This is such a sweet romance between Lady Bella and William Dudley, a newly inherited Viscount. They meet as Bella falls down a cliff while searching for her dog, and William comes to her rescue. They are smitten with one another but her Uncle has plans to marry her off to a sinister Earl. Lots of twists and turns in this one with some mystery and intrigue.

Viscount William Dudley, who newly inherited the title and the neglected estate in Kent, has stopped actively working for the crown to focus on the care of his younger brother Michael and the estate. He is, however, still working secretly for the crown.

Lady Bella Conolly who recently lost her beloved parents is currently staying in an estate in Kent with her two grandmothers. When he dog, Lacey goes missing, she goes looking for her only to slip down a cliff. Lacey proceeds to run for help and gets William to come to her aid. This is where the two meet. This initial meeting leads to a sweet relationship between the two. There is a little bit of a mystery in the form of Bella’s shady uncle Stephen and a local baron. All in a sweet, lovely romance that you will enjoy. I received an ARC from Dragonblade and NetGalley and submit my honest review voluntarily.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this novel and this is my freely given opinion.

This is a continuation of the Rakes of Mayhem series and can be read as a stand alone, but does have connections to book 3 of the series, the Duke of Disorder. William Dudley was a dedicated agent of the Crown, and was working on stamping out a ring of child slavers when his life takes on new and unexpected responsibilities. He inherits the title of Viscount and a rundown estate, and decides he will be more engaged in his new life, and the care of his young orphaned brother, Michael.

He has not plans on doing much more than that, and continuing to clandestinely aid the Crown when he takes the reins of his estate in Kent. The last thing he plans on is searching for a wife, but his world is thrown for a loop when he suddenly finds himself playing hero to a beautiful lady in distress.

Lady Bella Conolly is young, and grieving the loss of her parents, and she and her remaining family are rusticating at their vacation estate in Kent. She is put in danger when searching for her wandering dog, Lacey, and ends up slipping down a cliff. Luckily her wonderfully intelligent dog finds help in the form of William. This starts a lovely relationship between William and Bella and their two households.

This is a very sweet and cozy romance between Bella and William, but with wonderful secondary characters and relationships, including her grandmothers, William's brother, and others. There are animals as well, such as the dog Lacey and horses, who are well drawn out with their own personalities and relationships that integrate in the story nicely. There is also a background story of redemption, and second chance at love as well that I found equally lovely. To add tension, William's past work for the Crown becomes part of the current story around Bella and William, and incorporated into drama around their lives, and Bella's own loss and family drama.

A lovely warm romance, with some very warm and lovely characters, balanced with drama, suspense, and intrigue. There is even a bit of a supernatural element, and a lovely secondary romance with a HEA as well.

4.5 stars out of 5

Good story! Love, treasure and mystery is in the air! Along with cute children and animals… what more could you want in a romance novel?

I received a free copy of this book from the author. The thoughts and opinions are my own.

How I enjoy reading a cozy story that involves romance that stands the test of time. Bella is a strong willed woman and with her companions she is a leader like no other. Her uncle had me twisting my fingers and shaking my tablet. Thank you there is William with his clear head and resources to help with chaos that explodes between both lands. I ove the entertainment and the energy of the story.
The characters are engaging with the story. The narrative flows easily. Definitely a page turner. The writing is clear and precise. However I do have an issue with the Bella being such a young age of twenty -one. There are some things that a much more mature mind woman would handle in the HEA.
I absolutely cannot imagine someone so young in the throws of passion with a grown man. If Bella, say was over the age of twenty- four, that would be a more appropriate age I feel to have the heroine be. The writer possibly doesn’t have address the age at all in the book. The can give a estimate or gloss over it. I give this book two snaps and a twist.
Until next time my fellow readers. I love to read them/ review them Read on.

This was a sweet romance between William and Bella. William, who recently inherited his title, was a former agent of the crown. As such, he still needed to attend to some unfinished business. He was torn between his old responsibilities and the new ones. On the pleasant side, his new home borders on the property where Bella's family is living. Bella has two charming grandmothers that add color to the story. I also enjoyed Lacey the dog. This author always does a great job with featuring animals in her books.
In addition to the endearing characters, this story also has some intrigue and suspense. It was a well-written and enjoyable read.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing. This is my honest opinion.

