This book has a great quill rating, but in all honesty, I initially had a difficult time getting into the prose of The Courtship, the second companion book to the Bride Series by Catherine Coulter. It opened with a humorous philosophical discussion on the "art of sexual discipline", yet I still struggled to keep on reading. Then, something happened, something sparked my interest, and I couldnÕt put the book down. In a moment, I experienced Catherine Coulter's ability to create a story that hits the mark a little to the left giving a new Coulter spin to a tried and true Regency romance.

The heroine, Helen Mayberry, who was first introduced in Mad Jack (1999), is a strong, intelligent woman who knows her own mind. Helen knows what she wants and what she needs without a man to direct her in those decisions. She loves her independence; she owns and operates her own inn called King Edward's Lamp. But Helen has a secret, and she needs a partner to help her solve the mystery surrounding the secret, a secret that could possibly change her world if not the entire world. Helen Mayberry knows exactly who she wants to be her partner.

Spencer Heatherton, Lord Beecham, another familiar character introduced in The Sherbrooke Bride (1992), is the consummate womanizer, never lacking with the weaker sex. He is always controlled and used to calling all of the shots, so he is amused by Helen Mayberry's pursuit of him. He imagines all of the ways that he will control her and make her succumb to the pleasure he will give her. But when Helen, a big girl, tackles him to the ground, the rules of their game changes and Heatherton's control slips. He begins to imagine succumbing to the pleasure that she would give him. Then he learns a truth that shocks him: Helen doesnÕt want him for a lover, but as a partner.

As partners, Helen and Spencer embark on the mystery of discovering the one and the true King Edward's lamp, thought to be the same lamp in the legend of Aladdin. Helen has discovered a key to finding the treasure and needs a skill that Spencer possesses. However, neither Helen nor Spencer realized the tumultuous ride their journey would take them, pulling them into intrigue and danger and pushing them into one another's arms.

While I had a slow start with The Courtship, I was ultimately glad that I read it. I enjoyed the story that included mystery and suspense. One thing that would have made the story better for me would have been less love scenes. The romantic tension between the characters began to wane by the fourth love scene (with still four more to go), but Coulter has a knack for making it all work and the tension returned. All in all, I would recommend The Courtship as an enjoyable read and a fun companion to the other books in the Bride series.

Reviewed by Maci Walker
© 2004