When Strangers Marry                         

Lysette buried her face against Max's throat. "But he's going to take me away. Don't let him, don't -- "

"You're not going anywhere," Max interrupted. "Calm yourself, Lysette. It's not good for you to become excited." His possessiveness made her strangely giddy. As far as he was concerned, she was his, and no one was going to take her away from him.

Max stared at Etienne. His voice was soft, but it contained a note that chilled Lysette's blood. "If you so much as disarrange a hair on her head, I'll tear you apart."

Lysette couldn't believe it, but she didn't care about her ruined reputation. The only thing that mattered was that she wouldn't have to marry Etienne.

Starred Review
From Publishers Weekly

Kleypas has given Only in Your Arms, her first title for Avon, a makeover, and the resulting book boasts a tighter plot and richer characterizations. Set in New Orleans in the early 19th century, this atmospheric tale portrays the romance between Lysette Kersaint, a strong-willed Creole who is on the run from her abusive stepfather and an arranged marriage to a man she loathes, and Maximilien Vallerand, a notorious rake and widower who is rumored to have strangled his adulterous wife. Lysette finds protection in Max's home, but she soon learns that he plans to use her as a pawn to exact revenge against her intended, Etienne Sagesse, his sworn enemy. The tension between the two quickly heats up, but before they can find happiness together, they must settle the mysteries of Max's past. The romance between Max and Lysette is compelling, but what really sets this book apart is Kleypass ability to make the period come alive. With the ease of a skilled seamstress, Kleypas weaves in dozens of details, touching on everything from the political tensions between Mexico and the American territories to the cultural differences between Creoles and Americans. Kleypas doesn't shy away from developing her characters either. Max emerges as a tortured but admirable hero, and even secondary figures like Maxs mother and brothers take on a life of their own.
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