In Alaina Claiborne, the first book in the British Agent Novels series, by M.K. McClintock, the setting is nineteenth-century England. Alaina’s life is forever changed at the age of ten. Years later, she is still dealing with the tragedy and often suffers from nightmares about that night. She needs to find the people responsible and finally learn the truth. Then she meets Tristan. Not only are they instantly drawn to each other and there is an undeniable attraction, but their lives also seem to connect in more ways than one. They soon find themselves searching for a man who has caused so much pain to so many people. But will their new found love for each other help or hinder their mission?
I’m a big fan of historical romance, and this one did not disappoint. The time period and the setting were all realistic and written well. And I really enjoyed the beginning of Alaina and Tristan’s relationship. Even though parts of their relationship seemed a bit rushed, how they met and how they talked to one another was equally believable and butterflies-in-my-stomach worthy. The balance between romance, mystery, and adventure was perfect. Usually one outweighs the other, so I was pleasantly surprised. In addition, the plot had some unexpected twists, which made the story that much more interesting. With memorable characters and an entertaining plot, Alaina Claiborne has it all. M.K. McClintock has definitely written a great start to what I know will be a great series. I look forward to reading the rest.