Forced into a betrothal with an abusive man, the only way out might be to beat her fiancé at his own game.Miss Marianne Twisden knows her best chance at a safe and happy life is to marry a kind man and leave her violent father behind. When her father signs papers betrothing her to Lord Cockell—a cruel and even more violent blackguard—Marianne is desperate for a way out. Her new fiancé gives her … new fiancé gives her one: if Marianne discredits Lord Sheldon Lockhart, England’s newest barrister, Cockell will release her from the marriage contract.
Lord Sheldon Lockhart is determined to rid his neighborhood of Cockell—a man who preys on gamble-hooked gentlemen by loaning them far more money than they could ever hope to repay and then extracting it mercilessly. What he didn’t expect was to fall for Cockell’s most beautiful victim, Miss Marianne.
The seemingly simple game becomes complex when a deep, abiding affection grows between Marianne and Sheldon. It is made all the more perilous when Cockell refuses to play by the rules. Strategizing together, Marianne and Sheldon must think several steps ahead if they ever hope to out-play their opponent and have a shot at victory and their own happily ever after.
Wager for a Lady’s Hand is a clean and wholesome Regency romance, full of witty characters and a heart-warming happily ever after. Buy Wager for a Lady’s Hand and start falling in love today.
The stories in the Lockhart Sweet Regency Romance series are all standalone novels. They can be read apart or enjoyed in proper order.
Book One: Wager for a Lady’s Hand
Book Two: Lily for my Enemy
Book Three: A Heart in the Balance
Book Four: A Farewell Kiss Book
Five: A Well-Kept Promise
*previously published under the author name L. G. Rollins.
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Lord Sheldon is the 2nd son. As such, he has to make his own way in the world and he has become a barrister, having moved to the countryside. He is determined to rid himself of Lord Cockell. He is like a regency version of a loan shark. He preys on victims who like to gamble and get in too much debt and then swoops in and takes their property leaving them destitute. He has destroyed to lives of several in the Lord Sheldon’s new neighborhood and he is determined to take him down.
Miss Marianne Twisden is the daughter of a viscount who is mean and abusive to her. What she wants most is to marry well and escape her father’s home. When her father accumulates great debt, he signs a contract for Marianne to marry Lord Cockell. Lord Cockell makes a deal with Marianne to leave her be if she will help him destroy Lord Sheldon. If she doesn’t agree to help him, Lord Cockell will destroy her. She is trapped and doesn’t know what to do. Will anyone be able to rescue her from this awful reality?
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was well written with intrigue, evil versus good, along with some sweet romance.
I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.