#9 in the national best selling RCN space adventure series. Captain Daniel Leary with his friend–and spy–Officer Adele Mundy are sent to a quiet sector to carry out an easy task: helping the local admiral put down a coup before it takes place. But then the jealous admiral gets rid of them by sending them off on a wild goose chase to a sector where commerce is king and business is carried out by extortion and gunfights.  With anarchy and rebellion in the air, a rogue intelligence officer plots the war that will destroy civilization and enlists the help of a brute whom even torturers couldn't stomach.  And, of course, it’s up to Leary and Mundy to put a stop to the madness.About David Drake’s previous RCN novel, What Distant Deeps:“Drake deftly weaves a web of political machinations and intrigue that vividly depicts the costs of war. Fans of Patrick O'Brian's Maturin and Aubrey novels will enjoy this intricate, rousing space opera.” –Publishers WeeklyAbout David Drake’s RCN series:“[R]ousing old-fashioned space opera.” –Publishers Weekly“The fun is in the telling, and Mr. Drake has a strong voice. I want more!” –Philadelphia Weekly Press“[S]pace opera is alive and well. This series is getting better as the author goes along…character development combined with first-rate action and memorable world designs.” –SFReader.comAbout David Drake:“[P]rose as cold and hard s the metal alloy of a tank…rivals Crane and Remarque…” –Chicago Sun-Times“Drake couldn’t write a bad action scene at gunpoint.” –Booklist

Review

SEDUCING THE HEIRESS

“This book has it all: a fabulous hero, a wonderful heroine, and sizzling passion. Read it and watch the sparks fly!” —Christina Dodd

“Guaranteed to seduce readers everywhere. This book is something truly special, an unforgettable story filled with passion, intrigue, and sweep-you-away romance.”
—Susan Wiggs

“This decadent Regency romance is carried along by a spunky heroine and sumptuous descriptions of upper-class life…there’s enough glitz to keep readers coming back.”—Publishers Weekly

“Drake entices readers [and] twists the traditional with an unconventional heroine and a bad-boy hero that readers will adore.”—Romantic Times BOOKreviews

“Superb.”—Genre Go Round Reviews

“I absolutely adored this story! Witty, hilarious…[like] reading a Julia Quinn novel. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in this series!”—The Season Blog

“Thoroughly entertaining.”—Book Binge

“Olivia Drake’s Seducing the Heiress will land on your keeper shelf. The author takes what could be a been-there, read-that story of a scheming scoundrel and a headstrong hoyden, and weaves a tale of wit, seduction, secrets, and sensuality that’s as vibrant as it is refreshing.”—Michelle Buonfiglio’s Romance: B(u)y the Book®

“Drake weaves a sensual tale, full of intrigue and true romance…guaranteed to seduce, and leave the reader breathless.” —South Bend Romance Novel Examiner

From the Back Cover

The Crompton sisters have a knack for falling in love with the most unlikely bachelors in Olivia Drake’s “enticing series…that readers will adore” (Romantic Times BOOKreviews).

AN UNEXPECTED LOVE

The youngest of the Crompton heiresses, Blythe yearns to marry into the aristocracy to bolster her family’s place in society.  The widowed Duke of Savoy seems to be the perfect choice, yet it’s another man who sets her heart to pounding: the new footman, James. He’s devilishly handsome and far more fascinating than any of her noble suitors. And he alone has the power to stir her romantic dreams.

AN UNDENIABLE PASSION

Little does she know, however, James Ryding is the true heir to the Crompton fortune. He’s posing as a servant in order to find evidence to prove her parents are imposters. By charming Blythe, he hopes to use her to regain his rightful inheritance. But as heat flares between them, he realizes that fulfilling his quest will mean ruining the beautiful, spirited woman who has captured his heart.