A Scot in the Dark by Sarah MacLean

Author: Sarah MacLean
Publisher: Avon
Date of publication: August 2016

Lonesome Lily Turned Scandalous Siren

Miss Lillian Hargrove has lived much of her life alone in a gilded cage, longing for love and companionship. When an artist offers her pretty promises and begs her to pose for a scandalous portrait, Lily doesn't hesitate...until the lying libertine leaves her in disgrace. With the painting now public, Lily has no choice but to turn to the one man who might save her from ruin.

Highland Devil turned Halfhearted Duke

The Duke of Warnick loathes all things English, none more so than the aristocracy. It does not matter that the imposing Scotsman has inherited one of the most venerable dukedoms in Britain—he wants nothing to do with it, especially when he discovers that the unwanted title comes with a troublesome ward, one who is far too old and far too beautiful to be his problem.

Tartan Comes to Town

Warnick arrives in London with a single goal: get the chit married and see her become someone else's problem, then return to a normal, quiet life in Scotland. It's the perfect plan, until Lily declares she'll only marry for love...and the Scot finds that there is one thing in England he likes far too much... 

A Scot in the Dark is the second book in the Scandal and Scoundrel series.  Alec was in  the first book, The Rogue Not Taken.  He is a reluctant Duke who wants nothing to do with England.  When he learns that he not only has inherited a ward, she is involved in a scandal.  He heads to London to try to bail her out.  

Alec and Lillian both have some major baggage.  But, I liked both of them almost instantly.  I knew I was going to love Alec.when he shared his feelings about Romeo and Juliet.  They mirror my own as I feel they weren't remotely romantic when they killed themselves over what amounts to nothing more than infatuation.  He has lived his life thinking he wasn't worth anything and that he is nothing more than a "scottish brute". 

 Everyone that Lillian has ever loved has left her, making her a prime target for a slick artist who woos her into posing for a nude painting.  I kind of felt badly for her. She was definitely naive but I loved watching her grow after the scandal blew up.  The banter between Alec and Lily was so much fun.  I loved the scene in the park where Alec acts as a chaperone.  I was laughing throughout that entire scene.  The Talbot sisters from the first book show up in this one to rally around Lillian.  I can't wait to read their stories! 

The Rogue Not Taken by Sarah MacLean

Author" Sarah MacLean
Publisher: Avon
Date of publication: December 2016

The youngest of the infamous Talbot sisters scandalized society at the Liverpool Summer Soiree, striking her sister’s notoriously philandering husband and landing him backside-first in a goldfish pond. And we thought Sophie was the quiet one…

When she finds herself the target of very public aristocratic scorn, Sophie Talbot does what she must to escape the city and its judgment—she flees on the back of a carriage, vowing never to return to London…or to society. But the carriage isn’t saving her from ruin. It’s filled with it.

ROYAL ROGUE'S REIGN OF RAVISHMENT!

The Marquess of Eversley was espied descending a rose trellis—escaping an irate Earl and his once-future countess. No lady is safe from Eversley’s Engagement Ending Escapades!

Kingscote, the Marquess of Eversley, has never met a woman he couldn’t charm, a quality that results in a reputation far worse than the truth, a furious summons home, and a long, boring trip to the Scottish border. When King discovers stowaway Sophie, however, the trip becomes anything but boring.

When I am in the mood for a historical romance, The Rogue Not Taken is exactly the type of book that I want to read.  I really enjoyed Sophie and King.  Sophie is the youngest of 5 sisters who have a certain reputation among the ton.  They are considered "new wealth" with a title but not the blue blood.  After standing up for her sister at a party, she is scorned by the ton and decides to flee the party.  What she didn't plan on was ending up in a carriage going to wrong way.

I found this story to be full of witty banter between Sophie and King.  I loved watching them fall for each other.   I loved how King kept trying to get Sophie to stop putting herself down.  He really saw through to who she was inside.  I wanted to kick him often, though.  He was a little stubborn in not wanting to trust Sophie.  But I was rooting for them the whole book.

One of the neat things that I liked about the book was the gossip column like titles at the beginning of each chapter. They were cute and added a lot of humor to the story.  I highly recommend this one.  The next book, A Scot in the Dark, is out now and I can't wait to dive right in.

No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean

Author: Sarah MacLean
Publisher: Avon
Date of publication: November 2013

A rogue ruined . . .

