Her Only Desire: A Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

Gaelen Foley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 27, 2007

From the exotic splendors of India to the elegant ballrooms of Regency London, celebrated author Gaelen Foley pens the enthralling tale of a luscious beauty who has sworn never to call any man her master, and the powerful marquess whose passion threatens to conquer her. . . .

Born into the wealthy British ruling class of India, Georgiana Knight is as unconventional as she is beautiful. She has sworn not to marry till she meets a man who will treat her as an equal–but that vow doesn’t appease her sensual curiosity. When Ian Prescott, the Marquess of Griffith, arrives on a mission to defuse the threat of war, she is immediately drawn to the mysterious and darkly handsome diplomat, and cannot resist provoking the hidden lust that smolders beneath his cool surface.

Ian is mesmerized by Georgie’s alluring mystique but burdened by a dark secret. And she is a temptation he cannot afford. But when she becomes entangled in his mission, she must be secreted away to England for her own safety. Georgie finds herself in the unfamiliar world of aristocratic London, where Ian becomes her guide, her confidant . . . her seducer. His incendiary kiss sets her soul on fire, and Georgie knows she will never be satisfied until she has made this magnificent man her own.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Ian Prescott, the Marquess of Griffith, had come to India to stop the Maratha Empire from going to war with Britain. Ian was counting on the help of Gabriel and Derek Knight, British cavalry officers serving in India, but Ian never expected that their sister, Georgiana, would also want to play a part in the diplomatic negotiations. Just like her aunt and namesake, the infamous "Hawkscliffe Harlot," Georgiana refuses to let any man tell her what to do. But when the diplomatic mission turns dangerous, Georgiana finds herself leaving India for England, where her life becomes even more entangled with the one man who just might be her match. Foley deftly adds an intriguing measure of exotic India to her usual classic Regency historical mix in the first in what promises to be an exceptionally entertaining and sexy new "Spice" trilogy. John Charles
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Noted for her “complex, subtly shaded characters, richly sensual love scenes, and elegantly fluid prose” (Booklist), Gaelen Foley is the nationally bestselling author of eleven critically acclaimed historical romances from Ballantine Books. Her passionate, sophisticated love stories are published in eleven languages and have won numerous awards, including the National Readers’ Choice Award, the Booksellers’ Best, the Golden Leaf, the Award of Excellence, and the HOLT Medallion. To learn more about Gaelen Foley, her novels, and the romantic Regency era in which her books are set, visit her website at www.gaelenfoley.com.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (March 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345480112
• ISBN-13: 978-0345480118
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 1 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #189,811 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Noted for her 'complex, subtly shaded characters, richly sensual love scenes, and elegantly fluid prose' (Booklist), New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Gaelen Foley has written seventeen rich, bold historical romances set in Regency England and Napoleonic Europe. Her books are available in fifteen languages and have won numerous awards, including the National Readers' Choice Award, the Booksellers' Best, the Golden Leaf, the Award of Excellence, and the HOLT Medallion. To learn more about Gaelen, her novels, and the romantic Regency period in which her novels are set, visit her website at www.gaelenfoley.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good start to the new Spice series about the Knight cousins, March 31, 2007

By 

K. Hinton "avid reader" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Her Only Desire: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

Raised in India, Miss Georgiana Knight is an impetuous free spirit who has a mind of her own. Since her mother died when she was young, Georgie is used to taking care of the men in her life. The younger sister of two formidable soldiers and the daughter of one of the key stakeholders in the East India, Georgie is used to fighting for what she believes in and usually gets her way. With such shining examples of male dominance in her household, she is wary of marrying anyone who does not live up to the impossible standards that she has established. Georgie was named after her aunt, the notorious Hawkscliffe Harlot, and takes the famed duchess's teachings to heart. As the previous Georgiana stated, "Wedlock is a padlock," and Georgiana refuses to be tied down unless she knows for sure that it is with a man who will treat her as an equal and love her without measure.

