Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

How to Steal a Scoundrel's Heart by Vivienne Lorret is a historical romance novel and the fourth book in the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series. I have not read any of the other books in the series, but that was not an issue for understanding the setting and side characters (many of whom it seemed were from the previous three books). The general conceit of the plot was unique and clever and the main characters, Prue and Leo, were generally likeable. However, their non-physical chemistry didn’t seem to be fleshed-out well, which made the mid-book plot twist seem implausible. I had some issues with the pacing of the second half of the story but, in sum, thought that it was a quick and enjoyable read.

I’ve been super into historical romance books lately (damn Bridgerton for getting me hooked😂) but this one did not disappoint! This was a quick and fun read, with some spice, which I enjoyed! This was the first book by this author that I have read so I will for sure go and check the others out!

After being ruined and banished, Prue tries to recover her inheritance but needs Lord Savage's (Leo's) help and protection.

My fave parts:
Leo is a rake who doesn't trust anyone but is very patient and caring of Prue. I loved how Prue brought out Leo's sense of honor.

This book was fun and light spicy, I love seducing the rake trope. I haven’t read the other books in this series, but I enjoyed Leo and Pru together.

Our main characters meet pretty early, it’s fun and unexpected and they’re both very attractive, so I suppose insta lust makes sense. Through circumstances Pru agrees to be Leo’s latest mistress. Pru was ruined in her youth, but was clearly manipulated and has bad views on sex. This creates an interesting discussion on how society treats sex Ed for women, and then shun them for not knowing. Alternatively Leo is a rake who refuses to have a genuine feeling, although he’s clearly in love god damn it. These create the plot points, with the heisting just a fun little aside.

They have a long seduction, sex wise Leo is clearly a man written by a woman but hey! That’s what we deserve! I liked the way Leo handled Pru’s nervousness around penetrative sex, when the circumstances could definitely lead to a power imbalance. I did get a bit bored at the end when things got a bit bogged down in nonexistent issues, but the final play is fun!

How to Steal a Scoundrel’s Heart is an entertaining, heartfelt historical romance that finds its strength in its protagonists, Leo and Prue. Leo perfectly encapsulates the rake-with-a-heart-of-gold archetype and Prue is a lovely counterweight to his character. I wish that the ending of the novel had been less hurried and had played less into historical romance stereotypes; some of the exposition necessary for the larger reveals could have also been more developed. Ultimately, however, this novel is sure to delight romance fans and readers always determined to redeem The Rake.

An easy 5 star rating!
This was such a wonderful story with the only down side being that it had to come to an end.

There wasn't necessarily sparks flying in the initial meeting between the Marquees of Savage, Leo Ramsgate and ruined Society Miss, Prudence Thorogood, but the conversations that led to a comradery between the two was a perfect beginning in their growing bond.

With so many past hurts, trust was hard for both of them. Prue absolutely shined in the beginning of their arrangement with the faith she placed in Leo's protection of her. This helped Leo start to heal as he began to cherish caring for Prue's wellbeing. All the mentions of the clocks and timepieces were the most endearing scenes ever!

The pains they had suffered still rose to the surface and almost ruined all the progress they had made. Being how captivatingly charming Prue was, I definitely felt a bit more groveling on Leo's part could of occurred, but at the same time it did show how much Prue knew the heart of him.

This will be a re-read for sure! Absolutely lovely!

A fun four star read!

I really enjoyed the strength and feistiness of Prue throughout the book, and even her moments of doubt made her such a wonderful character. Leo's character was good, I didn't fully understand where he was coming from/ the drive to not be like his father that deeply. I will that Prue's family had been in it a little more along with maybe a flash back to what happened in the field/ leading up to the field, but otherwise it was a great read. I loved the side characters and need to see if I can find their stories. The chemistry was wonderful between the characters.

This was a great installment in the The Mating Habits of Scoundrels series. In fact, it may have been my favorite. I have been waiting for Prue's story for so long and I was not disappointed. Leo is a great character and they fit really well together. It also had a decent lead up to the next book in the series which I can't wait for.

What can I say about this book! What a marvelous addition to the series. Vivienne Lorret hit it out of the park again. I enjoyed every aspect of this book. Leo and Prue are two individuals that have been scarred by life and those that were supposed love them. They found kindred spirits in each other. Their HEA was slow and steady. You were able to see the characters grow and change. I love this book!

I LOVED LOVED LOVED this story.

Leo Ramsgate, Marquess of Savage, offers to help ruined debutante Ms. Prudence Thorogoode steal back her family heirlooms in return for 4 months as his mistress. Nothing about this story followed typical tropes and I loved that. Lots of chemistry between Leo and Prue and fun dialogue and antics.

First off, Prue was such a strong character despite her doubts about her sexuality. Leo's ambivalence about Pru was endearing. I loved how his obsession with time became more about his subconscious love for Prue. Also, Leo was a swoon-worthy hero, his demons completely understandable. I also loved the supporting characters and even the villains worked for me. He's a rake and villain in a previous Lorret book. I love it when authors give their villains their hero's journey.

I didn't want this story to end and read it in one sitting. This is a book I will probably pick back up at some point and reread.

I've been waiting for this book forever! To say that I was excited would be an understatement. I couldn't put it down and I wouldn't want to put it down either. Prue and Leo's story was amazing and surprising. It reminded me of my favorite story from Lisa Kleypas... ah I wish I could go back and read this again for the first time. However, it's a book I'll be buying so I can read it over and over again.

They were both such strong characters and the story wasn't just his journey or her journey. It was a combination of growth for both characters. So delightful.

A fun romp that kept me entertained for hours! I’m definitely interested in going through this author’s backlist.

laugh out loud funny. I absolutely loved this book and these characters. Prue and Leo were great together, even though a lot of times they needed to work on their communication. This book was so much fun, it had romance, larceny, and scheming. Really enjoyable book that kept me on my toes.