The Sweetest Scoundrel by Elizabeth Hoyt

Sweetest Scoundrel by Elizabeth Hoyt
Also by this author: Dearest Rogue, Duke of Sin, Once Upon a Moonlit Night, Duke of Pleasure
Series: Maiden Lane
Also in this series: Dearest Rogue, Duke of Sin, Once Upon a Moonlit Night, Duke of Pleasure
Published by Grand Central Publishing on November 24th 2015
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Historical, General
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
ISBN: 9781455529810
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SHE'S TAKING CHARGE
Prim, proper, and thrifty, Eve Dinwoody is all business when it comes to protecting her brother's investment. But when she agrees to control the purse strings of London's premier pleasure garden, Harte's Folly, she finds herself butting heads with an infuriating scoundrel who can't be controlled.
HE'S RUNNING THE SHOW
Bawdy and bold, Asa Makepeace doesn't have time for a penny-pinching prude like Eve. As the garden's larger-than-life owner, he's already dealing with self-centered sopranos and temperamental tenors. He's not about to let an aristocratic woman boss him around . . . no matter how enticing she is.
BUT LOVE CONQUERS ALL
In spite of her lack of theatrical experience-and her fiery clashes with Asa-Eve is determined to turn Harte's Folly into a smashing success. But the harder she tries to manage the stubborn rake, the harder it is to ignore his seductive charm and raw magnetism. There's no denying the smoldering fire between them-and trying to put it out would be the greatest folly of all . . .

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Review of The Sweetest Scoundrel by Elizabeth Hoyt

Elizabeth Hoyt’s newest book The Sweetest Scoundrel is a darker read than some of her other Maiden Lane novels.  It actually harkened back to her first book in the series Wicked Intentions.  If you have read the Maiden Lane books, which I believe is a ‘must read’ for any historical romance reader, you will know that Eve Dinwoody the female protagonist,  is the illegitimate sister of Valentine Napier the Duke of Montgomery,  who just happens to be a blackmailing blackhearted rogue, to anyone but sweet Eve.  Which just happens to make Montgomery an utterly delicious bad boy Duke.  Okay everyone just take a moment and enjoy my Valentine graphic.

This is my Valentine, it may not be yours but oh well, I am writing this review.  So Eve has a very dark past, kind of the gut check type past and it may make some readers uncomfortable, Hoyt does not sugar coat the horror that Eve suffered in her young life.  Eve despite being a strong formidable woman has been damaged greatly by past events and she is still haunted and stuck emotionally because of them.

The male protagonist of this story is Asa Makepeace. The mysterious brother of the Makepeace siblings whom have been featured throughout the Maiden Lane Series.  I simply adore all of of Hoyt’s characters, but Asa unlike his other siblings did not have anyone in his family to rely on since he was nineteen years old.  He has purposely kept himself apart from his family for the past fifteen or so years, and it has shaped him into the man in The Sweetest Scoundrel.  Asa has had one singular drive to be a success in the business that he thrust himself into. The business ripped his family away from him and then became a pseudo family, the reasons for all this are revealed in Hoyt’s book. He has lived and breathed working since her left his family.  He is stubborn and tenuous, in how he deals with everyone.

So the story goes, Asa and Eve met, and they mix about as well as oil and water.  They are both strong willed and are not that willing to bow to each others wishes.  Hmmm…. you are wondering how they met, well Eve just happens to be overseeing her brother’s investments in Asa’s business. In fact Eve holds the purse strings to Asa’s business venture, and Asa is not too happy about this fact.

Why should you plop down almost eight dollars to read this book?  Because the sex is freaking hotter than hell fire.  Asa has a deliciously filthy mouth on him, and uses it on the virginal Miss. Dinwoody, in not just words, but fire a need within Eve, that frankly scares and shocks the woman.   Yes my kindle may have caught on fire several times, as Asa is a raw and totally virile man.  Think a sexy 1741 Gerard Butler, he is not dandy and not any part metrosexual, he exudes sex, and raw power.   Eve is sexually naive, but she’s fiery and can give as good as she gets.  The darkness in her past makes her one of the better of Hoyt’s female characters.  Hoyt has a marvelous dangerous plot, as part of this story, which forces both protagonist to confront their past and present lives.  Despite the Duke of Montgomery, being absent in this book, his machinations are in full swing.  This book was definitely helping to set up the next one in Hoyt’s series, as there was a minor plot point involving the absent Duke.  Hoyt has the talent to wrap up a beautiful love story, but also left me wanting more in future Maiden Lane books.  Shhh…. I heard it from a little birdie that the Duke of Montgomery is the next book.  I think I just melted into a puddle.

 

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