SWEETEST SCOUNDREL is Book 9 in Elizabeth Hoyt's Maiden Lane series. For me, the main characters are the driving force behind this story. The hero and heroine have such vastly different life experiences and unique ways of looking at the world, that their romance is all the more interesting because of it. SWEETEST SCOUNDREL is a story that makes you cheer on the good guys and hope for the villain's grisly demise.

Family is a pervading theme in SWEETEST SCOUNDREL. Asa Makepeace aka Mr. Harte, owner of the pleasure garden Harte's Folly, has an abundance of blood relations and in-laws that he makes a point of almost never seeing. Eve Dinwoody has one half brother who she rarely sees, and her makeshift family consists of her pet dove and her staff who double as friends. Eve's world is very insular and she's very protected, while Asa meets a wide variety of people every day in his business. I enjoyed seeing how their two worlds merged. I worried, at the start, that they would maintain an antagonistic relationship throughout the story but was very relieved their inauspicious beginning didn't set the tone for the whole relationship. I love how Eve and Asa get each other to step outside their comfort zone.

I like the perfect balance of romance and mystery in SWEETEST SCOUNDREL. Harte's Folly makes an intriguing backdrop -- larger-than-life entertainers, secret passageways, spies, a lush landscape, and unexplained accidents. Working together, Eve and Asa complement each other well and their feelings grow as they get to know each other. The mysterious villain brings out Asa's protective instincts towards Eve and makes him a more sympathetic character. Asa shows Eve an earthy sexuality that is completely foreign to her, but I like that he doesn't try to do too much too soon. In spite of being somewhat brash, Asa tries to be considerate of Eve's sensibilities.

SWEETEST SCOUNDREL is an unconventional yet passionate romance with a few puzzles thrown in. The unexpected moments of tenderness between Asa and Eve gives the romance an added dimension. The mysterious saboteur and Eve's enigmatic and shady brother add spice to the story. I look forward to finding out the fate of several supporting characters in future books.