Lord Heath Knight is the quintessential wastrel second son. He has spent his youth raking and making merry to be as opposite of his brother Rowley as possible. When he is shot in a duel & almost dies Rowley has had enough and issues an edict for him to marry or be cut off. Heath heads off to Italy & decides to marry the most unsuitable lady he can in order to vex his brother the duke.
Cecilia Dudley is an heiress with a catch—her father is a cit. Her dowry is so vulgar that she has decided she would rather avoid marriage in favour of an independent life where she can live as she likes. When she suddenly finds herself married, she quickly realizes a marriage of convenience is not so convenient. Heath quickly realizes he cannot ignore his new wife. Cecilia cannot accept his wild past and the baggage that follows him.
This is the second book in the series & is another well written page turning read that I read in two sittings & finished it well into the night. It could be read on its own but personally I love series & have to start from the beginning as I love how characters grow throughout a series. I was luke warm towards Heath after the first book so was pleasantly surprised how quickly my view of him changed & I soon found him to be anything but Black. I loved Cece who just wanted a peaceful life but was like a rabbit thrown into a car's headlights. I loved how their relationship developed & how they came to love each other, I also loved the relationships between the Knight siblings & I'm so looking forward to Edmund's story as he's definitely my favourite sibling.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Rake comes through!

Deciding to take his overbearing brother the Duke of Knighton's strictures to marry, Lord Heath Knight does, in a way guaranteed to grate on his brother's sensibilities.
Cecilia Dudley's father, a wealthy cit, contrives a wiley scheme to have his daughter married despite her wishes. A marriage by proxy to Heath "the infamous Black Knight." (Proxy! There's an interesting explanation about how that might have been valid in these times. Apparently "England recognizes marriages by proxy when they are legal in other countries.") The deal is that Cecilia will stay in town by herself building her independent life. Heath hies off to his property to bring it up to scratch. He's made to realize that in thinking about himself, he's cast his new wife upon the cutting tongues of the ton. He repairs to town. Cecilia is shocked, flustered and totally out of her depth when her husband comes calling.
Cecilia has a long standing conviction to enable charity endeavours. Heath's brother, the Vicar Edmund involves her in protecting and redeeming country lasses and children who'd found themselves working in brothels, preyed upon by denizens of the underbelly of London, and sometimes, those in the top ranks of society.
Cecilia is much put upon. By her father's handling of her wishes to not marry, the absenteeism of her parents due to her mother's ill health, the savaging of her by the scandal papers and the ton bullies, the pointed scorn from the courtesan Lady L who is at pains to tell the world about her relationship with Heath, and by Heath himself leaving her to suffer the outrageous slings and arrows.
Despite this I liked how the relationship between Heath and Cecilia grows. I loved the warmth and respect between Heath and his grandmother, the Dowager Duchess. Something that is often present in these novels, where we have the rakeshell and the beloved older relative who fully appreciate his softer side and hopes they come about. All in all this novel treads a well worn path but with its own particular touches and idiosyncrasies. Nothing radically new apart from marriage by proxy which I'd not realized is still valid. An enjoyable tale woven in its own special way.

A Dragonblade ARC via NetGalley

When Cecilia Dudley receives the news that she is already married by proxy to one of society's worst rogues, she is devastated. Her father claims that he is doing his best for her, but she has had no choice in the matter whatsoever. Lord Heath Knight, on the other hand, has been handed an ultimatum by his older brother, who also thinks he doing the best for Heath, leaving him with very little choice, but when he is approached by Sir Harold Dudley to marry his daughter who has an outrageous dowry, Heath takes the opportunity he needs to set his own estate to rights whilst delivering the slap in the face his brother needs. The plot of this novel has wit and charm as Heath realises that he has a responsibility towards Cecilia and then discovers that she is in fact a woman that he can respect and admire. With mice for companionship at his rundown manor, he starts a courtship by correspondence with his independent wife. It is only when the rumour mongers start casting aspersions on Cecilia that Heath decides its time to take matters in hand and at least give an appearance of having a happy marriage. The story is well written and romantic with some heartache along the way but ultimately comes to a conclusion where relationships are resolved and happiness is found. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, a copy of which I received through NetGalley as a gift. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Elizabeth Johns has written another wonderful story. She has long been a favorite author of mine and NEVER disappoints. Settings, characters, storyline- all wonderful! Can’t recommend enough.

