Andrew Carrington, the Earl of Bellingham, Bell for short,
is looking for a new mistress. Innocent widow Laura
Davenport, Lady Chesfield, catches his eye at Lady
Atherton's ball. Laura wants nothing to do with him until
desperate times calls for desperate measures. In an effort
to keep her wayward stepson, Justin, from his scheming uncle
and guardian, Montcleif, Laura declares herself engaged to
Bell. Montcleif is suspicious of the sudden nature of the
betrothal and attempts to enlist Lady Atherton to uncover
their deceit. Lady Atherton decides to matchmake instead.
Reluctantly, Bell joins the charade and throws himself into
the cause with the full force of his honor behind him. Bell
and Laura become friends to keep Justin on the straight and
narrow, their pasts keep them from admitting they want more.
When others show an interest in Laura, Bell finds it hard
to keep things just friendly.
WHAT A WICKED EARL WANTS is the first book in VICKY
DREILING'S new series THE SINFUL SCOUNDRELS. The
first
chapter bounces around from cliché to cliché, but I'm hooked
by the end of the chapter by a cliché that I know is coming.
The audacity of the seemingly naïve Laura is the impetus
behind the story. Bell is a well-to-do rake with a tragic
backstory who easily falls away from his "I'll never get
married, mistresses only" stance when the right woman comes
along, even if he does not realize it. In the presence of
others Laura is seen as effervescent as a meringue and is
easy to underestimate, in private one sees that she has much
more to her. She is a fighter and a schemer and she will do
anything to keep her stepson. Together they make a
compelling couple and their interactions are by far my
favorite parts to read. Bell and Laura with the other
players makes WHAT A WICKED EARL WANTS a well-rounded,
comfortable romance novel.
On the second page of the book we are introduced to Bell's
friends, Colin and Harry. As savvy romance novel readers we
immediately know who the other books will be about, I look
forward to reading Colin's book next.
WILL A RAKE'S WICKED WAYS Andrew Carrington, Earl of Bellingham, believes in being a gentleman, whether it's fishing a soggy stranger out of the Thames or assisting a fetching lady into his bed. If the stranger becomes a friend and the lady a mistress, all the better. He certainly welcomes the opportunity to help Laura Davenport, a dazzling young widow with a rebellious stepson. Her gratitude, he hopes, will take an amorous form. But from the moment he sets foot in her drawing room, he gets far more than he bargained for ... LEAD THE LADY ASTRAY? It was a moment of desperation. On the brink of losing her stepson, Laura turned to the notorious Lord Bellingham for help. Suddenly she, a vicar's daughter, is in the precarious position of resisting his tantalizing advances. How Bell earned his wicked reputation is clear; the surprise is how much more there is to him than the gossip sheets could possibly reveal. Now every moment with this dangerously desirable man puts Laura's good name at risk- and promises pleasure unlike any she has ever known ...
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