The Trouble with Inventing a Viscount by Vivienne Lorret

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Liar’s Club, #2

Release Date: September 24, 24

For years Honoria Hartley has used her betrothal to Manford Fairfax, Viscount Vandemere to keep suitors at bay. Engaged to a missing Viscount has given her a freedom that most young women can’t even imagine, a freedom that she has no intention of giving up. Which means she needs a way to support herself, lucky for her, she is an exceptional card player and clever with disguises, thanks to her theater-loving family. But while visiting Paris, it would seem she has hustled the wrong man and gave away a bit too much information about herself, but as time passed, she thought that her narrow escape from him was ancient history, that is until he showed up at her parents’ home claiming to be her long-lost fiancé! Soon begins a game between sharps, each with their own agenda and a fierce desire to win. Too bad the rules changed mid-game and soon the love she never wanted became the only thing that matters.

Oscar Flint has lived the life of a grifter, he barely remembers his father, but swore to his mother on her deathbed that he would find him. He along with Ignatius Cardew, a friend of his mother, have been searching for him ever since. But a chance meeting in Paris with Honoria disguised as “Signor Cesario” will change his life forever. She cheated him out the winnings he needed to settle a debt incurred to Miguel Ladron, a dangerous man by Ignatius, that loss turned the attention of said dangerous man from Ignatius to Oscar. Which caused him the need to disappear, lucky for him, he found someone who told him the story of the long-lost viscount and his association with a certain swindler. Now all he has to do is convince everyone that he is the lost Viscount and lay low until Ladron gives up his pursuit of Oscar and then he can resume the search for his father, assuming he lives though this ruse. But he never anticipated that the attraction he felt for Honoria in Paris would last, or that he would long to be the man to finally win her heart. With nothing to offer what chance does he have? Good thing he is a gambling man…

Another well-written, lighthearted addition to the Liar’s Club series, this installment features the lovely middle sister Honoria and Oscar, the handsome gambler she bested in Paris. These two are clearly meant to be, it is obvious, from their first encounter, yet they have no intention of admitting that to anyone – especially themselves! This book has lies, secrets, deception, blackmail, a truly nasty villain, wonderful secondary characters, steamyish love scenes, a bit of angst, a lot of laughs, and some surprising twists and turns that will lead them to their HEA. I do wish there had been an epilogue, or at least an ending that cleaned up the loose ends. Overall, I enjoyed this story and would happily recommend it to my fellow historical romance fans. This is the second book in the series, but it could be read as a standalone title.

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