July 1, 2003
Niels Wolfson has come to England from America on a mission to determine if the famed Akorans are responsible for the destruction of the American ship " Defiant" and its crew. Long an aide to the American government and often operating in secret, Niels musters all his skills to formulate a plan. The first step is to bypass the considerable security surrounding the London home of the Akoran royalty and kidnap a princess. The second step is to rescue her, then ingratiate himself into the family circle. Amelia Darcourt is fast asleep when Niels grabs her, then absconds with her on horseback to a hidden cottage. Feisty Amelia manages to escape, then is "rescued" by Niels, and everything goes according to his plan, including the gratitude of her family. But Amelia, with her unusual beauty and intelligence, soon captures Niels' interest in a way he never imagined. Intrigue and romance are the main ingredients in this engaging first installment in Litton's second trilogy about the royal family of the Island of Akora.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)