cover image The Most Wanted Bachelor

The Most Wanted Bachelor

Susan K. Law. Avon Books, $5.99 (384pp) ISBN 978-0-380-80497-9

""Thirteen thousand down, he thought. Only forty-one million to go."" Daniel Sellington is on a quest to rid himself of his father's ill-gotten fortune: the 19th-century gentleman gives money freely to the horde of Denver's poor who line up outside his door each day, and he could have his pick of the eligible females eager to spend his money. Kathryn Jordan, whose father's fortune had been swindled from him by Daniel's father some years back, is both destitute and determined, for her sister has sold herself to a brothel, and Kathryn must find $2,000 to buy her back. Getting Daniel to marry her is easy; he's a virgin, and she's an innocent beauty bent on seduction. The thing is Daniel's been traveling in disguise and believes Kathryn is unaware of his true identity and loves him for himself. In fact, Kathryn does love more about Daniel than his money, but convincing him of this proves more difficult than preventing him from giving away all his fortune, which she believes is rightfully hers. Though Law's (The Last Man in Town) bedroom scenes are plentiful and explicit, her romance-formula plot lacks genuine sexual tension and introspection, limiting the depth and complexity of the characters. (June)