Cecily Hale has a problem. She's lost in a forest at night facing a wild boar - and it's all Luke Trenton's fault. She's loved him for years, waiting for him to come back from the war, but on his return, he makes it clear there can be nothing between them. Smarting with humiliation, Cecily suggests a hunt to find the mysterious werestag that, according to local legend, lives in the forest. Faced with certain disfigurement or death at the tusks of the wild boar, she's terrified - until a stranger comes to her rescue. He kills the boar but is injured, and so takes her stocking as a bandage. Cecily believes the man is the werestag and is determined to find him.

Luke has come back from the war a changed man. Hard and cold, he longs for Cecily's love but pushes her away, convinced that the horrors he's seen and done have robbed him of his humanity. He's certain he doesn't deserve Cecily's sweetness and innocence, and yet even when he tries to reject her, he craves her. He wants her to make a happy marriage, but doesn't think he is worthy to be her bridegroom. Only Cecily's courage and belief can convince him that their love is something to be celebrated rather than feared.

The Legend of the Werestag is a wonderful read, pure light-hearted fun that sparkles with sheer exuberance. I found myself smiling as I read, and often I laughed out loud at the witty repartee and caustic asides. I loved the secondary characters like Portia and her gothic romance, and Arthur's sharp editorial comments. There's also a tortured darkness to the story with Luke, who shows his power over Cecily early on in the story in a battle of wits that left me breathless. The dialogue between Luke and Cecily is both painful and exquisite as they try to reconcile their differences and fall in love again. Tessa Dare is an author to watch. This book's a keeper and a Recommended Read!

Reviewed by: Maija