Scoundrel of my heart

Everyone wants the heir; no one wants the spare. As the second (or "spare") son of the duke of Wolfford, Griffith Stanwick is well aware of his value on London's marriage mart, but did Kathryn Lambert have to be so blatant in her disdain for him as a potential husband? So just imagine his surprise when Kathryn asks Griff for his assistance in securing the romantic attention of the duke of Kingsland, the most sought-after bachelor in high society. If this means getting to spend time with her and maybe even change her impression of him, Griff is more than willing to go along. However, when Griff's family becomes enmeshed in a dangerous political scandal, how can he ever hope to convince Kathryn that he is the man she should marry? Following her Sins for All Seasons romances, which includes The Earl Takes a Fancy (2020), Heath begins her new Victorian-era Once upon a Dukedom series with a smartly conceived and perfectly executed romance that deftly delivers equal measures of captivating characters and pure passion.

Heath opens her Once Upon a Dukedom series with a satisfying, character-driven Victorian romance following the relationship between Griff Stanwick--the brother of Beauty Tempts the Beast's heroine, Althea--and Althea's best friend, Kathryn Lambert. Kathryn has 14 months to marry a titled, first-born son if she hopes to collect her inheritance: her grandmother's beach cottage. Griff is sympathetic to Kathryn's desire for a treasured property, as he has his sights on a social club that he hopes to reinvent to cater to second sons, spinsters, and others like him who are deemed socially undesirable. Griff writes a letter in Kathryn's praise to the Duke of Kingsland, convincing him to court her--though soon after, Griff and Kathryn share a kiss that confirms their real desire is for each other. But a Stanwick family scandal tears Griff and Kathryn apart for a year. When the couple reconnects, Kathryn is all the closer to securing Kingsland's hand in marriage, but her attraction to Griff remains, forcing her to choose between security and passion. The relationship is grounded and believable, though readers unfamiliar with the previous series will feel they're missing important context for Griff's actions. This is a promising spin-off. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (Apr.)

A lady must choose between what she wants and who she wants. In order to gain her inheritance--her late grandmother's cottage--Lady Kathryn Lambert must marry a titled gentleman. She sets out to draw the attention of the Duke of Kingsland, who's made it known he's searching for a wife, but her heart yearns for another man, an unsuitable scoundrel. As a second son--a "spare"--Lord Griffith Stanwick is used to being seen as unworthy, but that doesn't mean he's unambitious. His eyes are set on an unused property he wishes to turn into a new sort of club for men and women to meet and mingle. His eyes are also drawn to his sister's friend Kathryn. He admires her intelligence, boldness, and coppery curls. He agrees to help her attract Kingsland's attention, but with every moment in her company, his feelings for her grow. Lovely prose showcases how much these characters pine for each other, physically and emotionally, and crave lives full of happiness and purpose. The internal struggles of their conflicting desires drive the story. Although this is the start of a new series, the hero is the brother of the heroine from Beauty Tempts the Beast (2020). The timelines of these books have some overlap, and readers unfamiliar with the predecessor may find the midstory time jump here to be jarring. Intrigue surrounding the traitorous Stanwick father feels frustratingly underexplored and is left open, presumably for a future book. Sensuality shines in this tale of yearning. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.