THE MAID'S DAUGHTER – Janice Maynard
The Men of Wolff Mountain , Book 4
Harlequin Desire #2182
ISBN: 978-0-373-73195-4
September 2012
Series Romance

Wolff Mountain, Virginia – Present Day

Driving his car on his way to visit his family's reclusive mansion on Wolff Mountain, millionaire Devlyn Wolff meets a car on a curve, which then crashes. Inside the car is teacher Gillian Carlyle, who is the daughter of one of the family's employees. Devlyn is intrigued by Gillian, not by her looks, but because she's fresh and outspoken. Before she can take a deep breath, he's not only forcing her to spend the night in his suite of rooms, but he's also offered her a job. Devlyn remembers Gillian from their childhood, and though he doesn't have pleasant memories of that time, he welcomes her into his life—and hopefully into his bed.

Gillian recently became unemployed, so the offer of a teaching job and consultation on the new, about to be built school near Wolff Mountain should be a dream come true. But Devlyn has made it clear that he wants her in his bed, and Gillian is unsure she wants to get involved with a member of the wealthy and reclusive Wolff family. The fact that they are her mother's employers makes it troubling for her, as does the fact that Devlyn is clear right away that he expects her to be at his beck and call, and that he will be the one to end the affair when he sees fit. Gillian wants the teaching job, but doesn't want to jeopardize her future…or her heart.

A teaching job and a chance at providing input into a school for the area children proves to be too tempting to turn down for Gillian in THE MAID'S DAUGHTER by Janice Maynard. Devlyn is a Wolff in sheep's clothing in her mind, as he dangles the job in front of her with the implied intention that she will need to sleep with him also. Devlyn and his family have mostly kept themselves locked away from the public eye after the shocking murder of Devlyn's mother and aunt years ago, but he has seemingly not quite let the past go. Even though the family is building a school, Devlyn has problems being near children. For a teacher devoted to children, Gillian finds his reaction disturbing. What is in his past to make Devlyn not want to be around children?

Devlyn finally gets his wish in THE MAID'S DAUGHTER when Gillian is unable to resist the temptation and desire for him. Even though she's sleeping in his bed, the man still keeps a part of himself deeply hidden. Sex is all Devlyn promises, and Gillian is going to have to accept this. But she is a determined woman who wants to “rescue” the troubled soul of a man she's begun to love.

In the MAID'S DAUGHTER, we see brief glimpses of the other members of the Wolff family. If you haven't read any of The Men of Wolff Mountain books, I urge you to do so. The author even has a website devoted to the series at www.wolffmountain.com . Devlyn is confident that he'll get Gillian into his bed, but soon she's more than a fling. A captivating read I highly recommend, pick up THE MAID'S DAUGHTER.

Patti Fischer