Lord Ian Prescott, the Marquess of Griffith, has traveled to India in his role as a diplomat to broker peace between the nation of Janpur and England. An old friend of the Hawkscliffe family, Ian plans to accept their hospitality during his stay and has sought out the help of Georgie's brothers, Gabriel and Derek. What he does not expect, is to meet the impetuous Miss Knight and immediately be drawn in by her beauty, volatile nature, and cloying charm. Ian cannot afford a distraction during his negotiations, and if Georgie is anything she is that. When she makes it clear that she plans to accompany him on the trip to Janpur, Ian makes plans to ensure that she is safe in Calcutta and away from danger. Little does he know that Georgie cannot be so easily handled, and his attempts at managing her only further remind her of the teaching's of her infamous aunt. Will Ian be the one to tame Georgie's volatile nature, or will her feminist ideals and quick temper be too much for even England's finest diplomat to mellow?

Her Only Desire is the first story in Gaelen Foley's new series about the Indian branch of the Knight family. The previous books about the London Knights (ie, The Duke, Lord of Fire, Lord of Ice, Lady of Desire, Devil Takes a Bride, One Night of Sin, Her Wicked Kiss) introduced us to the formidable family and I fell in love with them over the course of these novels. When the series ended with Her Wicked Kiss, I was disappointed to say the least. I needn't have worried. Gaelen Foley has brought back my favorite family with these stories about their Eastern-bred cousins and Her Only Desire is the perfect start to this new series.

Georgiana is all that I would have expected from the famous Hawkscliffe Harlot's namesake. She is full of pride, willful, and at times too arrogant, but she is also fiercely loyal, idealistic, and willing to do anything for her friends. Over the course of the book, she changed from a stubborn hoyden so focused on her own ideas of right and wrong that she refused to see any other possibility, to a caring, compassionate young woman who was able to see that life just isn't black and white. Likewise, Ian began the book as the consummate diplomat and quiet hero who would let nothing stand in the way of success, least of all love. With Georgie's help he learned that there was more to life that serving one's country and doing one's duty, and that love and happiness should have a place as well. Together these two found a lasting love, and their story is told with all the thoughtful imagery and careful plotting that you would expect from Gaelen Foley. This book was enjoyable from start to finish, and though it isn't quite on par with the previous books about the Knight family, it's definitely a good start to this new series. I would definitely recommend it for anyone in the mood for a thoroughly fulfilling, richly-told romance.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I like it....Should have been better, I expected better, April 20, 2007

By 

Jacqueline M. Raines "dtcooly" (Tampa, Florida United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Her Only Desire: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

I absolutely love Gaelen Foley, but she kind of missed the ball park with this book. I will read the next installment in the Spice Trilogy, but I can wait, no rush. However, with the Knight series, I could not wait. Griff was great, but he was not as Alpha as she would want you to believe. Georgie's impulsiveness and feistiness never came to fruition. Their love story needed more. The India part of the book was awesome, intriguing and sexy. Their English relationship was boring. Georgie became boring. Gaelen could have done better. But, I still love her and will read the next two installments.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but was expecting great, March 26, 2007

By 

Apple (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Her Only Desire: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

Gaelen Foley introduces three cousins to her much-loved Knight family. Georgiana, Gabriel and Derek Knight have been born and raised in India during the time of British imperial rule. Her Only Desire tells Georgiana's story and sets up the other books in the trilogy.

Georgie is determined that her elevated standing in society be used to help the people of India. She is a fiercely independent, caring young woman who has embraced the philosophies of nonviolence and social equality. She respects the culture, loves the vibrant/colorful aspect of Indian life and even practices yoga to stave off asthma.

Ian Prescott, the Marquess of Griffith, is her opposite. Though he and Georgie know of each other due to his friendship with the Duke of Hawkscliffe (whose story started the original Knights series), they have never met. Ian is England's top diplomat. He has brokered peace treaties, averted wars and believes that "displays of emotion are for peasants."

I love Gaelen Foley's books and have always been impressed with the originality of her stories, as well as her ability to tell them... which makes me sorry to say that this one barely gets three and a half stars. It starts off well and then gets lost in the clichéd land of harems, eunuchs and manipulative first wives. But don't give up, because it finds its way around page 220 and the rest of the book feels like the Foley of old.

Overall, Her Only Desire isn't bad, it just doesn't live up to the author's high standards.

Pick this one up if you're already a fan of Gaelen Foley's. If not, start with the original Knights series - The Duke, Lord of Fire, Lord of Ice, Lady of Desire, Devil Takes a Bride, One Night of Sin, and His Wicked Kiss. They are excellent, while this one is merely okay.