Lord Devon Boscastle attended Fernshaw's house party to
pursue a liaison with Mrs. Lily Cranleigh, a widow well-
known for both her selectiveness in lovers and her
creativity. What he didn't expect was to get derailed from
his plans by a relative innocent. For one thing, Jocelyn
Lydbury and he already have a history, albeit not a sexual
one.
He had been invited to dinner as a potential husband for
Jocelyn a few years previous. But, he'd been out partying
and had forgotten the invitation, insulting the entire
Lydbury family. It seems a little unfortunate that he's
finding himself now attracted to Jocelyn. She's not exactly
the country wallflower he had always envisioned.
Jocelyn expects to leave Fernshaw's party an engaged woman.
She and Adam Chiswick have been moving in a matrimonial
direction, and Adam has promised her a surprise by the end
of the party. Unfortunate that Devon is in attendance, but
not surprising, since it's the kind of party where no one
is ever in the bedroom they were assigned.
But bad luck being what it is -- and Devon seems to bring it
to Jocelyn in spades -- she finds herself in a compromising
position with the wrong man. A note that led her to believe
Adam would be awaiting her instead finds her half-seduced
by Devon. Devon was led to believe the woman awaiting him
would be the exciting widow. Someone set them up, but no
matter the instigator, there is only one acceptable result.
Devon and Jocelyn will be tied for life.
Devon is determined to resume his old ways and Jocelyn
becomes equally determined that he will at least
acknowledge her role in his life -- somewhere besides the
bedroom!
I'm a long-time fan of Ms. Hunter's books. While
the "forced into marriage" theme has been done and then
done again, the sexual tension and emotions here are more
than enough reason to spend an evening curled in a chair
with this book. An excellent read!
At a glamorous soiree in the romantic English countryside,
Lord Devon Boscastle, one of the most elusive bachelors in
London, is on the prowl for a willing and wicked lady to
share a night of all-consuming sin. So he’s delighted to
accept a mysterious invitation for a midnight rendezvous.
Miss Jocelyn Lydbury, a demure young debutante, has her
heart set on a marriage proposal from a certain
respectable gentleman. Invited to a secret tryst at the
stroke of twelve, she hopes to finally meet her longtime
admirer. To her dismay, it is the heartbreaking Devon who
lies in wait for his midnight lady. Before the pair can
unmask their deceiver, they are caught in a passionate, if
unplanned, embrace and forced into marriage. Although
Devon claims he won’t change his roguish ways for anyone,
upon returning to London he is surprised to find that his
once-timid bride has become an alluring temptress. But
little does he know that Jocelyn has vowed to tame her
handsome rake–in the ballroom and in the bedchamber.