Affair by Amanda Quick

In Affair by Amanda Quick we find out the story of Charlotte Arkendale and Baxter St. Ives. He is a bastard, recognized by his father, who spends his time in high society circles, but still a bastard. What I loved most about this book was her career. After her mother married a scoundrel who managed to spend all her money before getting himself killed, Charlotte had to do something to take care of her and her sister, and so, she invented a career for her, as a private investigator.

It is an unusual idea and I liked that Charlotte’s role as a private investigator employed by women who wanted to check their future husbands’ credentials before agreeing to marry, sheds a light on how bleak were the prospects of women in the 19th century. If they got married, they had to rely on his good will to be able to use their own money.

I can’t say that I was too keen on the rest of the story, it is a bit too complicated at times, as Charlotte and Baxter got involved into a murder mystery. But it is a light fun read, so I can’t say I was too bothered by this. I took a star out because there are a few cheesy sexual euphemisms, which I feel ruin those passages in the book. Anyway, I would recommend it, because it’s a lovely story and because, as I said previously, her job is fascinating.

Affair by Amanda Quick

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My rating: 4/5 Stars
Would I recommend it: yes
Published by: Bantam Books
Year it was published: 1997
Format: Paperback
Genre(s): Fiction
Pages: 388

About the author: Pseudonym of Jayne Ann Krentz
Krentz had many New York Times bestsellers, she writes romantic-suspense, often with a psychic and paranormal twist, in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick), and futuristic (as Jayne Castle).
She has a BA in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
Krentz is married and lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington.
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