I didn't finish this book so I can't review.
I didn't like the characters

This second installment in The Rakes of St. James series, by Amelia Grey, does not disappoint. Once again, we find the subject of interest to be a rakish Duke, trying to protect his sister, Adele, from encountering a man such as himself on the marriage mart during her first Season. To prevent any sort of mischief that might occur as payback for his earlier misdeeds, the Duke of Hawksthorn (Hawk) intends to see his sister betrothed before the Season actually begins and he believe he has found a proper suitor in Mr. Paxton Quick, the nephew of an Earl. But the problems arise upon Hawk meeting Quick’s sister, Loretta. She is against arranged marriages, having jilted her intended at the altar on her wedding day and is currently serving a life sentence of isolation by her uncle. The sparks fly immediately between Hawk and Loretta and while Adele and Paxton are happily pursuing an innocent courtship, their siblings fall prey to the clutches of passion. The Duke must convince Loretta to change her mind about never marrying and become his. But she will not agree without a fight. The excitement and heat between these two characters creates both a battle of wills and ultimately a battle of hearts.


I absolutely loved this story and look forward to the arrival of book three in the future. Amelia Grey is a gifted storyteller and I would wholeheartedly recommend her work to other readers.

3.5 Stars - A nice historical regency romance and continuation of an engaging series. Hawk and Loretta make an impact from their first meeting and we all see the writing on the wall. While I didn’t enjoy this installment as much as the first book, it held my attention well all the way through. My problem was that I think believable chemistry was missing all around. The secondary romance was between two folks who liked each other well enough, but had no passion for one another. The H and h seem to have some desire for one another, but there was no real time or prolonged interactions for the affection to be more than skin deep.

All in all, you'll likely enjoy the read for the escape it offers, but it won't have any lasting effects.

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

2.5 Stars

This is the second book in the Rakes of St. James series by Amelia Grey, it revolves around Sloane Knox, Duke Hawksthorn (Hawk) and Miss Loretta Quick. Hawk and his two friends had played a joke on some debutants in the past which backfired on them and has resulted in them being dubbed “the Rakes of St. James”. Due to this joke they have many people in the Ton, namely the brothers of the affected debutants, who would love to take revenge on them through their sisters who are all entering the Season one by one. Hawk’s sister is the latest to enter the season and Hawk is attempting to secure a match for her before it begins in order to keep her relatively safe from other gentlemen. He has identified the perfect gentleman for her and during his attempt to discuss his offer with the gentleman he finds an unexpected obstacle – the gentleman’s sister Ms. Quick.

Loretta Quick has been banished to live in the middle of nowhere after humiliating her uncle and guardian by walking out on an arranged marriage at the altar. She was made to take a vow never to marry and live away from society as a result of this. She is also determined to make sure that her brother is not himself trapped into a loveless arranged marriage.

I am generally a fan of Amelia Grey’s writing, however this novel did not do it for me. I found that I was struggling to finish and skimming through a lot of the text. While it is very well written, it was just – to be frank – boring. I did not believe in many aspects of the book. To start, the instant love that is felt by both Hawk and Loretta seemed very unbelievable, I can understand an immediate physical attraction but she turns around and right away Hawk seems to be instantly in love. I would have liked to see their attraction develop more realistically over time rather than through one meeting. After this one meeting and a night spent in the same house, they seem to think about each other constantly. They only really have two or three meetings before they are claiming to love each other. For a girl who comes across as pretty naïve, I can understand this on the part of Loretta. But for a notorious rake it is much harder to believe that two meetings with a girl is enough for love.

Another aspect of the book that bugged me was the willingness of Mr. Quick (Loretta’s brother) and Adele (Hawk’s sister) to just give in to the wishes of someone else. It was really strange that a young girl would be so willing to not just let, but actually want, her brother to choose a groom for her without even having the enjoyable experiences of flirting and being fawned over by other gentlemen. She seemed to have no interest in that with the only reason being that she couldn’t be bothered to put forth any effort. This really painted Adele as a very one-dimensional girl who only cares to live a simple life and be looked after. This was the same for Mr. Quick, he enters the novel admiring some girl he met at a party and wishing to see said girl again, and then ends the novel seemingly at ease with marrying another girl he just met. The reader never really gets to observe any sort of interaction between Adele and Mr. Quick other than the brief introductions, so it is difficult to understand why they even like each other. Mr. Quick was also painted very one-dimensionally, as a brother who just wants to be independent from his uncle and who is happy to settle for any nice girl.