Lord Heath Knight, the brother to a duke, is approached by a wealthy man, with a deal to marry his daughter. Everyone appears to win, with Heath, aggravating his brother, who is forcing him to marry or be cut off from funds, whilst Miss Cecelia Dudley, will be free to do as she wishes. However, the reality is that Cecelia does not wish to marry but her father organises the marriage via proxy. The result of such a arrangement proves to be entertaining with Heath forced to change his ways as his wife is one determined woman.
This is an entertaining read, that is sweet and full of great dialogue. Both Heath and Cecelia are great characters and I must admit that out of the two, Heath was definitely charming. The secondary characters also are well developed, making a great addition to this series.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Lord Heath Knight needs money. In desperation he accepts a marriage by proxy for 100,000 pounds. Cecilia knows about Heath from the gossip papers. He's a rake who fought a duel, killed someone and left England for Italy. Women, drinking, gambling, all set Cecelia's mind against him. When they finally meet, Heath decides he wants a real wife after all, if only he can convince Cecilia to accept him as a real husband. Heath is such a likable character that you can't help but feel sorry for him everytime Cecilia's immaturity knocks him down. A short clean romance.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

This was super sweet! Really charming and entertaining - the romance between Heath and Cecilia is slow to burn but totally worth the wait. Their journey was fun and had some really sweet moments that built up their relationship in a really convincing way. Really enjoyable! My only critique was that I was really hoping for Heath to have a little bit more of a steamy flirtation with Cecilia, even if it was just words - it was almost too chaste of a romance.

Thank you to netgalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

Another terrific book by Elizabeth Johns. She is at the top of my favorite author list.
Book one was awesome, but I think this may top it. Of course, the bad boy rakes always have a good story to tell. Heath's story is a little more unique than most marriages of convenience. I stayed up a few hours passed my bedtime because I could not put this book down.

Heath and Cecilia's characters were very well-written. Elizabeth John's is great with character development not only for the main characters, but side characters as well. That leaves me with a list of characters that I now need books for....lol!

The story itself has those moments that made me laugh. Other moments made me tear up. The pages flow smoothly together. Each and every page is interesting enough that there were no slow, dull moments.

The slowest of slow burns I’ve read in a really long time! Perfect for any Regency fans who like their romances slightly tortured and hard-won. 3.5 stars. Recommended

While Lord Heath Knight is recovering from an injury received in a duel in Italy, a wealthy man offers him a deal that could get him out of trouble with his brother the Duke.

His brother has threatened to cut him off if he doesn't find a wife.

Miss Cecelia Dudley is a heiress with no desire to marry. She wanted to use her money to help as many unfortunate people as possible. Her father however has other ideas.

Our heroine is furious and has mad up her own mind about her new husband and she will never trust him.

Our hero is ready to put his old ways behind him but it keeps returning to bite him.

This is a fun, sweet historical romance with fabulous characters. The story takes a lovely twisty route and involves a lot of family help.

Good fun.

Will she find in herself to let go of her uncertainties to give a chance to her new marriage ...

Such a moving read, a slow burn rollercoaster ride as the h&H chase one another from London to his estate and vice-versa.

