A CONVENIENT ENGAGEMENT is Book 1 in Kimberly Bell's Countess Scandals series. Kimberly Bell is a new author for me, but I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Hannah Howard is a little annoyed, disgusted, and attracted when she first runs into her neighbor—the devilishly handsome rake Gavan Dalreoch, Earl of Rhone. This is an interesting spin on the usual marriage of convenience stories by having the hero propose an engagement of convenience only. Of course having the hero utterly fall for the heroine and feel trapped by the parameters he set is delightful.

Gavan and Hannah are both haunted by the marriages and decisions of their parents. It's something that still influences their lives after so many years have passed. Hannah fears losing her independence after marriage and of being as devastated by loss as her father was after her mother's death. Gavan still harbors hurt over his illegitimacy and struggles with his place in his family.

Both Gavan and Hannah are wonderfully complex characters and equally flawed. Hannah is an interesting contradiction. Usually a heroine in a historical romance, who is an intellectual, yearns to be taken seriously for her intelligence. In Hannah's case, she doesn't need validation over how smart she is, but instead she longs for the typical frivolous, fun, girlish things she lacked growing up under her father's watch. This confident yet vulnerable mix makes her sympathetic as she steadfastly and maddeningly thwarts the hero's attempts to woo her. The constant push and pull of whether to listen to her head or her heart makes for a compelling story.

After reading his introduction in A CONVENIENT ENGAGEMENT, I was thoroughly prepared to dislike Gavan because of his reprobate ways. However, whether because of the stumbling blocks he faces when it comes to winning Hannah and his response to them, Gavan endears himself and completely charms the reader as the story progresses. Hannah's initial prickly attitude toward Gavan, and their often rocky romance, acts as a trial to test his character. Gavan is not a perfect hero and his cousin Ewan and Hannah put him in his place often, but his unexpected love for Hannah and his constant state of arousal and bewilderment over those feelings is lovely. Gavan also impresses me with some degree of self- awareness. He knows his shortcomings as a laird and a brother.

A CONVENIENT ENGAGEMENT seals the deal as a totally sexy and bewitching romance by having such a delectable hero and intriguing supporting characters. The romance between Gavan and Hannah is at times complicated and frustrating, but it also sizzles and is deeply rewarding when they finally find their happily ever after. I look forward to reading about characters like Hannah's friend Jane and Lord Courseclay in future books.