In addition to this narrative, there is also the side story of a street child who comes into the Ms. Quick’s house in need of health care. Ms. Quick looks after the child and gets very emotionally attached – this can only be attributed to the fact that she lives in relative isolation in the middle of nowhere with no company. The whole story line with this boy also just seemed off, there was something very unrealistic about many aspects of it.

Lastly, the big moral dilemma of the story was that Ms. Quick took a vow in a church to new marry. She seems very set on this and won’t budge throughout the book. Yet towards the end, this problem is quickly resolved in a very abrupt way. Again, it all just was unrealistic to me as a reader.

Overall, I would not recommend this book. The writing was great and the conversations between the Duke and Loretta were fun to read. However, the plot was a bit unrealistic and it was not entertaining enough to keep me wanting to read.

~ Harshita

This is the second installment in The Rakes of St. James series by Amelia Grey. The second rake in the series is the Duke of Hawksthorn, “Hawk”. His sister Adele is getting to ready to make her debut this Season. But with the scandal sheet fueling the gossip mongers, all over London, about the scandal from his past, he is desperate to have his sister’s betrothal settled before the season starts.
So, Hawk sets out to visit Mammoth House and Paxton Quick to arrange a betrothal between him and his sister Adele. But after a long and terrible journey, Hawk finds that Paxton is not at home . But as luck would have it, Hawk must deal with the unexpected, intriguing, as well as beautiful, and shapely, Loretta Quick. His immediate attraction to her beauty, and her infuriating, wit and intelligence, makes it hard for him to concentrate on the important issue before him.
Loretta Quick is Paxton’s sister, who has been confined to Mammoth House as punishment for refusing to go through with an arranged marriage. And with everything that Loretta has been through, she definitely wants her brother to marry for love . What unfolds is a delightful combination of romance and stolen moments as Hawk tries to change Lorettas’ mind regarding her situation, as well as the feelings they have for each other.
I was immediately hooked. Their immediate attraction and sizzling awareness, between these two characters jumps off the page. I loved and admired Loretta. She is such a strong, relatable character. She's honest and forthright, not afraid to say what's on her mind, but still respectful. You can't help but cheer her on because she's been dealt a pretty crappy hand in life but never complains about it. Reformed rake, Hawk, is a swoon worthy hero and easy to fall in love with. His tenacity and determination to get exactly what he wants is sexy and it's easy to understand why Loretta is immediately attracted to him. What I loved most about his character is his sense of honor and his intense loyalty to his sister as well to his strong feelings for Loretta.
Loretta and Hawk find that whether they are together or apart, all they can think of is the other, and the more they spend time together and get to know each other, the more they want each other. I also really enjoyed getting a different side to this era. Instead of reading about Balls and gowns we were given a glimpse of some real life issues dealing with poverty and child labor. Amelia Grey really developed complex characters that added dimension to the story. Even the secondary characters were well developed. Their little story within the book will definitely tug at your heartstrings. We also get to briefly catch up with the other rakes of St. James and I'm really looking forward to Raths’ story next. I also loved that there was even romance outside the story of our main characters and I love that Overall, this was a really heartwarming, sweet read and I can't wait to see what Amelia Grey gives us next.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the second book of the Rakes of St. James series and can easily be read as a standalone book. The Duke of Hawksthorn wants to find a husband for his 18-year-old sister, Adele, before her spring debut to avoid the gossipmongers. He has selected Paxton Quick, nephew to an Earl. Arriving at the country house where he expects to find Paxton, he finds Paxton’s older sister Loretta and a few servants in residence. Due to the snow and his borrowed horse going lame, he must stay there. Hawk is very attracted to Miss Quick but she claims to want nothing to do with him. At 18, she refused to marry the man her uncle had selected, and he exiled her to this remote house. She has vowed to never marry, but that was before she met Hawk. Loretta and Paxton agree to visit Hawk’s country estate to meet Adele.

There is a minor character in this book that Loretta and Hawk must deal with, but I won’t spoil his causing them to interact with each other. I loved the verbal give and take between Hawk and Loretta. I don’t like spoilers, so I hope I’ve said enough for you to try this book. I can easily recommend it. Thanks to the publisher for giving me an ARC.

