DARK OBSESSION
Allison Chase
Signet Eclipse
May 2008
ISBN 978-0-451-22387-6
10: 0-451-22387-X
Historical Romance

1830, when artist Nora Thorngoode is ruined by her love-smitten Italian painting teacher who paints her in the nude and exhibits it at the exhibition that is supposed to show her talent. There is no way to repair her reputation except to marry. Her father, a wealthy self-made businessman, arranges a marriage for her to Grayson Lowell who is in desperate need for money to fix up the family estate in Cornwall, Blackheath Grange, for his ten year old nephew's legacy. Grayson thinks he and Nora are a fine pair: she has a reputation of a whore, and his as his brother's murderer. Grayson plans to marry Nora, take the money, and then have little to do with her...but to his dismay, he finds himself greatly attracted to her beauty, kindness, and forthright manner. Their wedding night is a night of mutual passion. When they arrive in Cornwall, everything changes--Grayson becomes distant and withdrawn and prone to violent outbursts causing Nora to question his sanity Then Nora realizes that the woman in a dream she has had, is Grayson's sister-in-law who died years before...and who is now appearing in Blackheath Grange, urging her to protect her son, to find out the truth about her husband's death, and to trust her heart about Grayson...

DARK OBSESSION is a superbly-written, page-turning historical paranormal with all the elements of the old Gothic romances plus one more--explicit sensual scenes. There's the brooding wounded hero, the mysterious and wild Cornwall coastline setting, ghosts, secret passageways, a child who can not speak, and a heroine in love who must solve all the mysteries and unlock the secrets to bring about the happily ever after. DARK OBSESSION fully satisfies, and you will not be able to put this one down!

Reviewed by Debora Hosey
Rating: 4 1/2