Bantam (Paperback), ISBN 0-553-58018-3

Braden Forster, the earl of Greyburn, strives to fulfill the charge given to him by his grandfather -- to restore the loup-garou's bloodline. Years of intermarriage with humans led to diluted strains of blood, but Braden plans to correct that. Under his leadership, delegates from the major werewolf clans around the world meet every five years to form political alliances and arrange marriages calculated to breed true. Braden also cherishes a secondary goal -- to find his clan's lost American relatives.

But one of his relatives comes to him. Cassidy Holt, a half-breed whose mother died when Cassidy was very young and before she could pass on much more than the name of her English kin, turns up in London seeking her family. The call of the loup-garou blood lures her out of her hotel and to the home of the Greyburns, where Braden welcomes her, but not for the reasons she thinks.

Days later, she now owns a brand new wardrobe, one more suited to her status as an aristocratic lady (though she cannot bear to part with her New Mexico ranch wear) and lives in the north of England at the Greyburn manor. Ecstatic to be a part of a family for the first time in many years, she soon learns that the Forsters deal with many problems.

Quentin and Rowena, fraternal twins and the younger siblings of Braden, do not appear too pleased with Braden's plans for them. Rowena's marriage to an American looms on the horizon, while Quentin has been ordered to marry Cassidy, regardless of her feelings on the matter.

But Cassidy increasingly finds herself drawn to Braden, and the attraction becomes mutual. However, Braden's dedication to "the Cause" of restoring the genetic purity of the loup-garou overshadows everything. He believes himself unable to sire a child, and Cassidy must carry on and purify the bloodlines. Also, Cassidy never learned how to change into wolf form. As a half-breed, she may not ever be able to do so, which nullifies her role in the Cause.

A wonderful weaving of many strong characters, this first book in a trilogy by Susan Krinard functions as a great introduction to the Greyburn clan. She skillfully blends romance, a bit of mystery and lots of action into a riveting story. Also, her particular take on the flawed hero makes for a nice change of pace. An excellent read, whetting the appetite for the rest of Krinard's books.

Jen Foote

Jen Foote recently moved to central Florida, where she is a copy editor and page designer at a small daily newspaper. She is ecstatic to live an hour away from the ocean.

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