He is the Killer Duke, accused of murdering Mara Lowe on the eve of her wedding. With no memory of that fateful night, Temple has reigned over the darkest of London’s corners for twelve years, wealthy and powerful, but beyond redemption. Until one night, Mara resurfaces, offering the one thing he’s dreamed of . . . absolution.
A lady returned . . .

Mara planned never to return to the world from which she’d run, but when her brother falls deep into debt at Temple’s exclusive casino, she has no choice but to offer Temple a trade that ends in her returning to society and proving to the world what only she knows . . . that he is no killer.

I swear this series keeps getting better and better.  No Good Duke Goes Unpunished is the third book in the "Rules of Scoundrels" series.  I really enjoyed Temple's story. At first I wasn't sure if I would like Mara.  What she did to change Temple's life was pretty awful.  But as I read and got to know why she did it, I began to like her more.  Also, I felt she was truly sorry about it.  I'm not sure I would have liked Temple before his life changed.  He seemed like he would have been a spoiled playboy.  I was really hoping that he wouldn't go through with publicly outing Mara and what she had done. They ended up being perfect for each other and I loved the final "fight" in the ring.  

This was a fun story and there are some cute characters in the book.  Between the boys in the orphanage and the resident pig, my heart was melting all over the place!  The epilogue was definitely a  "Wait, what???" moment.  How can the author do that and make us all wait for the next book?  I can't wait for Chase's story!!

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean

Author: Sarah MacLean
Publisher: Avon
Date of publication: January 2013

Lady Philippa Marbury is odd. The bespectacled, brilliant fourth daughter of the Marquess of Needham and Dolby cares more for books than balls, flora than fashion and science than the season. Nearly engaged to Lord Castleton, Pippa wants to explore the scandalous parts of London she's never seen before marriage. And she knows just who to ask: the tall, charming, quick-witted bookkeeper of The Fallen Angel, London's most notorious and coveted gaming hell, known only as Cross. 

I really liked this sequel to A Rogue by Any Other Name (my review).  Phillipa ("Pippa") is Penelope's sister.  She has consented to marry a man she really doesn't love, but because she is honorable, she won't back out.  The issue is that she wants to go into the marriage knowing something about sex before she does.  She tries to recruit Cross to help her in the task. 

I loved Pippa.  She is a scientist through and through.  This make for some very funny scenes.  One of my favorites is when she interviews the "working girl" in The Fallen Angel.  Very funny!  Cross was a good match for her.  He is very intelligent, yet he is a tortured soul who doesn't think he deserves to be happy.  Even though I always know there will be a happy ending, I still find myself rooting for the couple   Especially this one. 

The next book in the series is Temple's story.  I can't wait to read it when it comes out in November!  

A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean

Author: Sarah MacLean
Publisher: Avon
Date of Publication: March 2012

A decade ago, the Marquess of Bourne was cast from society with nothing but his title. Now a partner in London’s most exclusive gaming hell, the cold, ruthless Bourne will do whatever it takes to regain his inheritance—including marrying perfect, proper Lady Penelope Marbury.

A broken engagement and years of disappointing courtships have left Penelope with little interest in a quiet, comfortable marriage, and a longing for something more. How lucky that her new husband has access to such unexplored pleasures.
Typically in historical romances, we see the proper side of society. So when I read A Rogue by Any Other Name it was a refreshing change.  Bourne may be a Marquess, but he is also the owner of the most infamous gaming hell in London.  It caters to men who want to gamble and indulge in other things as well as to women on the "other side".   Penelope may be his life long friend  but she is also the key to revenge against the man who took everything from him.

I liked Penelope.  I felt so badly for her as she seems to constantly get the short end of everything.  Even in her marriage to Bourne.  He obviously cares about her, but he is so blinded by revenge that he can't see that what he has in front of him is more valuable than anything.  I often found myself wanting to shake some sense into him.  I have to say I was glad that she made him wait in the end before she decided she believed his transformation.  He deserved it.

Overall, I enjoyed the story.  I loved Bourne's friends.  They were quite amusing and made for a lot of comic relief.  The next few books in the series feature their stories, so I look forward to reading them.  This one ends in a sort of cliffhanger that gives a peek into the next book, One Good Earl Deserves a Lover.  It is Phillipa and Cross's story.  I'm looking forward to reading it.