An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire
a delightfully witty historical rom-com
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- £4.99
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- £4.99
Publisher Description
Former lovers become reluctant allies in this delightfully witty historical rom-com from the bestselling author of A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem - for fans of Evie Dunmore, Enola Holmes and Netflix's Bridgerton!
England, 1866: Miss Caroline Hardcastle has finally found purpose in her life, bringing attention to insidious crimes against women. But her parents' unexpected return from the Continent jeopardizes Caro's hard-won freedom. They present her with an ultimatum: marry into a title . . . or else. Caro is confident that no gentleman would wed an on-the-shelf journalist, no matter how large her dowry is. But when a dear friend goes missing, Caro finds her best ally is also the nobleman she once dreamed of marrying.
Ever since a devastating heartbreak in his younger years, Lord Valentine Thorn has stayed clear of the parson's trap. Only now, with the lineage in danger, does Val agree to find a bride - with the condition his heart remains unattached. But when his cousin becomes entangled in the disappearance of a young actress, Val finds the only one with any answers is also the only woman he ever dreamed of marrying. Despite their complicated history, Caro and Val reluctantly agree to an alliance, vowing to ignore the passion that still burns between them. Yet with danger growing nearer, can they move forward from the past - before death does them part?
Praise for Manda Collins
'Witty, intelligent, and hard to put down, you'll love A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem' Rachel Van Dyken
'Manda Collins heats up the ballroom and writes romance to melt even the frostiest duke's heart' Tessa Dare, New York Times bestselling author
'Utterly charming' Popsugar
'Manda Collins is a delight! I read A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem waaay past my bedtime, absorbed by its spot-on period detail, the well-crafted characters, and, of course, the intriguing mystery. Brava!' Elizabeth Hoyt, New York Times bestselling author
'Mystery, romance, and an indomitable heroine make for a brisk, compelling read' Madeline Hunter, New York Times bestselling author
'Manda Collins writes sexy and smart historical romance, with a big dash of fun' Vanessa Kelly, USA Today bestselling author
'Sexy, thrilling, romantic . . . Manda Collins makes her Regency world a place any reader would want to dwell' Kieran Kramer, USA Today bestselling author
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Collins follows A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem with a fun second chance romance between Miss Caroline "Caro" Hardcastle, a manufacturer's daughter, and Lord Valentine Thorn, the heir to a dukedom. Collins classifies her work as "historical romantic suspense," but there's little suspense and a minimum of romantic development here; it's more a workmanlike historical mystery with romance trappings. Caro, having ended a brief betrothal to Val four years earlier, is drawn into his orbit again when her dear friend and Val's cousin Frank's fiancée, Miss Effie Warrington, disappears and Frank falls under suspicion. The estranged couple fall into a squabbling collaboration to find Effie and exonerate her betrothed. Class snobbery spurred their breakup and continues to drive their present conflict: Effie is an actress and deemed unworthy by Val's family, just as Caro was. The mystery and romance plots unfold in expected tropes from this premise, and period atmosphere is noticeably thin. Still, Caro is feisty and Val is angstily ripe for reform, making for enjoyable banter and a handful of plainspoken confrontations that, if anachronistic, are nonetheless satisfying. Readers are in for a frothy romp.
