Breathless in the Dark

Elizabeth Cole

May 2020 · Secrets of the Zodiac Book 8 · SkySpark Books

About this ebook

A fallen lady, a tortured lord, and an undeniable attraction…

Royce Holmes, the new Earl of Pelham, is also an agent for the Zodiac, England’s elite spy ring. He’s on the trail of a devious forger whose false documents have caused havoc in Britain’s war against Napoleon. On the night Royce vows to hunt down the man, he instead meets a woman who is just as intriguing.

After a devastating encounter with a cruel gentleman, Tamsin Black lives in fear he’ll find her again. A chance meeting with the mysterious Royce seems to offer a new life for her, if only she can keep her secrets hidden. Just a few tiny secrets: her true name, her shameful past, and her link to London’s criminal underworld.

Royce and Tamsin have a lot more in common than they ever expected, and day after day, they find themselves drawn together in the chase for a vicious spy. Night by night, they try to deny the attraction between them. But passion cannot be denied forever, and in the darkness, secrets will be exposed…

The eighth novel in the Secrets of the Zodiac, a series of historical romances featuring sexy storylines, complex characters, and international intrigue, set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars.

Ratings and reviews

Another enjoyable Elizabeth Cole Zodiac book. Shades of Jayne Eyre and Wuthering Heights in this one, along with some very spicy but not overdone intimate scenes. Cole does a great job portraying flawed characters; her heroes are especially compelling. Royce, the hero of this book, struggles with melancholia and self-doubt, and the heroine, Tamsin, struggles with her own dark past. My only criticisms are that, (spoiler ahead)...after Tamsin unwisely gives in to her weasely blackmailer so many times, the blackmailer is easily and maybe too quickly taken care of (and he's so nasty I really wanted the details of Royce's confrontation with him!). There are also occasional editing errors and anachronisms (for example, the word "cute" did not mean in the early 1800s what it means today). But what would really irk me with other writers doesn't bother me as much with Cole. Such is the strength of her characterizations.

About the author

Elizabeth Cole is a romance author with a penchant for history, which is why she lives in an old house in an old city. She can be found hanging around libraries and archives, or curled in a corner reading, cat on lap. She believes in love at first sight. Then again, she also believes that mac 'n' cheese is a healthy breakfast, so don't trust her judgment on everything.