Pride, Lust, Envy and Greed…vices that could lead a
gentleman down the road to ruin. Unless he meets his saving grace in the form
of a painfully shy heiress.
An exuberant greeting and a mistaken identity set sparks
flying between Lady Phoebe Lippincott and Baron Marcus Summerfield. The baron
braces himself to catch the beautiful hoyden rushing down the staircase—either
that or land tangled together on the floor! Not the impression he hoped to make
when meeting the Duke of Wyndmere for the first time.
Summerfield is encouraged by his cousin’s success seeking
monetary assistance from the duke. He plans to nudge the duke to fill his
pockets so he can enjoy the life he feels entitled to lead. The duke surprises
him by offering his London town house for the baron to use in his search for a
bride among this Season’s new crop of debutantes.
The baron accepts and leaves before he can be further
entranced by the duke’s engaging, curvaceous, dark-haired, blue-eyed sister.
Lady Phoebe Lippincott is a delightful armful who captivates the baron, but he
cannot afford to be distracted from his goal.
Phoebe has been slowly emerging from the shell she has
been hiding in since a madman held her at knifepoint at her brother’s first
ball. After meeting Baron Summerfield, Phoebe’s interest ignites. She’s tempted
to travel to London and bury herself in the round of entertainment the Season
promises. There is only one problem—the baron will be staying at her brother’s
town house! Her sister-in-law offers a solution. Her mother, Lady Farnsworth,
happily agrees to chaperone Phoebe who will be staying with Lady Farnsworth in
London.
The baron is the victim of a plot that begins with smuggled
French brandy and ends with a massive headache, two Pinks of the ton, and a
bevy of demireps staying at the duke’s townhouse. As he tries to extricate
himself from his uninvited guests, the pair see another way to entrap the baron
that involves the duke and his sister, Lady Phoebe.
Phoebe and Marcus cannot take their eyes off one another
every time they meet. The pair who seek to discredit the baron and plan to
kidnap Phoebe are thwarted in their attempts by the duke’s guard. When it is
the baron who is kidnapped, Phoebe’s the one to receive the ransom note and
rushes to the rescue armed with a brass paperweight and a handful of
ribbon-wrapped hat pins!
When the Pinks who seek revenge against the baron, and
the duke, try another kidnapping attempt, and have Phoebe’s carriage
surrounded, the baron has to listen to his heart.
Will Marcus be able to give up his overwhelming need for
monetary gain and prestige among his peers in exchange for Phoebe’s hand in
marriage? Will Phoebe completely emerge from her shell to trust her heart to
Marcus?
Fun book to read, though Marcus does not make a good
first impression. Like his cousin Edward (Tempering the Viscount's Envy),
Marcus shows up at the home of Jared, Duke of Wyndemere, looking for a handout.
He doesn't have the money to live the way he thinks he's entitled and hopes
some financial assistance will let him do so. Their meeting gets off to a rough
start thanks to a miscommunication about their appointment and an unexpected encounter
with the duke's sister Phoebe. The duke is also somewhat the worse for wear,
thanks to the recent birth of his twin children. After a brief conversation,
Jared offers Marcus the use of his London townhouse, later giving him a list of
rules and expectations. Marcus's encounter with Phoebe stirs up unexpected and
unwelcome feelings, so he departs for London quickly.
Phoebe's excitement at seeing her cousin William turned
to embarrassment when she realized her mistake. After a terrifying experience
at her first ball the previous year, Phoebe spent the ensuing months back at
her brother's estate, recovering from the trauma. Marcus is the first man to
stir her interest since then, but following up proves difficult. I loved the
scene where she convinces Jared to let her go, though she has some reservations
about how well she'll get along with her chaperon.
Throughout the series, the Duke of Wyndemere's goal has
been to restore his family's name after the depredations of his older brother. Jared
protects his family, including his cousins, and expects their cooperation in
return. Marcus falls prey to two "gentlemen" who have ulterior
motives on his first night in London. I felt Marcus's horror when he discovered
what happened, and he pleasantly surprised me when he stood up to them. It's an
eye-opening experience, and Marcus quickly realizes that his attitude needs to
change. Learning of Phoebe's arrival and his inclusion in the efforts to keep
her safe gives him the chance to make amends for his mistakes.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Marcus
and Phoebe. The sparks between them were evident from the moment they met, but
there were obstacles, especially the disparity in their finances. Marcus has
little money and a crumbling estate, and Phoebe has a substantial dowry. I loved
Marcus's determination to keep her safe, even from herself. Because despite her
withdrawal of the past year, Phoebe might be a tad naïve, but she is neither
shy nor retiring. Her outspokenness and stubbornness become more evident as the
book goes on, especially when it comes to Marcus, for she is as protective of
him as he is of her. When the trouble stirred up at the beginning of the book
escalates into kidnapping and murder, the entire family gets involved in ending
the threat. Several nail-biting encounters kept me glued to the pages as either
Marcus or Phoebe ended up in danger. I loved the ending and seeing the
difference loving Phoebe made in Marcus.
I enjoyed seeing more of the duke's Irish guards. Their
loyalty to Jared and his family creates some interesting situations. I liked
seeing them interact with each other, sometimes with great, umm, exuberance. They
did have some trouble with striking first, then asking questions. I would love
to know more about what happens to them. I remember the name Garahan from the
Secret Life of Cowboys series and that there were other family members
mentioned. 
