Isabel and the Rogue

De la Rosa’s satisfying second Luna Sisters Victorian romance (after Ana María and The Fox) allows middle sister Isabel her chance in the spotlight. Isabel and her sisters were forced to leave their native Mexico for England. Now, Isabel is determined to help her homeland fight against the French occupation. Undercover of the London Season’s various social events, Isabel searches studies and bedrooms of the powerful for any British intelligence that might prove useful. Her amateur sleuthing is hindered by Capt. Sirius Dawson, a decorated war hero and Home Office agent who’s after the same intel as Isabel—and also hopes to keep her safe during her mission. Attraction ignites as the pair are forced into tight quarters to avoid being detected, but Isabel hopes to return to Mexico as soon as she can, which means their passion can only be temporary. De la Rosa expertly captures the Luna sisters’ dynamic, exploring how, as the middle sibling, Isabel is often overlooked and highlighting her pluck and determination to find a purpose within a society rife with both gender and racial discrimination. Readers will have no trouble rooting for this worthy heroine to get her happy ending. (June)