Category: Re-Release / Updated Edition

Never Trust A Scoundrel by Gaylen Callen

On By TracyIn Part of a Series, Re-Release / Updated Edition, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

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Never Trust a Scoundrel by Gayle Callen

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Sons of Scandal, #1

Release Date: March 2008, Updated and Rereleasing May 14, 2024

After learning that her mother gambled away not only their late father’s prized violin, but also their country manor and their London townhouse before leaving with no hint of where she’d gone, Grace Banbury rushes to London to inform Edward, her younger brother. But when she arrives, she finds the house open, bare of any valuables and no servants, she immediately realizes that her brother is gambling too and is desperate to find a way to save them from ruin and restore her brother’s birthright. She gets ready for bed and hears someone entering the house, thinking it is Edward, she runs downstairs in her nightclothes to confront him, but instead of Edward, she finds a handsome stranger who claims the house is his. It is then she learns that her mother wagered with three men and in her desperation to win, lost not only the family homes, and her late husband’s priceless violin, but she also wagered the right to marry her daughter. Grace is horrified and when the winner, Daniel Throckmorten, informs her he is not in the market for a wife, but would take her as his mistress, a new wager is made. She will give Daniel two weeks to seduce her into agreeing to be his mistress, but if he fails, he will return her father’s violin to her. So with his promise not to tell anyone of the wager, which would ruin her, Grace is sure she can beat him, after all, she is not as innocent as he thinks she is, so what could possibly go wrong?

Daniel Throckmorten never had any intention of marrying Grace, he didn’t even what the houses, he wagered with her mother strictly to get the violin, which reminded him of one his father had owned and was lost after his death. He wasn’t even going to contact Grace, but when he meets her, he is intrigued and can’t seem to sever their acquaintanceship quite yet. So, he agrees to their wager, confident that he will win. But he has never met a woman like Grace, and the more time he spends with her, the more he wants, and what started as a “can’t lose” bet, has turned into a battle of the wills, one he is not sure he can win.

I read this book years ago when it was first released and I loved it, it is probably my favorite Gaylen Callen book ever. The story is well-written, nicely paced and is not quite as cut and dry as the blurb leads readers to believe. The story is filled with witty banter, blatant sexual overtures, steamy love scenes, secrets, scandal, stalkers, wonderful secondary characters, familiar faces from previous books, blackmail, healing and finally a very sweet ending with the promise of HEA. This book has an “old-school” historical romance feel to it (which I personally love but acknowledge might not be for everyone), featuring a strong heroine and a scoundrel with a heart of gold as well as lots of steam. I loved it when it first came out and I love it now. Highly recommended!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *

His Scandalous Lessons by Katrina Kendrick

On By TracyIn Part of a Series, Re-Release / Updated Edition, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

His Scandalous LessonsHis Scandalous Lessons by Katrina Kendrick

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Private Arrangements, #1

Release Date: June 2015; Re-released August 2023

Anne Sheffield has finally decided to take charge of her life, her father is an MP and an awful man who uses her photographic memory to store information about his enemies, so he can blackmail them. He completely controls her life and has betrothed her to an equally awful man, the Duke of Kendal. But no more, she is done being her father’s puppet and she cannot even contemplate being married to Kendal. She carefully plans her escape from her father’s house and makes her way to the home of his archnemesis and known rake – Richard Grey. She makes a deal with Richard, he will tutor her in the ways of seduction so she can find a different man to marry and in return she will provide him with information to convince his political opponents to vote with him on a bill he is trying to get passed in Parliament. She was sure her scheme would work, but she never counted on falling for Richard or the lengths her father would go to keep her under his control.

Richard Grey is the brother of the Earl of Kent and a powerful political figure, as well as a well-known ladies’ man. When Anne comes to him in the middle of the night for help, he can’t believe that she is the same woman he has seen many times before, a woman who seems more interested in bonnets than politics, but it is clear that she is not the woman the ton thinks she is. Richard agrees to teach her how to attract a man, but never dreams he will be that man or meeting Anne will endanger his own family.

OMG – I loved this story; it ran parallel to his brother’s story – A Touch Wicked and teases readers with future stories regarding more than one secondary character. The book is well written, nicely paced, delightfully steamy and has just enough drama and angst to keep it interesting without becoming too dark. I loved Richard and Anne together and was on the edge of my seat more than once as their love story twisted and turned. This book is part of a series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title – but be warned, once you read this book you are going to want to read them all! *This book was originally published in 2018 and was re-released in 2023*

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *