The Temple of Persephone

Kamal riffs on the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone in her promising if underbaked Regency debut. Freckled, short-haired Persephone Honeyfield, who struggles with self-esteem issues in the shadow of her beautiful and docile younger sister, meets her handsome neighbor, Aidon Barrington, when, thinking his home abandoned, she breaks into his library to seek out a book that once belonged to her late mother. A reformed rake, Barrington now reluctantly carries on his father’s prosperous funeral furnishing business; as a result, he is looked down on by society and nicknamed Lord of the Dead. Unexpectedly visiting his aptly named country estate, Gallowsgate, Barrington catches Persephone in the act and is immediately intrigued by her unusual looks. When their unchaperoned encounter is discovered, they’re forced to marry to avoid a scandal. It’s a fun marriage-of-necessity setup that benefits both characters: Persephone longs to leave home and see more of the world; Barrington is pleased to take the striking stranger into his life. Unfortunately, tedious misunderstandings and interruptions keep the married couple apart for much of the surprisingly minimal plot. Still, Kamal milks the mythological parallels for all they’re worth, which should appeal to fans of retellings. It’s not perfect, but this is sure to find an audience. (Feb.)