Lady Sophia Southwell's mother was killed when she was
young. Even with the help of various individuals, they are
stymied in their search for why she was killed and who
ordered the death. Blessed with a keen, anaylytical mind,
Lady Sophia is determined to be part of the search for the
answers.
Sophia and Lord Stonecliffe's families always talked about
the two of them marrying. They are to be engaged to be
married...some day Yet, Sophia, has always been drawn to
Stonecliffe's younger brother, Nicholas Bourne.
Nicholas has returned from India a wealthy but changed man.
His drinking and ruinous lifestyle make him an unlikely
hero. However, when Sophia appeals to him for help in her
search for more answers, Nicholas will vow to change his
lifestyle so that he can be the best aide to Sophia.
The search for the killer will lead them into the seamiest
parts of London and into a conspiracy that goes higher than
they could imagine. Together, they will face danger and
their past.
With a plot that twists and turns, readers will be kept
wondering and hoping for more information. Even with the
actual killer identified, there are more secrets to be
revealed in this series. As we watch Nicholas and Sophia,
their love for each other is gradually revealed. Even as
they strive to keep it secret, their investigation will
expose it in countless ways.
THE SCOUNDREL TAKES A BRIDE is a very good read with
interesting characters. A well-plotted story with enough
twists and turns to keep readers engaged doesn't hurt
either. Miss Sloan's writing improves with each story.
Since this is the fifth entry in the series, one might want
to start at the beginning. It's a testament to the writing
that one doesn't need to start at the first book to keep
track of what is happening. Each story is complete but
continues the theme.
A notorious scoundrel, the right Honorable Nicholas Bourne
has spent years in the East Indies amassing a fortune
through questionable means. Still, his loyalty to his
older brother, Langdon, and his childhood friends remains
true and trusted. But when Lady Sophia Southwell, the
woman promised to Nicholas’s brother, seeks his help on a
dangerous mission, he is troubled—and torn. Unable to
dissuade her from her quest to find a killer, he vows to
keep her safe. This makes his mission the hardest test of
his wits, honor, and skill. For Sophia is the secret love
of his life.
For years, Sophia has planned her daring act of revenge
against her mother’s killer. She has painstakingly
prepared herself by studying the criminal mind. Now she
knows that the moment is right and that Nicholas is the
man to help her. But she doesn’t count on the reckless
temptation of his rugged sensuality or the captivating
intensity in his deep eyes. When desire and emotion
intoxicate her as they venture together into the darkest
corners of London’s underbelly, Sophia must contend with a
yearning even more powerful than the quest for vengeance:
the call of love.