A Gentleman ’til Midnight

In this unusual and engaging debut, DeLaine introduces a delightful female buccaneer. After being abducted by Barbary pirates, Countess Katherine Kinloch, with a half-Moor babe in her womb, escaped with a fellow Brit, stole a ship, and headed to sea, becoming the notorious Corsair Kate. Years later, in 1767, Capt. James Warre, whom Katherine blames for failing to stop her abduction, survives a shipwreck that kills the rest of his crew. Not knowing his true identity, Katherine pulls him out of the ocean, and both are shocked by the quick development of a romantic connection. Once they arrive in London, they confront James’s brother, Nicholas—who has assumed James’s title and is supporting a bill to strip Katherine of her estate—and all hell breaks loose. Katherine is determined to win what is hers and provide for her blind daughter, and James’s love may be more hindrance than help. DeLaine keeps the pages turning in the first of a planned series that will satisfy historical romance fans. (Jan.)