Zusatztext Prepare to fall in love.Julia Quinn The sweetest! sexiest romance you'll read all year.Eloisa James Informationen zum Autor Tessa Dare a part-time librarian, full-time mommy, and swing-shift writer. She makes her home in Southern California, where she shares a cozy, cluttered bungalow with her husband, their two children, and a dog. Klappentext Tessa Dare spins a witty, wanton tale of passion and conquest, as a reformer and a rake find unexpected love. Only one thing could convince Sir Tobias Aldridge, an incorrigible libertine, to profess undying fidelity to a woman he's just met. Revenge. What better way to get back at an enemy than by stealing the scoundrel's sister? Not that Toby finds it a chore, seducing a beguiling, sultry beauty freshly arrived from the West Indies. When the prize is Isabel Grayson, vengeance is doubly rewarding. Isabel is determined to marry a wealthy, powerful lord and become a lady of influence, using her rank and fortune to fight social injustice. Sir Toby, with his paltry title and infamous reputation, is unsuitable husband material-but he makes her blood race, her heart pound, and her long-buried passions come to the surface. If she can reform the charming devil, she'll get exactly what she craves: society's respect. But it's a dangerous gamble. For if Toby wins this battle of persuasion, Isabel could lose her heart. Chapter One Sir Tobias Aldridge was contemplating an act of coldblooded murder. Failing that, an act of barbarous incivility. By nature, Toby wasn't one to hold a grudge. As a gentleman of rank, wealth, and unarguable good looks, he'd never received a slight he couldn't simply laugh off. He called every man friend, and no man enemy. Until now. So that's him. Toby glared at the man twirling a fair- haired beauty across the gleaming parquet Benedict Gray Grayson. The scoundrel who'd stolen Toby's bride, his future, and his very respectability, then returned to a bloody hero's welcome. That's him. Here, have a brandy. His host, Jeremy Trescott, the Earl of Kendall, extended a glass. Toby accepted the drink and downed a quick, blistering swallow. I could call him out, he murmured behind the glass. I could call him out and shoot him dead to - night, in your garden. Jeremy shook his head. You're not going to do that. Why not? You don't think I have it in me? Toby gave a bitter laugh. Don't you read the papers, Jem? That affable Sir Toby is a phantom of the past, and good riddance to him. Where did honor and decency get me, I ask you? Jilted, and replaced by a thieving, unprincipled bastard. Gray's not a bastard. He's the legitimate nephew of a duchess. Oh, yes. And now a knight, as well. What isn't he? If you listen to the talk, Sir Benedict's a shipping financier, a West Indian planter, a feared privateer, a paragon of valor . . . Toby shook his head. I know the truth. He's the thieving bastard who seduced my intended bride. It's within my rights to call him out. Even if you could do it, his friend said tersely, you're not going to do it. This is Lucy's first ball. She's been planning it for months. If you turn it into scandalsheet fodder, I'll take you into the garden and gut you myself. Well, if you didn't want scandal, you shouldn't have invited me. So long as I have the dev il's own reputation, I might as well live up to it. You ought to rise above it. Jeremy lowered his voice. Listen, you're bound to meet with them at some point. Gray's bringing out his younger sister this year, and they'll be at every major social event. Best to make your public reconciliation now and quell the gossip. Why do you think Lucy and I planned a ball so early in the Season? Because if you waited a few months she'd be too round? Eager ...

8220;Prepare to fall in love.”—Julia Quinn

“The sweetest, sexiest romance you’ll read all year.”—Eloisa James

Autorentext
Tessa Dare a part-time librarian, full-time mommy, and swing-shift writer. She makes her home in Southern California, where she shares a cozy, cluttered bungalow with her husband, their two children, and a dog.

Klappentext

Tessa Dare spins a witty, wanton tale of passion and conquest, as a reformer and a rake find unexpected love.

Only one thing could convince Sir Tobias Aldridge, an incorrigible libertine, to profess undying fidelity to a woman he's just met. Revenge. What better way to get back at an enemy than by stealing the scoundrel's sister? Not that Toby finds it a chore, seducing a beguiling, sultry beauty freshly arrived from the West Indies. When the prize is Isabel Grayson, vengeance is doubly rewarding.

Isabel is determined to marry a wealthy, powerful lord and become a lady of influence, using her rank and fortune to fight social injustice. Sir Toby, with his paltry title and infamous reputation, is unsuitable husband material-but he makes her blood race, her heart pound, and her long-buried passions come to the surface. If she can reform the charming devil, she'll get exactly what she craves: society's respect. But it's a dangerous gamble. For if Toby wins this battle of persuasion, Isabel could lose her heart.

Leseprobe
Chapter One

Sir Tobias Aldridge was contemplating an act of coldblooded murder.

 Failing that, an act of barbarous incivility. 

By nature, Toby wasn’t one to hold a grudge. As a gentleman of rank, wealth, and unarguable good looks, he’d never received a slight he couldn’t simply laugh off. He called every man friend, and no man enemy. 

Until now. 

“So that’s him.” Toby glared at the man twirling a fair- haired beauty across the gleaming parquet— Benedict “Gray” Grayson. The scoundrel who’d stolen Toby’s bride, his future, and his very respectability, then returned to a bloody hero’s welcome. 

“That’s him. Here, have a brandy.” His host, Jeremy Trescott, the Earl of Kendall, extended a glass. 

Toby accepted the drink and downed a quick, blistering swallow. “I could call him out,” he murmured behind the glass. “I could call him out and shoot him dead to - night, in your garden.” 

Jeremy shook his head. “You’re not going to do that.” 

“Why not? You don’t think I have it in me?” Toby gave a bitter laugh. “Don’t you read the papers, Jem? That affable Sir Toby is a phantom of the past, and good riddance to him. Where did honor and decency get me, I ask you? Jilted, and replaced by a thieving, unprincipled bastard.” 

“Gray’s not a bastard. He’s the legitimate nephew of a duchess.”

“Oh, yes. And now a knight, as well. What isn’t he? If you listen to the talk, Sir Benedict’s a shipping financier, a West Indian planter, a feared privateer, a paragon of valor . . .” Toby shook his head. “I know the truth. He’s the thieving bastard who seduced my intended bride. It’s within my rights to call him out.” 

“Even if you could do it,” his friend said tersely, “you’re not going to do it. This is Lucy’s first ball. She’s been planning it for months. If you turn it into scandalsheet fodder, I’ll take you into the garden and gut you myself.” 

“Well, if you didn’t want scandal, you shouldn’t have invited me. So long as I have the dev il’s own reputation, I might as well live up to it.” 

“You ought to rise above it.” Jeremy lowered his voice. 

“Listen, you’re bound to meet with them at some point. Gray’s bringing out his younger s…