Never Seduce a Scoundrel

Grothaus follows Never Kiss a Stranger with another tale of love and longing in 13th-century England. Cecily Foxe ducks out of a lavish feast to go to the Foxe Ring, a stone circle where legend says one can find one’s future mate. Drunken womanizer Oliver Bellecote is thrown from his horse onto one of the stones, and Cecily recklessly lets him seduce her. As Oliver recovers from his injuries at Fallstowe, Cecily tends to him and is embarrassed to realize he has no memory of their lustful encounter. Their witty repartee contrasts with the machinations of Cecily’s oldest sister, Sybilla, who is ruthless in her efforts to keep her sisters safe from harm. A subplot involving the death of Oliver’s older brother adds an element of mystery to this enticing and vibrant historical. (Mar.)