I liked that this book made my heart flutter. William and Belle made a great couple. Along with friends and family a murder, missing children and a scoundrel need to be investigated. I liked how everyone worked together and how forgiveness was given.

We get it all in this historical romance. Kidnapping, hidden treasure, even murder. One might think it's about the pirates that a certain little boy is fascinated with.
Our hero retired from most of his service to the Crown to look after his little brother. It just so happens that his previous work is nearer than he thinks.
Our heroine is trying to come to terms with the death of her father. She is living with her grandmothers and Uncle at the estate he recently bought. There is a lot of exploring to do on the coast near Dover.
A fascinating story that pulled me in from the start.
Great fun.

Well written, full of drama, love, danger, arranged marriage, intrigue, suspense, duty, chemistry, and twists. These characters are all on an emotional journey, each are multidimensional. William is a new Viscount who also gets his younger brother along with a mess to his estate. He also works for the Crown as a message decoder. When at his estate , he meets Lady Bella when she falls trying to get her dog, Lacey. Her family wants her to marry another who she doesn't like or want too. Lots of action and feelings between them. Add in some Grandmothers and family to help them get their happily ever after. Would recommend to others.
I received this story and leave this unbiased, honest review.

Viscount William Dudley left his post as an active agent for the Crown when he inherited his title. He is still interested in solving the last case he worked, in finding the Pied Piper. In addition to his responsibilities to estate, William is anxious to make a home for him and his younger brother. William meets Bella when he rescues her from a fall off a cliff. She and her two grandmothers live on the neighboring estate. The ladies welcome William and Michael. A sweet romance blooms between William and Bella. There is a dark spot in their lives. Bella’s Uncle Stephen is involved with an unsavory local baron. Dealing with him sheds light on several past mysteries. William and Bella are an awesome match. The other characters, with an exception or two, are delightful. The grandmothers are warm, wise, and welcoming. Michael is smart and fun. Uncle Stephen is a challenge. Lacey the dog and Winterbourne the horse are in the middle of it all. This fast-paced story filled with mystery, intrigue, suspense, humor, and love held my attention from beginning to happy ending.
I received a special copy of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Tempting a Lonely Lord is the sixth book in The Rakes of Mayhem series but can be read as a standalone.

The heroine, Bella, lost her father under mysterious circumstances, and her uncle, the new head of the family, has a severe gambling problem. William just became a Viscount in his own right and, before that, worked for the crown rescuing kidnapped children.

The two meet when William rescues Bella from a fall. I really liked how their relationship developed during the story and how they worked together.

The secondary cast features Bella's two grandmothers and William's little brother Michael. And then there's Bella's dog, Lacey.

The story was well written, and even though a lot is going on, it all came together at the end. All in all, a satisfying, sweet Regency romance novel.

Our hero William has plenty going on, with a newly minted title that comes with a rundown estate, a younger brother to take care of and unfinished business from his spy days, the last thing he needs is a woman who quite literally falls into his arms. Bella needs help escaping an old earl who her uncle has arranged for her to marry. Things go awry when attacks from Williams (his is pied piper) and Bellas (an hers is unc and earl) nemesis come to head. The Mcs have to put their head, and invariably their hearts, to come out onto the top.

Well written with nicely crafted characters and plotline.

This was an entertaining sweet read. There was the main romance plus a second chance romance, along with a murder mystery, kidnapping and a very bad villain. The heroine was very sweet and compassionate. The hero had been in service to the Crown and still had some involvement, but his main concern was his much younger brother. The brother was one of the best secondary characters I have read about in a long time. He had such a wonderful understanding of animals and an innate grasp of people for a person so young. The horse and dog in the story will warm everyone’s heart.

