In 1812 England Jordan Prescott, Lord Romsey, must find an eligible bride with a large dowry in order to restore the family fortune that has been squandered by his worthless father, Charles. He's lured to Gray's Manor by the scheming Lavinia Gray who hopes to pair Jordan with her daughter, Penelope.

A case of mistaken identity leads Jordan to believe he's been paired with Lavinia's niece, Margaret. He immediately sets about seducing her only to find that she's a penniless schoolteacher who will inherit none of the Gray money. Margaret falls in love with Jordan and has her first sexual awakening with him but is bewildered to learn that he must marry Penelope for her dowry.

The situation becomes more complicated when Jordan's father arrives at Gray's Manor. He turns young Penelope's head with dreams of becoming his wife and obtaining the entrée into London society that she's always dreamed of having.

What none of them knows is that Lavinia is deeply in debt and hiding a very big secret at Gray's Manor. It's a secret only one other person knows, and it could unravel everyone's schemes.

Secret Fantasy is one of Cheryl Holt's best novels. She has a wonderful ability to create the most despicable villains, and readers will cheer when these connivers get what's coming to them in the end.

As with other recent novels, Holt takes as much care with the minor characters as she does with the hero and heroine. There's a lovely, romantic sub-plot involving two secondary characters that's nicely worked into the story.

All-in-all Secret Fantasy is a terrific read. It's erotic, fast-paced and ends on a very satisfying note.

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