The Rake and the Unbreakable Vow
Miss Loretta Quick was banished to a remote property when she embarrassed herself, her family and her betrothed’s family when she left her groom at the altar. For three years she has lived with only her brother for male companionship until the day a very damp Duke lands on her doorstep and she starts to crave a different life. I loved this story, the characters and the introduction of an unreformed street urchin was interesting to say the least.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Hawk’s sister is coming out this season and he knows there are people in society that would like to see him pay for his past.  He can’t let them use his sister.  What’s a Duke to do?  Arrange her engagement before the start of the season… and he knows just the guy.
Loretta Quick gave up her chance at marriage years ago when she refused her uncle’s chosen groom.  He made her vow never to marry, and now she lives quietly in the country.  When the Duke shows up wanting her brother to marry his sister, this is the last thing she wants.  She knows how well her own arranged courtship went, and she wants her brother to find love.  She can’t deny that she is tempted by the duke, though.  As the two fight back and forth, and their siblings become closer it becomes obvious that there may be more than one match here…. but can Hawk get Loretta to let go of her vow?
I loved this book!  The author did a good job of making Loretta and Hawk well developed, engaging and easy to love.  I was drawn to both of them, and felt their struggles.  The story line was good but not stellar.  I usually like her books better and perhaps I expected too much.  There just wasn’t enough time with other characters for me, not enough spark.  It’s still a four star book for me, but I feel like it could have been more.  
On the adult content side… well, it’s a romance.  Obviously there’s sexual content, but not so much or so explicit as to be off-putting.  This was more plot driven than sexual, which pleased me.  Still, it is geared toward adults.  I give it a five.   
I was offered an eARC of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s press in exchange for an honest review.  My thanks.  If any of my readers aren’t already working with Netgalley, I highly recommend them.  
The book comes out tomorrow- Who’s ready?  Also, has anyone read book one of this series?  Is it worth a look?

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. This was a 3.25 read for me which rounded down to 3.25. To the Duke, with Love is a perfect story for readers who appreciate character driven stories. Hawk, the Duke of Hawthorn, has wants to secure an engagement for his younger sister ahead of the Season to prevent any mischief towards her. Several years ago, Hawk and his two friends, the Rakes of St. James, made a bet that saw them sending anonymous letters to debutantes to see who could get the most young women to show up for a secret meeting; word got out and hostility towards the Rakes is rumoured to continue to this day with whispering that Hawk's sister could be targeted during her first season. Hawk travels to meet with Paxton who is perfect for Hawk's sister Lady Adele. What Hawk wasn't counting on was the opposition of Paxton's sister, Loretta. Loretta has spent the previous three years banished to the country by her uncle after leaving her fiance at the altar; she is determined that her brother only marry for love. Hawk is immediately drawn to Loretta and after spending the night in the same house as her, he finds himself plotting how he can see her again. The rest of the story features the two coming to terms with the feelings and finding the way to their happily ever after. Hawk's devotion to his sister, who comes off as somewhat immature despite assertions she's just naive, is admirable and his desire to free Loretta from her uncle's forced isolation are very admirable. Although he is described as a rake, nothing in the story really demonstrates that the title was deserved. Loretta's desire to see her brother happy and her ability to forgive are impressive, as is her efforts to help an orphan who finds his way to her door in the middle of a snow storm. I was frustrated by Loretta's insistence in keeping a vow made three years ago under duress, but overall, I found the story a good way to pass the time.

To the Duke, With Love by Amelia Grey
The Rakes of St. James #2

Three young men made a wager…
A scandalous wager – at least society said it was.
Three young dukes gained the dubious “honor” of being named…
…The Rakes of Saint James.

Years later Sloane Knox, Duke of Hawksthorn is worried about his sister’s first season…there are rumors that his sister might have to face drama as he and his friends created for twelve young women with their wager. So, his plan is to have Adele betrothed BEFORE her season begins. Little does he know that the Quick family might provide him and his both the perfect matches.

From the first meeting of Loretta Quick and Hawk the sparks flew. There was a kiss but Loretta was way too smart to allow more. The book does finally see them together but it takes effort on Hawk’s part to achieve his heart’s desire. Adele and Paxton have a nice side story that may also provide a much tamer HEA at some point in the future.

There is another thread in the story of an orphaned street boy that appears at Loretta’s door. Hawk never really trusts him but does keep an eye on him. Loretta wants Farley to have a life and family that is more than he has known but whether or not he will be willing to make changes or even want to do so is left hanging a bit. It might be nice to hear what eventually becomes of him in the future.

