Lorraine Heath’s latest novel Surrender to the Devil is book number three in her Scoundrels of St. James series. If you have not read the first two books, they are worth it. Heath has woven the backstory of five previous orphans (Luke, Jack, Frannie, Jim and Bill) who had banded together to work under a kidsman named Feagan. If you are familiar with Dickens’ Oliver Twist, the names and characterizations of both major and minor characters from the band of five and their acquaintances from the underworld might be familiar, and it plays wonderfully into their backstory. However, unlike Oliver and his friends, it is discovered that one of the boys (Luke) is the lost grandson of the Earl of Claybourne, and the Earl takes in Luke and his band of orphaned friends and their status in the world greatly improves.

The first novel encompasses the romance of Catherine Mabry and Lucian Langdon, Earl of Claybourne. It also covers Luke’s inner battle over whether he truly is the rightful Earl of Claybourne, as well as Catherine’s struggle over how to deal with the knowledge of her friend’s husband beating her. The second novel, Between the Devil and Desire, reveals the secrets of gaming house owner Jack Dodger, as the romance between himself and the very recently widowed Olivia, Duchess of Lovingdon buds. Jack, to the shock of both himself and Olivia, has become the guardian of Olivia’s only son, Henry, according to the will of her late husband, whom Jack can only recall actually meeting on one occasion.

Surrender to the Devil continues the story of the five with Frannie Darling and Sterling Mabry, Duke of Greystone. Sterling also happens to be the brother of Catherine Langdon, Countess of Claybourne, heroine of book number one of the series. Sterling has returned to England from a long trip around the world with a friend to the death of his father, whom had cast him out prior to his trip, and the engagement of his sister to a man he knows only as the “Devil Earl.” At their wedding, he sees Frannie for the first time, and even knowing her prior circumstances of living in the underworld, feels drawn to her.

They were together then, the five of them. All products of the street, no doubt. Thieves, pickpockets, murderers, and only God knew what else bound them together. That realization should have quelled Sterlig’s interest in the lady. Instead it only served to further captivate him.

Sterling propositions her to become his lover, and the first three quarters of the book is an intricate web of sexual tension, taunting, teasing and Frannie denying him in spite of the fact that she, too, desires him immensely.

“As it’s customary for the weddng breakfast to be held at the home of the bride’s family, am I to assume you disapproved of the guest list?”

“You may assume what you like, but I value my property and prefer not to have light-fingered guests about.”

“I see.” She was an excellent judge of character, and she didn’t have the sense that his was being truly revealed. …

He gave a brusque nod. “Then that’s all that matters. If you’ll excuse me–”

He was three steps away when she called after him, “Your Grace?”

He turned back to her, and she smiled mischievously, not certain why she was determined to vex him. He just seemed to be a man who needed to be vexed. Besides, she wasn’t about to let his insult to her friends go unanswered, and she had her own statement to make: they weren’t the only thieves in attendance. She held up her hand. Dangling from its by its heavy chain was a gold pocket watch. “You left your timepiece behind.”

He looked at his waistcoat, patted it as though his eyes might be deceiving him, then slowly lifted his gaze back to her. With a dangerous glimmer in his eyes, he held out his hand. She dropped the watch into his palm, and before she could withdraw her gloved hand, he closed his strong fingers around it and leaned near. “Careful, Miss Darling,” he said, his voice a low rasp that sent shivers through her. “I’ve been away for a while and I’m not quite as civilized as I was when I left.”

The book also details the personal struggles both Sterling and Frannie have, him slowly losing his eyesight, which causes him to think he must find a wife who will be happy living her own, independent life, and her attempting to build an orphanage and bringing in children from the streets, while keeping safe from a former adversary in the underworld. Frannie also has to deal with having been brutally raped when she was twelve, and replacing those memories with ones of delight. Throughout the book the reader can see both Sterling and Frannie change into people who effectively complement each other as they deal with their individual problems and master the love they have for one another.

The Scoundrels of St. James series contains characters who are very real, and the stories are magnificent. I have not been drawn in by a series of books like this in quite a while. All three of the books continue the backstory effectively, while still keeping adequate focus on the hero and heroine. The fourth book in the series, Midnight Pleasures with a Scoundrel, the story of Jim, is due to be released at the end of October 2009, and I can hardly wait.

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