Lucien, the Duke of Blackheath, has done whatever he could to maneuver his brothers into marriage. Now the grand manipulator gets his comeuppance when he meets tempting, independent American patriot Eva Noring de Mouriere. They first encounter one another in Luciens bed where Eva plots to seduce him and steal the bottle of his famous aphrodisiac.

They meet again and again and each time the sexual tension between them flares even higher until she tests the potion and unleashes Luciens passion (despite the fact that she dominates their lovemaking).

Luciens family discovers Eva is pregnant and turns his world inside-out, forcing him into marriage. Now, the man who never wanted a wife, and a woman who vowed never to love are caught in their own web.

Meddling has its price, as Lucien discovers, and fans of the series will be more than satisfied to see him get just what he deserves! Danelle Harmons delightful sense of humor, her marvelous characters and her true understanding of the ties that bind a family turn THE WICKED ONE into the perfect, well-crafted conclusion to her series. SENSUAL (Jan., 384 pp., $5.99)

—Kathe Robin