At the reading of her husband's will, Olivia, the Duchess of Lovingdon, expects no surprises. She could not be more wrong. Her late husband leaves guardianship of their son and all non-entailed properties to Jack Dodger, owner of a famous gentlemen's club. Appalled at her husband's decision, Olivia resolves to protect her son from Jack's corrupting influence. Her adversarial relationship begins to waver and evolve into friendship as she sees Jack's hidden depths. He sparks feelings of desire that Olivia has never felt, but duty prevents her from acting upon them.

Jack Dodger, the son of a prostitute and one of Faegan's street urchins taught to pick pockets and steal, has risen to conquer London. This latest acquisition from the Duke of Lovingdon will add enormous wealth to his coffers. The price is small -- managing the duchess' finances and providing education to the future duke. However, questions regarding the duke's intentions make him uneasy. Jack does not know his benefactor's reason. And he's learned the hard way that nothing comes without strings.

Residing in his new residence, Jack baits Olivia, enjoying her reaction to him. He wants to teach her how to enjoy life and the deliciously wicked world of sin. What he does not count on is losing his heart to her.

Ms. Heath hooks readers with a compelling new drama. She pairs a brooding, wounded hero with a duchess who's never strayed from society's strict rules and forces them into sharing a home. The conflict prods the characters into scrutinizing emotions that are foreign to them -- love and acceptance. This is another excellent story from the Scoundrels of St. James series that explores characters who have overcome the odds and survived horrific childhood abuse.