The Devious Debutante

Ursula LeCoeur provided an e-copy of The Devious Debutante for review.

The Devious Debutante  is the third book in the Love in New Orleans series. I had my doubts about accepting this book for review as I don't generally read straight up romance. Fortunately (for me anyway), The Devious Debutante has much more going for it than straight up romance.

The setting, New Orleans, was the first thing to attract my attention. The second; the story line about a treasury agent trying to bust an opium smuggling cartel in the 1880's. Romance is still the story here, a particularly ardent, and at times, steamy romance. Fans of the genre should have no doubt that The Devious Debutante  is first and foremost a romance.  But there was enough action to keep even an old grump like me interested.

Ursula LeCoeur is the pen name for a mother-daughter team who borrowed the name Ursula from I believe, their cat. I note this because they write scenes of sexual activity that I could never have even mentioned in front of either of my parents (the times, they are a-changing, nod to the Byrds). Oh yeah, there are scenes of graphic sex within. Also drug use and graphic violence. Sex, drugs but no rock-n-roll (it's 1886). There is humor, high fashion, shameless flirting and general silliness.

A strong willed young lady (is there any other kind?), an overbearing father (ditto), a love besotted treasury agent, and the young lady's lifelong male friend are the main characters of our story. They are well realized and entertaining. Having not read any of the rest of the series, I do not know if these are recurring characters or not.

The Devious Debutante by Ursula LeCoeur was a fun read romance fans should like. Enjoy!

Mike