Starlight & Promises »

Cat Lindler is a writer, a zoologist, and the author of Kiss of a Traitor. She lives in Lake Peekskill, New York.

In 1891, during a voyage to the uncharted isle in the Furneaux Islands near Tasmania, the sixth Earl of Stanbury discovers a saber-toothed tiger thought to have been extinct for more than 10,000 years—a find that will astonish the world and bring great acclaim if he is able to return to England. Learning of the earl’s suspicious disappearance, Lady Samantha enlists the assistance of professor Christian Badia—a noted zoologist and tracker specializing in wild cats who, unbeknownst to Lady Samantha, has a dark past—to join her in a dangerous expedition to rescue her uncle. Despite knowing his notorious reputation as a recluse, Lady Samantha finds herself drawn into a world of physical passion with the enigmatic man she becomes convinced is her soul mate. When the professor embarks on his own treacherous assignment, Lady Samantha fears she may forever lose her newfound love. Unable to simply stand by, Lady Samantha launches her own investigation at great peril to herself.

Publishers Weekly

Lindler (Kiss of a Traitor) opens this wide-ranging historical romance with an intriguing premise: the discovery, late in Queen Victoria's reign, of a living saber-tooth tiger, thought extinct for 10,000 years. Kidnapped by pirates, set adrift far from land, explorer Richard Colchester hangs on to the secret of the cat's location as his tomboy niece, Samantha, organizes an expedition to save him. Her bratty antics are the flaw in this otherwise entertaining tale, as the nonstop action relies too heavily on her unbelievable foolishness and penchant for outrageous risks. Endlessly nosy and demanding, Sam is nonetheless engaging, and she infuriates biologist Christian Badia until he decides to either lock her up or marry her. Lindler writes in a smooth style, providing evocative descriptions and compelling historical details as well as a satisfying surprise ending. (Apr.)