Flawless by Carrie Lofty

 Flawless by Carrie Lofty
The blurb:
Sir William Christie, ruthless tycoon and notorious ladies' man, is now dead.  Now his four grown children have gathered for the reading of his will.  What lies in store for half-siblings Vivienne, Alexander, and twins Gareth and Gwyneth.  Stunning challenges that will lead them to the marvelously passionate adventures of their lives.

Lady Vivienne Bancroft fled England for New York, hoping to shed the confines of her arranged marriage to unrepentant rogue, Miles Durham, Viscount Bancroft -- though she never forgot the fiery desire he unleashed with his slightest touch.  And when the gambling man arrives on her doorstep for a little sensual revenge for her desertion, he is met with Vivienne's dilemma:  She must earn her father's inheritance by profitably running a diamond business worth millions in colonial South Africa.  Swept together in an exotic undertaking filled with heated passion and hungry temptation, will Vivienne and Miles discover that the marriage vows they once made are the greatest snare -- or the most treasured reward?

Review:
Flawless opens soon after the death of millionaire entrepreneur Sir William Christie.  He leaves behind four children, including the adopted and illegitimate Lady Vivienne Bancroft.  Viviene is devastated at her father's death and all the unresolved issues haunt her.   But during the reading of the will,  Sir William is his unconventional and unpredictable self.  Each of four children are given a business and a challenge: they must make the business profitable within a year or their inheritance will be limited to five hundred pounds. If they fail or give up, they cannot receive anything else from their father's vast estate.

Vivenne had been hoping that she'd receive a legacy large enough for her to be financially independent, able to permanently avoid her husband, the dissolute and gorgeous Miles Durham, Viscount Bancroft.  So, when her husband joined the family for  the reading of the will and with the unusual terms of the bequest of a diamond mine in South Africa, Vivienne knew that she had to work with Miles.  

This time in Africa turns Flawless into something beyond a regular historical romance.  Flawless is reminiscent of a Wilbur Smith novel with the  the intrigue, the emphasis on friendship,  loyalty and memorable lead characters.  Miles proves himself to be strong, wily, and loyal - he rises to the challenge and becomes a better man.  Vivienne finds herself falling in love with him all over again.  As they face danger and unexpected obstacles, Miles and Vivienne deliver an exciting and fun romance. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series!

ISBN-10: 1451616384 - Paperback $7.99 
Publisher: Pocket Books (September 27, 2011), 416 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

About the Author:
Carrie Lofty holds a Masters degree in history, which she puts to good use as a devoted historical romance writer and lecturer on the craft of writing, and as a founder of the blog Unusual Historicals.   An active member of the Chicago North and Wisconsin chapters of Romance Writers of America, she lives outside of Chicago with her husband and two daughters.