'I won't be back dearest...you see I have to seduce your sister'

One night with a Rake (Regency Rakes) by Conie Mason and Mia Marlowe

Continuing on with the Regency Rakes series set in 1817, we meet another of the officers held responsible for the crushing English defeat at the Battle of Maubeuge, just prior to Waterloo. Lord Nathaniel Colton and his brother officers are searching for a way to clear their names as intrigue and treachery have been whispered at, but until now unproven. If they can clear their names of that disaster, then their families will not be ruined. This time we watch the road to near perfidy of  Lord Nathaniel Colton as he is manipulated by he slimy Mr. Fortescue Alcock, to bring ruin to another of the contender's for the Royal Bride .  For their services Alcock promises evidence of treachery, or at least evidence of the truth  about Maubeuge to be revealed.

Based on the true search for a royal bride to secure the English throne for one of the unmarried sons of King George III, vulgarly referred to by the press at the time as 'Hymen Race Terrific,' the authors have taken two occurrences as intriguing hooks with which to grab our attention.

This time the royal contender is the Duke of Cambridge. The potential bride is Lady Georgette, the Marquis of Yorkingham's daughter and sister to Colton's dead fiancé, Anne.

Georgie turns out to be quite a stubborn young woman interested in saving unfortunate woman from lives of prostitution. Fortuitously Nate has just won a house of ill repute in cards.

It is at this intersection that the story takes some interesting twists and turns and develops into a romantic adventure with touches of murder and mayhem that fits the times.

A NetGalley ARC