I enjoyed the story and it was in keeping with the era but it did not overwhelm me or draw me in as some books do. I wondered how realistic Loretta’s situation would have been and how she could be so malleable and obedient to her uncle while also so strong willed when with Hawk. I found Hawk to be an okay guy but kind of wanted to know more about him and his regular life and what he enjoyed doing. All in all it was an okay story and I would like to find out what will happen to the third Rake of St. James when Duke Rathburne’s story is told.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

This is the second book in "The Rakes of St James" in which Sloane Knox, the Duke of Hawksthorn, is the hero. Hawk is desperately trying to save his sister Adele's debut into Society by having her betrothed to Paxton Quick before the Season starts. He's still trying to live down a prank by him and his 2 friends when they were younger and he's afraid that Adele may be a target for mischief because of the prank. On a visit to discuss this marriage proposition with Paxton, Hawk meets his beautiful sister, Loretta, and he's drawn to her.

The premise of arranged marriages in this book is probably something that happened quite frequently to young women. Adele, however, is perfectly fine with Hawk finding her a husband. Loretta finds the notion appalling as she had refused to marry the man her uncle had picked out for her. I loved the interactions between Loretta and Hawk, she was quite outspoken for a young woman, but Hawk finds her candor refreshing. The backstory for both these two is teased out and kept the story moving along. I wasn't very fond of Adele who seemed like a spoiled young woman who thought everyone should cater to her every whim. With the introduction of a street urchin, Farley, it kept the story interesting. Ms. Grey is a talented author and I look forward to reading the next story in this series. While this story moves along slower than some other romances, I applaud Ms. Grey for tackling some harsh realities in the Regency world.

Have always liked Amelia stories , this was no different. Historical Romance Book 2 in the series .
Hero is Hawk as he is known . The Duke of Hawstorn . Heroine is Miss Loretta Quick .

The Duke and Loretta hit it of right away. They were both quick witted . And attracted to each other . Hawk was surprised that Loretta didn’t back down from speaking to him .
Hawk is one of the 3 famous Rakes of St James. One of the dukes you’ll read about him in the first of the series.
Hawk now has a sister that will start her season . Hawk is afraid that his past will catch up to him. The pranks he and his 2 other Rakes did will come back to bite his sister . The gentlemen of the Ton will do a prank to his sister. How does Hawk plan of avoiding that. Why find his sister a husband before the season starts . Hawk researched the gentlemen thoroughly . Hawk found a perfect gentleman. A future Earl so to speak . There is one problem though ! !
Loretta is standing in Hawks way . Loretta doesn’t believe in Arranged marriages. She declined her uncles (An earl ) offer for her hand with a viscount . Because she stood her ground her uncle banished her out to an estate that is desolate.
When Hawke arrives there he can’t believe that Loretta lives there . Hawk tries to get Loretta to see things from his option .
Does Loretta. Do they both give in to their attraction . Does Loretta see the foley of her past

In To the Duke, With Love, Amelia Grey's second installment in her Rakes of St. James series the author takes a slightly different path from her usual and centers the story in a lonely, very isolated manor where the heroine, Miss Loretta Quick resides. I leave it to the reader to find out just why Loretta lives in such an isolated place. Amelia Grey also introduces the reader to a London street urchin who stumbles onto the manor property during a snowstorm. Reading about the background of a London street urchin definitely gives a different, darker view of this era. How Hawk, the Duke of Hawksthorne meets and falls in love with the lovely Miss Loretta Quick makes for an enjoyable read.

This was a fascinating read for me. The interaction between a rogue and an innocent had me anticipating what could possibly happen next. The author's portrayal of the personalities of the Duke of Hawksthorne and Miss Quick is a masterful bit of writing. I really enjoyed this story!

Hawk will do anything to ensure his sister has a husband before her first season. His scandalous past with sending out letters to several young ladies threaten to ruin them when a prank got out of hand. On his way to meet a possible suitor he meets his sister. Her fiery attitude only interest Hawk to get to know her better. He will not be dissuaded her her attempts to ignore his every advance. Loretta never stood a chance.

I really enjoyed this book! The characters had wonderful chemistry, and I definitely want to read more by this author!

