Private Arrangements

Starred review from January 14, 2008
Deft plotting and sparkling characters mark this superior debut historical. Camden Saybrook, Lord Tremaine, returns to late 19th-century England to confront his wife, Gigi, about her petition for divorce. Still bitter from Gigi's machinations to snare him as her husband, Camden will grant the divorce under one condition—Gigi must give him an heir within a year. Sparks fly as the two embark on heated attempts to put the bun in the oven, despite Gigi's fear that her next conquest, the insipid Lord Frederick, will discover her duplicitously lusty reunion. A captivating subplot emerges when Gigi's mother, Mrs. Rowland, sets her own plan in motion for Gigi's next nuptials. Thomas propels the plot forward with revealing repartee and gives the leads real nuance. Intelligent and forthright with honorable hidden qualities, Lady Tremaine makes an exceptional heroine, and her deceptions are believably attributed to a desire for self-preservation in a sexist society. The results are steamy and smart.

Starred review from February 15, 2008
For ten years, Camden and Gigi Saybrook, Lord and Lady Tremaine, have apparently enjoyed an exceedingly civilized marriage, which is the envy of polite Victorian societyshe lives in England and he in America. However, when Gigi suddenly files for divorce and Camden arrives at her door with one conditionthat she provide him with an heirthey are forced to confront the issues that wrenched them apart in the first place. Using alternating past and present chapters, Thomas tantalizes readers as she skillfully peels away the layers of Cam and Gigi's relationship in an enchanting, thought-provoking story of love lost and ultimately reclaimed. Lively banter, electric sexual tension, and an unusual premise make this stunning debut all the more refreshing. Thomas is a writer worth watching; she lives in Texas. (See the Q&A, p. 88.)

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