The sun does shine, eventually!

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Married to the Rogue (Season of Scandal #3) by Mary Lancaster   


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Dark doings and tricked Regency ladies-in-waiting of the Princess of Wales leaves some of their number, including Deborah Shelby, returning to her home under a cloud. Hoping to ride out the gossip and scandal caused by the unfortunate happenings of their small number ending up unchaperoned at a house party that devolved into an orgy down below as the ladies stayed behind locked doors until able to leave in the morning (how does a royal lady leave some of her ladies in a compromising position btw??) Deborah is now returned home trying to keep a low profile, and as it turns out not to upset her younger sister's marriage prospects to a local Earl's son.

Christopher Halland, heir to a property nearby rides out in a temper to work off his anger against his grandfather who refuses to release his fortune to him before the given time time unless he marries.

A confrontation between the two after nearly riding down Deborah's younger brother leads to an unexpected place for both of them.

Christopher, a member of parliament, a radical thinker, is trying to put an education program for the poor into place using the Dower House on his property as the experimental base "to prove the benefit to the economy of land improvements and decent wages for labor."  Part of his anger is with having his plans illogically thwarted.

As it turns out marriage might solve both his and Deborah's problems.

This "marriage of convenience" trope is nicely drawn with just enough tension, strange happenings, and villainous interference to satisfy. I do love the way Deborah and Christopher come to understand and appreciate each other.


A Dragonblade ARC via NetGalley 

Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change

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