Sloane Knox, the Duke of Hawksthorn, Hawk is guardian for his sweet, spoilt younger sister Adele. Hawk is hoping to avoid the Season by securing a match for her before it begins as he fears she may be targeted due to his misguided past as one of the infamous Rakes of St James,. He has the perfect gentleman in mind, Paxton Quick.. Miss Loretta Quick having narrowly avoided her own arranged marriage to an unacceptable nobleman, is determined that her dear brother a gentle, good-natured soul should marry for love.
I loved this book the attraction between Hawk & Loretta was apparent from their first meeting & only grew. However it was their verbal sparring that was a joy, she’s been hidden away in the country since she jilted her fiancé & has vowed not to marry, Hawk enjoys life as a bachelor but they’ve each met their match. Add a young ill urchin, Farley into the mix for a page turning heart warming read. I particularly enjoyed Farley’s story & Loretta’s efforts to reform him. Adele & Paxton are likeable secondary characters who although both naïve added to the story. I now look forward to Rath’s story.

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

The second book in The Rogues of St. James, although it’s easy to pick up the flow of the series so far.
This was a pretty enjoyable read, Loretta Quick a young woman who refused to marry the man her uncle had chosen for her and had waited the day of the wedding to refuse has been send to live a life in exile in the country. Sloan Knox the Duke of Hawksthorne has decide that Paxton Quick Loretta’s brother would be the perfect husband for his younger sister, but he never expected to find the beautiful older sister and fall head over heels in love with Loretta. After some intimate kisses and witty conversation he knows that she’s the one for him, his only obstacle is the vow of never getting married that has to be dealt with.
Loretta and Hawk have an instant attraction to each other and I love the way he just stalked her wearing her défenses down. The secondary characters were extremely likeable and added depth to the story. Overall they had a few i stickers to overcome before the ever coveted HEA. I can’t wait to read the last Rakes downfall in love.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest opinion .

The Rakes of St. James are back with this second book of the series where the Duke of Hawksthorn has to atone for being part of the infamous prank with his other two Duke friends and which has made the three Dukes infamously known as the Rakes of St. James.

Sloane Knox, the Duke of Hawksthorn, or Hawk as he is known by his friends is ready to launch his younger sister Adele into society when he hears rumours that there are a group of young men who want to make the Rakes of St. James pay for the prank that they played many years ago. It seems that this group will use the sister's of the three dukes to exact revenge on them. Hawk, like the other two dukes, regrets having played the prank and wants to make sure that nothing happens to ruin his sister's season. So he has decided to find her a husband himself. And Hawk has found the perfect husband for Adele. The nephew of an Earl, Paxton Quick will do perfectly for his overly talkative, sweet and indulged sister. All he has to do now is talk to the young fellow and arrange an engagement before the season starts. But it seems that things will not go as easily as planned when he meets Paxton's older sister Loretta.

Loretta Quick is a force to be reckoned with. Having jilted an Earl at the altar when she was eighteen she has been banished from society and is living with her brother in the middle of nowhere, dependent on their uncle who still hasn't forgiven Loretta for her act. She has taken an oath to never marry and hates arranged marriages with all her heart. The last thing she wants for her sweet and docile brother is to be the husband of a spoiled and over indulged girl - even if her brother happens to be a Duke. But the spark between Hawk and Loretta is instantaneous and undeniable. Loretta is adamant about keeping her oath and her distance from Hawk, but she also can't deny the feelings that he awakens in her. Will there be two weddings at the end or none at all?

If you haven't read this series yet, then do so immediately. These three Dukes will have you swooning! I'm looking forward to finding out who will capture the heart of the third Rake of St. James, the Duke of Rathburne. Can't wait!

I’ve read books by Amelia Grey before and I actually thought I’d read the first in this series but I haven’t. I read the first book in the Heirs Club of Scoundrels series, not the Rakes of St James series. Honestly, it’s surprisingly difficult to keep all these complicatedly named series’ straight about rakish Dukes.

The Duke of Hawthorn intends to marry his younger sister off to a man he has handpicked for her. His sister trusts him to weed out the rakes (like himself), the wastrels, the ones who gamble too much or who aren’t as deep in the pocket as they like to be seen as. However when he goes to broach the idea with his choice, he discovers that the man is absent from the house and instead he encounters his sister, Miss Loretta Quick. The Duke finds her immediately interesting – she’s not afraid to question him, confront him and she’s definitely not a fan of his plan to marry his sister and her brother.

Loretta once had a marriage arranged for her and it ended in disaster and her social isolation. Now she lives her days in one of her uncle’s houses, where the only person she really sees is her brother. The Duke is somewhat of a novelty but Loretta is horrified by his plan. She’s determined that her brother have the freedom to marry a woman of his choosing, someone that he can build a life of love with. Not someone coldly chosen on the back of breeding and social compatibility. She makes it defiantly clear to the Duke that she will counsel her brother against this match, no matter how many interesting things the Duke makes her feel.

