After five years of tracking and capturing spies on English soil, Philip Jonquil, Earl of Lampton, is in pursuit of his last quarry. But at a traveler's inn, he encounters an unexpected and far more maddening foe: Sorrel Kendrick, a young lady who is strikingly pretty, shockingly outspoken, and entirely unimpressed with him. Indeed, Sorrel cannot believe the nerve of this gentleman, who rudely accuses her of theft and insults her feminine dignity. Doubly annoyed when they both end up at a party hosted by mutual friends, Philip and Sorrel privately declare war on one another. But Philip's tactics, which range from flirting to indifference, soon backfire as he finds himself reluctantly enjoying Sorrel's company; and, much to her dismay, Sorrel finds Philip's odd manner to be increasingly endearing. In the midst of this waning war and growing attraction, Philip catches wind of the French spy he's been tracking, and Sorrel inadvertently stumbles upon a crucial piece of the puzzle, making her indispensable to the mission. But can two proud hearts negotiate a ceasefire when cooperation matters most?
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Review
Friends and Foes, Sarah Eden's most recent romantic release, is a novel that will rouse the twittering heart of Regency lovers everywhere. This energetic tale of clandestine government infiltration mingled with engaging personal battles wrenches readers into the middle of a delightfully endearing tale.
Originally released under the title Affectations in 2008, Friends and Foes delves into the life of Philip Jonquil, the Earl of Lampton, who made his debut in Eden's 2010 novel, Kiss of a Stranger.
In Friends and Foes, Jonquil finds his life in disarray as he seeks to apprehend Le Fontaine, a murderous French spy who has eluded capture for years.
On the heels of this villain, Philip stumbles into a sour encounter with the lovely but severe Sorrel Kendrick. When fate brings them together for a month-long house party, neither Philip nor Sorrel is ready to quietly play nice. Philip's peacock-like persona ruffles Sorrel's straightforward and simple views. Declaring war on each other seems the only option.
But as Philip's unorthodox strategy which, leans heavily on false flirting, leads him into unexpected encounters with his striking adversary, he catches glimpses of the woman underneath the barbed exterior. There is much more to Sorrel than he imagined. Her fettered and ugly past weighs on her heavily as she courageously faces a life that is far from beautiful.
Despite their prickly banter, Philip finds himself drawn to Sorrel's brave and alluring soul. When Sorrel unexpectedly ends up overhearing a conversation of Le Fontaine's, Philip must face his most dangerous enemy in order to save the woman who has transformed from a sharp-tongued foe into a cherished friend.
Eden's trademark wit and droll humor wind their way into every page of this book. The characters are delightful, and their playful interactions are captivating. Eden is truly a master of creating personalities for her books that draw readers into the story and make them feel at home. As the tale progresses, readers will find themselves lost in the kind of Regency love story that won't fail to make the heart grin. --Melissa DeMoux, For the Deseret News
About the Author
Sarah M. Eden read her first Jane Austen novel in elementary school and has been an Austen addict ever since. Fasinated by the Regency era in English history, Eden became a regular in the Regency section of the reference department at her local library, painstakingly researching this extraordinary chapter in history. Eden is an award-winning author of short stories and has been a Whitney Award Finalist for her novels Seeking Persephone (2008) and Courting Miss Lancaster (2010). Her other regency novels include: The Kiss of a Stranger, An Unlikely Match, Drops of Gold, Glimmer of Hope, and As You Are.
