Tempt me with diamonds /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

A FINE ROMANCE... Diana Sommerville seems to have it all-beauty, brains, and vast wealth, thanks to her family's ownership of a diamond mine abroad. But when her beloved brother dies in battle and leaves a lion's share of his estate to his best friend, Diana finds herself in a situation that seems scripted for the stage- Sharing her family home with the man she used to love-and now loathes. Worse, her unfaithful former fiance has already moved in . . . OR AN EXCELLENT FAKE? Rupert Lacey didn't expect Diana to take the news without a fight. Still, he didn't expect her to bring the battle directly to their newly shared doorstep-complete with a full set of trunks, and a full set of orders to the staff. Yet there she is, bold, regal . . . magnificent as ever. Now they would face a formidable challenge- to ignore each other-and the unanswered questions that stood between them. The only sure thing is their still blazing desire. But with a woman like Diana, it will take nothing less than a momentous misunderstanding, a missing prized mare, and a shocking revelation to restore a love that hasn't lost its shine . . . Jane Feather's novels are- "Enchanting." -Publishers Weekly "Dynamic." -Booklist "Captivating." -RT Book Reviews

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Turn-of-the-century lovers divided by lies and distrust rekindle their romance in this capable but one-note series launch from Feather (Reckless Seduction). It's 1902 and Diana Sommerville has just returned to London from her dead father's gold and diamond mines in South Africa to discover an infuriating situation. Her older brother Jem, killed in battle fighting the Boers, left his share of the family holdings to his best friend, Rupert Lacey, the unfaithful ex-fiance Diana dumped two years ago in Africa. Now they must share the house and the family businesses-all of them-in what Rupert hopes will be a "civilized arrangement." To satisfy society's curiosity, they'll pretend they're married when they're in public. The problem is forgetting they're not married when they're in private. Although the premise raises questions about colonialism, Feather sticks to the usual story of former lovers reconciling once they've regained each other's trust. Diana is a strong heroine who's more than equal to her troubled hero in intelligence-and stubbornness. Feather's fans and new readers will enjoy this series opener, as long as they don't expect it to dig too deep. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Booklist Review

In 1902 a pair of lovers-turned-enemies have just returned to England from South Africa at the end of the Second Boer War. After losing both her father and brother, Diana Sommerville is set to inherit a fortune from her family's diamond mines. But the estate she returns to is not hers alone; she must share it equally with her ex-fiancé, who was named as co-beneficiary in her brother's will. Rupert Lacey refuses to give up his half of the estate, even when Diana makes life nearly impossible for him. To avoid the scandal of living together in sin, they instead pretend to be married while living separately under one roof. The charade is precarious, however, since, despite their mutual mistrust, they still feel the same burning attraction that initially brought them together. The unusual Edwardian setting and flashbacks to South Africa notwithstanding, Feather fails to delve deeply enough into the details that could have set this apart from other conventional historical romances, making for a lackluster start to her London Jewels trilogy.--Kristina Giovanni Copyright 2019 Booklist

Kirkus Book Review

In this series debut, the heiress to a diamond mine discovers that her unwelcome houseguest has a legitimate claim to her estateand to her heart.Diana Sommerville is surprised to find Rupert Lacey, her late brother's best friendand her ex-fiancein her Cavendish Square mansion. The last time she saw Rupert, he was in South Africa, where he and Jem had helped the English army protect her family's diamond mine before Jem was killed in battle. "Pointless to die in a war over diamonds and gold," Diana remarks. And she would be married by now if Rupert hadn't betrayed her. Now, Rupert tells her, they will have to share the mansion, since Jem left half the estate to him and he does not intend to move out. To avoid a scandal, Diana enlists the help of her friends Petra and Fenella to pretend that she and Rupert are already married until the two of them can reach an agreement on how to divide the assets. Inhabited by a horse named Kimberly Diamond and a pair of dogs named Hera and Hercules, the house has more sentimental than financial value for Diana. But as her old feelings resurface, heated arguments with Rupert over how to run the estate get even hotter in the bedroom. Rupert, ever the gentleman squatter, tries to win Diana's heart with honesty and consideration. But just like she did with the estate, Diana makes him work for what's already his.For the girl who has everythingdiamonds, a mansion, a racehorsefinding someone to share it with is the best gift of all. A solid start to the series. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Jane Feather grew up in the South of England, where she developed an interest in historical romance. After her marriage she moved to Oxford, where she received a Masters degree in Applied Social Studies.

Jane later moved to Montclair, New Jersey where she worked as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker until moving on again to Washington DC where she decided to take a break from social work and try her hand at writing romances. She now has more than 40 novels to her credit including the "V" series. Jane is also the author of the Charm Bracelet Trilogy, Bride Trilogy, Kiss Trilogy, Matchmakers Duncan Sisters Trilogy, Cavendish Square Trilogy, Almost Trilogy and The Blackwater Brides Trilogy.

(Bowker Author Biography)