This book was a mixed bag for me. On one hand, I appreciated the bluntness with which it deals with the idea of arranged marriages. The Duke is undertaking his duty as head of the family to ensure that his sister marries someone worthy of her and he’s not just looking for the man with the title or the most money. He’s also taking into account his sister’s temperament and the sort of lifestyle to which she has become expected, which is interesting. He wants a man who will treat her kindly, not just one who can further the family dynasty. His sister is perfectly content to trust in her brother’s choice, not really caring about having an input. She looks to avoid the stress of a season by being betrothed before it begins, having been somewhat frightened about it by her chaperone. Loretta on the other hand, is perhaps before her time, wanting her brother to marry for love and happiness, not family connections and good breeding. There was a lot of spirited debate between Loretta and the Duke about arranged marriages and the pros and cons as well as debates about other things. Loretta is certainly quite forthright and perhaps her social isolation has really made her treat everyone equally. The Duke finds it very refreshing that she talks back to him, because, you know, he’s a Duke and people don’t do that to them.

But I have to admit, I found this book a bit boring. I didn’t really feel the connection/chemistry between the Duke and Loretta at all and sometime the debates became well, tedious, rather than exciting. Their interactions really didn’t hold my interest at all and I found the Duke not particularly rakish, despite his formidable reputation. Loretta seemed to spend a lot of time halfheartedly protesting something based on a ridiculous vow she’d made years ago and I honestly didn’t really get the angst circling around it. As if her uncle, who was intent on punishing her for her rebelliousness, would protest at her marrying a Duke of all people and bring up that vow from years ago. It just made no sense and there was a lot of time devoted to it at the end of the book. Also the story with the Duke’s sister and Loretta’s brother could’ve been a really interesting secondary plot but it fizzled out and both of them lacked personality. In fact it made all the debates basically meaningless.

6/10

This was a delightfully sweet read. It was well written, the characters were well developed and the story stayed on-point throughout. There was an excellent supporting cast along with the main hero and heroine. One thing that I loved about the book was the lack of forced drama and hand-wringing angst. It was a sweet, forward moving love story – and I really liked that.

This is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone. The author gives enough of the background of the Rakes of St. James that you aren’t left wondering what is going on. The Rakes of St. James are three Dukes who caused a notorious scandal when they were much younger. They didn’t mean to, it was just that they were young, drunk and unthinking when they came up with a bet. ‘A Proper Gentleman’s Guide to Wooing the Perfect Lady’ had just been published and the three of them were laughing over it when they decided to wager on one of the passages in it. It said that a gentleman should never write an ‘anonymous admirer’ letter to a lady. So, they decided to write an anonymous letter to each of the twelve new debutantes making their come-outs that year. They asked the ladies to meet them, unchaperoned, at a particular secluded place. All of the ladies showed up and when word of what happened accidentally leaked out, reputations were damaged. Now, years later, the Dukes have their own sisters to bring out and they have to protect them from repercussions of that long-ago, ill-advised bet.

Adele Knox, the sister of Sloane Knox, the Duke of Hawksthorn (Hawk) is to make her debut this season and Hawk wants to assure that she doesn’t suffer any consequences from his long ago bet. He’s come up with the perfect solution – and Adele likes the idea. He’s going to arrange a betrothal for her before the season even begins. He’s researched and inquired and observed and thinks he has found the perfect candidate. Now, he just has to approach the young man, Paxton Quick, and see if he is amenable to the alliance.

Loretta Quick’s uncle has banished her to live at his remote estate – she’s never allowed to leave except for a once-a-year visit to his estate for Christmas. She’s not even allowed to go into the local village – she is required to stay at Mammoth House and not leave. What had she done to be punished so severely? She had walked out on her bridegroom who was waiting at the church. She’s been banished there for three long years and is sure she’ll never be allowed to leave.

When Hawk arrives at Mammoth House to speak with Paxton, he finds Loretta instead. There is insta-lust between the two. I thought that occurred a little quickly even for a romance novel. The insta-lust, kissing, etc. all happen within the first 10% of the book. One thing that made me giggle was the line (only 1% in) “She looked pure, sweet, and completely untouched by masculine hands”. I pictured her walking under a black light and handprints glowing or something.

I really liked both Loretta and Hawk. At first she sounds like a shrew and he seems arrogant, but that is over within the first couple of chapters. The more you get to know them, the more you like and admire them. I really enjoyed getting to know them and seeing them get to their HEA.

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"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."