His scandals were right on track until she derailed everything.
As the successful owner of multiple railroad lines, Diana Barton is all too accustomed to fending off suitors seeking to stake their claim on her wealth. In order to keep the wolves at bay, Diana has contrived the perfect plan: appeal to the most notorious rake in London, the Baron Lord Bryant, to ruin her reputation and scare off the worst of the time wasters. The ruse will be no hardship—she’s secretly been fascinated by the man for years.
Lord Bryant is well aware of his questionable
reputation. Indeed, he has cultivated the image carefully, and the last
thing he wants is a wife. When he’s approached by the younger sister of a
business associate, he tells her in no uncertain terms that he cannot
help. However, when he sees for himself what she is up against, Bryant
grudgingly offers his assistance. Faced with his most complicated
entanglement yet, Bryant is firm in his conditions—and Diana knows that
to get romantically involved with Bryant would spell certain heartbreak.
But as the counterfeit couple grows ever closer, the line between truth
and lies becomes blurred, threatening both Lord Bryant’s well-laid
plans and the future of Diana’s railroad business.
Rorie's Review:
We often read about men ruining women's reputations on purpose, but it's rare to read a story where the woman searches out a man so he can ruin her reputation on purpose. This was a fun twist on a typical Victorian romance. I got a kick out of Mrs. Oliver, especially with the closet scene. That one made me giggle out loud. Then there was Diana and Everton. The author did a great job giving both of these characters depth and dimension. You think you get to know them quickly, but there's always a surprise or two waiting for you later on in the story. It has been some time since I read the previous books in this series, so I don't really remember Everton's part in them, but it is referenced a handful of times. I think this book could work as a stand-alone, but it would be better to read A Proper Scandal and A Proper Charade first just so you know exactly what's going on, and who some of the key players are.
Andrea's Review:
This was an excellent book! I loved seeing another side of Lord Bryant. Although it has been awhile since I read the other books in this series, what I remembered of his minimal role in those was not favorable. I don't think it's necessary to read them before reading this one, but you are able to get a much deeper feel for him and his motivations are when reading A Proper Scoundrel if you've also read those books (and you should because they're good). It was a breath of fresh air being able to see the man behind the rumors and learn his true character.
Diana didn’t fit the mold of the time, and I loved that. In some ways she was unpredictable, but her good heart lead her actions. It was so entertaining reading her interactions with Lord Bryant.
The supporting characters were also enjoyable to get to know. I’m looking forward to reading this again.
Giveaway:
Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book
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