Judith’s review of To Seduce a Scoundrel (Secrets & Scandals series #3) by Darcy Burke
Quintessential debutante Lady Philippa Latham is determined to avoid scandal at all costs so that she may marry well. When her mother’s outrageous behavior threatens their family’s reputation, Philippa unwittingly follows her to a party no unmarried Society girl would risk attending. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Philippa is “rescued” from disaster by England’s most notorious scoundrel, which sets them both on a path to public and personal ruin.
Lord Ambrose Sevrin is infamous for ruining his brother’s fiancé and refusing to marry her. Content to remain among the fringe of the upper ten thousand, he is an intriguing enigma to London’s elite. Philippa thinks she’s met the true Ambrose—a gentleman who would fight to defend her and help her secure a husband before it’s too late. But he can’t be that husband, even for her. He won’t tolerate redemption—or love—for his crimes are far worse than anyone can imagine.
I don’t think most of us contemporary women really understand the terrible pressure that 19th century women faced when it came to the matter of “marrying well.” Social ruin is not something we worry about all that much today — obviously one’s reputation is still very important, especially in smaller towns and communities. But we have nothing in today’s American society that equals the bone-deep fear women experienced at the thought of being “ruined” so that they could not hope to make a socially acceptable and financially profitable marriage. The heroine in this story is driven by that kind of fear coupled with the awareness that her parents were on the brink of marriage disaster–both mom and dad were carrying on with lovers in a less-than-discreet fashion–and that their actions were putting her future in jeopardy.
Lord Ambrose was a man whose life was in shambles on so many levels that the only true joy he had was in the Fight Club he considered his true family. Yet when he found Lady Phillipa in a compromising position he put his own life in danger to keep her reputation intact, actions that convinced the lady in question that he was not truly the rogue society considered him to be.
This is a love story between two people whose expectations about the future were “slim to none.” Lady Phillipa’s situation rapidly went from bad to worse, and Lord Ambrose was at the bottom of the pile already. Yet this author seems to have the knack of making a literary “silk purse out of a sow’s ear” . . . a story with so many positive aspects with characters who have little hope of finding real happiness. It’s a rockem’ sockem’ tale that involves boxing matches, hurts and wounds of body and spirit, disappointments, hopes, dreams, delights and difficulties, and two very, very stubborn people. It’s the third book in a series by a new author and I think each novel has just gotten better and better. I found Lord Ambrose to be a man with a curious mix of values–the negatives were mostly directed toward himself and the positives he knew were there but wouldn’t even give them the time of day. The most endearing quality was his soft spot for Phillipa, one he tried to hide, coat over with cynicism, and wall up with the stones of indifference. But love will always find a way . . . at least that’s what we romance fans really believe down deep.
This is really a terrific book and one I don’t think historical romance readers will want to miss. Ms Burke has secured the recommendations of some very fine authors and I have to say that I agree wholeheartedly that this up and coming author is well worth watching and enjoying.
I give this book a 4.25 out of 5 rating.
The series:
You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place.
This book is available from Intrepid Reads. You can buy it here or here in e-format.
Thank you for this review! This sounds like a great book & I will, of course, have to read the series now.