It was the blurb that caught my eyes, while the marriage of convenience scheme is very much a trope in itself, it was the idea of it told to the heroine once the deed done which surprised me.
Marriage by proxy was common during medieval time and even a bit later too but it was new to me during the regency period, or for the many books I have read.
I loved nothing was rushed, that none the heroine nor the hero were subjugated by the other, enthralled but not to the point to act rashly or stupidly with no weak knee involved.
It is a very slow wooing as Heath is battling with is own mirror’s image in Cecilia’s imaginary. As while she wants to trust the man she faces, she can’t from her mind the portrait the gossips rags paint of him.
Heath is no saint, he was not nicknamed the Black Knight for nothing, yet since his injury, he retired from his wild way. Still, to spike his brother and his unwelcome threat, he marries whom he sees as the worst choice of a voice.
Little did he expect to find his wife attractive, if only she could give him the time of a day when with each step he takes toward her, his past sins come back with a violence in his face.
Cecilia had quite a lonely life, send as a girl in a school for blue blooded daughters, she was the outcast girl, she a cit’s daughter, tainted by her father’s money. Why she wasn’t looking for to marry in the nobility, she did not belong there. So when tricked by her father, she has few options to refuse it, but it will be only in name. After all, what to expect from the worst rakehell possibly known.
Mrs Elizabeth Johns took her time establishing her characters, we know from the beginning who they are and how very different from the other they are too. Yet, it is the mask they present to society. Because whatever his every flaws are, Heath is a kind and fair man, he is clever and witty, he does his best to reinstates his estate to his prior state, and while he wanted to poke his brother, he soon understands the wrongness of his action, but his new wife is one to intrigue him and he refuses to free her without trying everything to get her to notice him.
Cecilia might be young but she knows what she wants and certainly doesn’t. Yet, thanks to her father’s meddling, she is now married to the worse sort of man, a profligate. And while the man knows how to charm a door, there is more to him than his easy way and his melting smile. If only his past misdeeds were not flaunted at her head each time she ventures outside.
This is a seduction on the long run for Heath as while his wife is as much attracted to him as himself to her, she always fears the dark side of his personality and even if he has buried this part of him, how can he prove her he means every words he tells her.
Mrs Johns offers her a delightful and entertaining read of a new couple who will explore every doubts one’s action can awaken until they give up their distrust to finally have faith in one another.
5 stars

I was granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
💋💋
I adored Heaths uncontrolled character in the first book of this series.
He’s so naughty, but his reasons are understandable.
Seeing his whole persona explained in this book is wonderful.

Heath is brought up by his brother who is the Duke,(Rowley is a very dominant character but he has to be as his position in society),Heath just sees him as one who is putting him down , trying to control his life and stop him having fun , so he fights back harder.
His one confidant being his Grandma, and what a character she is,My favourite by far in the books.

To show his brother he is in charge he marries by proxy to a cit’s Heir Cecelia Dudley.
She’s really not happy about it, she’s a very strong character, feisty and very much the one who wears the trousers in their relationship.
I liked this woman, she gave Heath what for, made him believe in himself, although he was already beginning to quiet.

This is a strong book and series. Very well written and the characters felt perfect together, I’m so looking forward to the rest of the families stories.
Don’t forget to look out for grandma ,she’s got sass that woman.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

First of all, in my review's ~ I never give away any of the story ~ What a great well written story ~ I pictured the scenes in my head ~ the characters just danced into life !! ~I WILL RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ALL MY READER FRIENDS ~ I could not put this book down. When, I was bone tired, I had to go lay down and take this book with me. A real PAGE TURNER ! YOUR A AWESOME WRITER !!
Thank you ! It was a pleasure to read. Thank you netgalley

This is my fair and honest review, voluntarily given and in my own words for this ARC. Wow, what a family! Great story and SO many unique characters! This is the kind of family that we all want. A wedding by proxy? The chance to thumb a nose at an overbearing duke (who happens to be related) and a shot in the dark at a life of happiness.

Heath has one smart cookie for a wife, "as soon as he left and the door was closed, Cecilia turned to Heath. “He is displeased.”Apparently she was more perceptive than he thought." I liked this book, I liked Heath.