This book, Tempting a Lonely Land, by Anne St. Claire, is one captivating tale. The book follows the love story of Viscount William Dudley and Lady Bella Connoly and how, navigating through hardships, murder plots, and betrayal, their love ultimately emerging as strongest of all.
One of the book's strongest factors is its characters. Care has been taken to build each character beautifully and with precision. The traits of the characters of the books resonate even in the modern-day world. William and Bella’s chemistry feels organic, blossoming through shared challenges, while the side characters add humor, warmth. The themes of love, the rising suspense and action, the climax, and the final happy ending are intricately woven and intricately laden.
Each scene is very detailed and contributes to the story. The inclusion of the animals and giving them an importance than just as mere accompaniments of the characters is a different and engaging angle of the book. The romance stories of the book are beautiful, not just about the main characters, but the book also delves into romances on second chances. The suspense builds slowly, and the anticipation of it forces the reader to keep turning the pages.
On the other hand, the thrill of the book gives off feelings of adventure and a detective book. The plot of the book is flawless and never drags; it works at the perfect pace with the reader. The climax is thrilling and yet heartfelt, and gives the perfect ending, but the author does tease her readers at the end, leaving a certain lingering question of really the story has really reached the end.
Overall, Tempting a Lonely Lord is an engaging, well‑written read that will charm fans of historical romance and romantic suspense alike.
I loved reading the book and would 100% recommend it to others.

A heartwarming romance grows between Lady Bella and Viscount William Dudley, as they come to know each other as neighbours. William has left unfinished business behind when he resigns his post as an agent for the Crown, but he still has a vested interest in discovering the identity of the Pied Piper who has taken up so many of his resources. However, it is time for him to take responsibility for the title and estate that he has unexpectedly inherited, as well as providing a stable home for his young brother. A thread of suspense runs through the plot, resulting in Bella's Uncle Stephen becoming embroiled with an unsavory character. It takes a blast from the past to make Stephen come to his senses, and he discovers that when he makes the decision to put his life back in order, the universe works with him. William's brother, Michael, adds charm and humor to the plot, as does Bella's intelligent dog Lacey, and her loving grandmothers. Unfortunately, the villain of the piece refuses to let go, and when Bella's life is at risk, all the answers that William needs fall into place. I received a copy of this exciting novel as a gift from Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

This author always writes books that are engaging, entertaining, and have great characters. Belle and William are amply suited as they work to determine who is kidnapping children for slavery. The history of smuggling, pirates, kidnapping is a deep part of English history and this author does it justice by showcasing it within the story. Of course there is a villain, who you will want to mangle yourself! Added to that are friends from a prior story, a young captivating little brother and grandmother's who are lovely. I predicte a story down the line for Michael and Beth (whom William rescued), it would be a perfect look at how both their lives turned out.

Tempting A lonely Lord is a clean Regency romance (and a secondary romance in the background), but there’s also the mystery of Bella’s father’s “accident,” a hidden treasure, a Pied Piper kidnapping children to sell as slaves, protective animals, and even a ghost to keep the reader turning pages.
The characters are nicely defined. But William, the newly elevated Viscount Dudley, won my heart. Of course, he’s handsome, but he has moral integrity, perception, intelligence and the willingness to act upon his concerns. Indeed, he and Bella meet when he saves her from what could have been a fatal fall.
This is book 6 in the Rakes of Mayhem series, but is a standalone.

We have Lady Bella Conolly and William Dudley a Viscount who are neighbors! William has semi retired from service to the crown! William has a younger brother Michael who really needs him to be there! Michael is hilarious and says things only a young child can say with candor!
There is much evil in this coastal town and Bella’s uncle is part of it! Can he be redeemed? Or has Stephen the new Earl fallen so far into gambling and drink he can’t come out?
While under the influence of drink Stephen has made promises to a Baron Darkmoor who is willing to do anything to get his way!
William and Bella are meant to be but can they outwit the evil that keeps coming against them? Bravo well done! I received an ARC copy for my unbiased review!

A touching story. Bella mourns her father and struggles to find peace. She is sweet and loving, but still sad over losing both of her parents. William is strong and brave and has served his country. As he transitions to life as a Viscount, he is unsure how to move forward. It's a good thing Bella enters his life to add intrigue and meaning.

He's a new viscount..

William is the new Viscount Dudley. He's just semi retired from his spy work with the crown rescuing stolen children. He's not done there, apparently. William meets Lady Bella, his next door neighbor of his new country estate. He is also the guardian to his eight year old brother. Lady Bella is sweet and living with her two grandmothers. Her new guardian is trying to marry her off to a sinister, older earl. Its all kinds of shady. William is a hero, always willing to rescue innocents and damsels in distress.
Recommend.