I heard that Lynn Kerstan mixed passion and intrigue, so when her latest book, Dangerous Passions, came up for review, I snapped it up. I got passion and intrigue, but in a very unbalanced combination. Coupled with some glaring flaws in logic, Dangerous Passions quickly became an unsatisfactory read.

The secret Black Phoenix organization has summoned top military figure, Colonel Lord Marcus Cordell, to investigate the disturbing murders of several young men. To provide him a cover, Black Phoenix sets up a fake betrothal with Lady Eve Halliday to last the duration of the investigation. Cordell is disconcerted that his fake fiancée actually is a young, unmarried woman of good standing in the ton. He is equally disconcerted that Lady Eve, whom he has never met before the investigation, looks at him with complete and utter hate.

Eve had good reason to hate Colonel Cordell. When she was fourteen, she spent summers with another family and became infatuated with the younger son. She nurtured a dream to marry him when she grew up. Johnnie joined the army, but they managed to build a friendship through a steady exchange of letters. Any chance, however, that the friendship might grow into love ended when Johnnie died. Worse, he died convicted of a traitorous action, and Colonel Cordell, his superior officer, was the one who convicted him. Eve accepted the Black Phoenix mission to help solve the murders, but also to seek revenge on Cordell.

Alas, the course of revenge never runs smoothly, and Eve discovers that Cordell is a more decent man that she expected. Cordell in turn is entranced and appalled by Eve’s keen, agile mind and brazen, sensual nature. As the murder investigation proceeds, the sexual tension builds between them until one sizzling night of seduction. Before they can deal with the aftermath, an unknown assailant tries to kill Eve. Are they getting too close to the murderer? Or does Eve have a dangerous enemy?

Oh, let me count the plot problems. First, the fake betrothal. What is the necessity of it? Cordell possesses a title, albeit with little fortune, but sufficient to receive invitations to the houses where the murders occurred. There is no plausible need for a fake betrothal that would harm Eve’s standing in society after it ends. Second, the dramatic summons sent to Cordell. “You are summoned, for your failures, your guilt, and your debts to undertake a mission…” Very dramatic, but what transgressions did Cordell commit? There’s no mention of any. Finally, Eve is too sexually aggressive, too worldly and too astute for a young woman of society. It’s hard to believe she would have an association with Black Phoenix, and it’s not mentioned how she became associated with them, either.

Still, I follow along with the passion developing between Eve and Cordell until the attempt on Eve’s life interrupts it. Then the story switches to them hiding from the assailant and trying to solve the murders. The romance was put on the back burner. Way on the back burner. It virtually disappears for about 200 pages. Therefore, when Cordell declares his love, it’s hard to understand why and when it happened. And while the investigation part of the story is enjoyable, like a CSI: Regency England, it felt too modern for a historical.

Eve and Cordell are interesting and compelling characters but they aren’t ones to warm up to. Eve gains sympathy for her wretched past, but remains an aloof, cold woman. Cordell is honorable and admirable but rather reticent. He pushes his emotions so far up his sleeve that they practically are invisible as far as I am concerned.

There are some poignant scenes and some exciting scenes toward the end, but they don’t make up for the frustrating points at the beginning or the fact that a couple of subplots were left dangling at the end. Kerstan knows how to write passion and intrigue, but she clearly doesn’t mix them well in Dangerous Passions.