Two Secret Sins by Anna Campbell

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: A Scandal in Mayfair, #2

Release Date: August 31, 2021

The ton would be shocked to learn that the oh-so-proper Eliot Ridley, Viscount Colville is having a passionate affair with the oh-so-scandalous widow, Lady Verena Gerard, but this unlikely couple has been burning up the sheets for half a year and their passion shows no signs of waning! But all that changes when Eliot is called away and they don’t see each other for a month. Eliot returns and realizes that a secret affair is no longer what he wants – he wants Verena as his wife and will accept nothing less.

Lady Verena has suffered at the hands of men, first her father and then her husband, even her brothers failed her by ignoring her pain and suffering. So as soon as her abusive husband died Verena vowed to never cede control of her life to another man – she would live life on her terms, take lovers and never remarry. Taking Eliot as her lover was something she never would have imagined and her feelings for him border on dangerous to her peace of mind, on more than one occasion she has thought about ending their affair, but can’t bring herself to part from him – that is until he proposes!

Verena refuses his proposal and tries to make him see reason, that marriage to her would ruin him and by extension his sister, but Eliot doesn’t care and is sure that they can weather the scandal together. Still, Verena refuses and ends their affair. Something that makes them both miserable, but is necessary in her mind. Will Eliot convince her that love is worth the scandal or will he realize that to prove his love, he will have to give up on his dream of HEA and let her go?

What a great read! It is a well-written, fast-moving story with wonderful characters and steamy love scenes (YAY!!!) The story has a lot of emotion, a bruised-but-not-broken heroine, a heart of gold hero, steamy love scenes, horse races, great secondary characters, a little heartache, and then a great ending complete with an epilogue. My only complaint with this book is that there is a very intriguing character introduced at the end of the book and then that storyline is dropped without any closure, I thought she might pop up in the epilogue, but sadly she didn’t – I have my fingers crossed that she and Shelburn will make an appearance in the next book and I will get my answers. Other than that very minor point, this was a great book, the timeline runs parallel to the first book, but you definitely don’t need to read that book to enjoy this one (but you should read it anyway because it is awesome). I would happily recommend this story and cannot wait for the next installment!

One Wicked Wish by Anna Campbell

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: A Scandal in Mayfair, #1

Release Date: June 30, 2021

Stella Faulkner thinks she is saving her cousin Lady Imogen Ridley from making a huge mistake when she goes looking for her during a ball, but she soon realizes her cousin set her up. For the rake she thought had enticed Imogen to court ruin, Grayson “Gray” Maddox, the Earl of Halston was lured to the gazebo just as surely as she was. A happenstance that Grayson couldn’t be happier about because Stella caught his attention as soon as he first saw her and he will stop at nothing to claim her.

Stella is attracted to Gray but as a “poor relation” who lives with her uncle and is basically an unpaid governess/companion to her cousin, she can’t afford to act on that attraction. For ten years, since fleeing Italy after Napoleon’s invasion and the death of her family and fiancé, she has tried to bury her passionate nature. And has been successful, until she met Gray.

After Gray does some cajoling and promises to keep her reputation safe, Stella agrees to an affair – but makes it clear that this is a temporary arrangement. Something Gray has no problem agreeing to as he is sure once he has had her in his bed, the unprecedented desire he feels for her will be sated and he will quickly grow bored. But what is a rake to do when he realizes he was wrong? How can he convince Stella that they belong together and that he doesn’t care what anyone else thinks?

What a great start to a new series! This book, in particular, reminds me of Ms. Campbell’s older work, which was more emotional and much steamier – YES!!! This book is a well-written story of two people that belong together, yet don’t really believe in HEA. The book is filled with witty banter, steamy love scenes, wonderful secondary characters, and a truly beautiful soulmate-type love, complete with a HEA and an epilogue.