes are teasing and sensual. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great finish to a great trilogy!, August 13, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Amber (Paperback)

I couldn't wait to read this book, the final book in the Chase family trilogy, and I was not disappointed. I have never known much about Restoration England and Royal has made me a fan for life. Her historic descriptions against vivid romances - in this book a spicy marriage between Trick the faux highwayman/Duke of Amberley and the spirited Kendra Chase - will keep you enthralled until the last delightful page. It's great entertainment but packed with wonderful historical detail. I've heard rumors more books are coming. Let's hope so.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good read., July 21, 2001

By 

Affaire de Coeur - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amber (Paperback)

Kendra Chase knows that her brothers want only the best for her. So why are they marrying her off to highwayman Patrick "Trick" Caldwell? Trick, she soon learns, is actually a duke. A promise to King Charles II forced him into the highwayman charade. As much as he would like to explain his mission to his bride, Trick has promised his sovereign that he will tell no one. Hurt by what she perceives as a lack of trust in her, Kendra is determined to learn her husband's secrets. Their opposing views of love present yet another challenge to the newlyweds. Having been betrayed in the past, Trick does not believe in love. Unprepared for her wedding night, Kendra decides that the act of love brings only pain, and she refuses to try it again. This stubborn, well-matched pair will not give up on each other. He schemes to seduce her body, while she attempts to seduce his heart. Occasionally the dialogue of characters from 1668 clashes with the more modern style of the narrative, but that is a minor quibble in this lively tale. Interesting snippets of history are incorporated seamlessly, always contributing to the plot. Fans of the Chase family will enjoy catching up with Kendra's brothers, and fans of strong-willed heroines will love Kendra.