Lady Amelia Plume suffered hardship and poverty for years until her father married a wealthy Englishwoman. Given a dowry, Amelia enters London society with dreams of adventure, not marriage. The fortune hunter fops and the overtures of an aging general bore Amelia until an American sparks her interest. The rumors of his exploits with Barbary pirates fuel her curiosity. Trying to unearth more information about him, Amelia inadvertently finds he's looking at her stepmother as a mysterious thief. Amelia plays a featherbrain female as she attempts to elicit information.

Major Lucas Winter hunts for the criminals who embezzled a large amount of money from a shipping company. It's personal, since his father took the blame for the theft and then killed himself. Lucas' first solid lead is an empty- headed "Delilah" who enflames him with her manner. One moment she plays the idiot, but the next moment she shows sharp wit and intelligence. Convinced he can seduce her, Lucas concentrates on obtaining information on her stepmother. He survived the War of 1812 and the aftermath with demons that still haunt him, surely he can survive his encounters with his "Delilah."

Lucas provides Amelia the adventure she craves and unlocks the hidden passion within her. The cost is high, for Lucas must release his need for revenge and face his demons if their newfound love can survive.

Funny and riveting, NEVER SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL is an addictive read. Ms. Jeffries fills the tale with tantalizing dialogue and very sensual scenes. There's never a dull moment in this new entry in her School for Heiresses series.