Destined to go blind, a rake sets his sights on the toast of society, lighting a fire of passion that scorches the night, in this captivating novel from USA Today bestselling author Bronwen Evans. Stephen Hornsby, the Marquess of Clevedon, has one goal: to see every exquisite thing he can before he goes blind. His greatest joy, watching a woman shuddering in the throes of passion, will be gone. … passion, will be gone. But before the darkness descends, he is determined to seduce a magnificent widow, Lady Penelope Fisherton. Unfortunately, his rakish reputation has preceded him; Lady Penelope spurns his advances. Being a man who relishes a challenge, however, her reluctance adds only luster to his desire for the last beautiful sight he’ll ever see.
Considered the belle of London society, Lady Penelope was married to a scoundrel who cared for no one but himself. Now that she’s free, she wants nothing to do with love, passion, or desire—emotions that abandoned her with a cruel husband. So why does her body react when Stephen smiles? As much as she’d like to avoid the rogue, her brother-in-law wants her fortune, and he’ll kill to get it. Stephen is willing to help, but he’ll take only one thing in return: Her. In his bed.
Praise for Drawn to the Marquess
“Beautifully done! Drawn to the Marquess is a moving, touching romance of two people who prove to be exactly what each other needs at exactly the right time. I fell in love with Penelope and Stephen!”—New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Ashley
“Brimming with passion, intrigue, and tenderness, Bronwen Evans’s latest is spectacular! A perfectly brilliant page-turning romance.”—USA Today bestselling author Collette Cameron
“Drawn to the Marquess will captivate and seduce you. Bronwen Evans is a gem in Regency romance.”—Internationally bestselling author Tracy Goodwin
“Passion. Intrigue. Saucy banter. Bronwen Evans has penned another must-read romance that gives the perfect hot peek into the Regency era. I couldn’t put this scorching page-turner down!”—Maeve Greyson, author of the Highland Protector series
Look for the enchanting Disgraced Lords series from Bronwen Evans:
A KISS OF LIES | A PROMISE OF MORE | A TOUCH OF PASSION | A WHISPER OF DESIRE | A TASTE OF SEDUCTION | A NIGHT OF FOREVER
And don’t miss her novels in the Imperfect Lords series:
ADDICTED TO THE DUKE | DRAWN TO THE MARQUESS | ATTRACTED TO THE EARL
Includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.
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I loved Pen and Stephen. They are both tortured souls that were not looking for love. Pen needs help to keep her ex-brother-in-law from sending her to prison. She seeks help from Stephen. She researched him and found that he was someone who would get the information to keep her out of prison. She did not kill her husband. Stephen is glad to help Pen if she will allow him to try to seduce her. Pen has had enough of men running her life and she just gained her independence, so why would she want a man in her life? Stephen may be going blind so he isn’t looking for any kind of relationship. He would not want to burden anyone if he went blind. He will not have children because he could pass the blindness on to a child. What they didn’t count on was love. If they can weather the lies and uncertainties, they just might make it together.
When I read the blurb on this book I could not wait to read it. One of my favorite tropes in the wounded hero or heroine and this gave me that in abundance. It warms my heart to see them have hope and find love because everyone is not perfect.
Stephen Hornsby, the Marquess of Clevedon is going blind, just like his father who killed himself when he was young. Determined to see and experience all the beauty he can before that fatal day comes, He sets out to seduce beautiful widower, Lady Penelope. But she has her own agenda when she gets his attention and needs him to help her.
Two beautiful people, full of secrets and strong emotions. One determined to have her in his bed and one just as determined to not allow herself to feel love, passion or desire. Her dead husband had killed all of those feelings in her, or did he?
This story gripped me from the beginning and as the pages turned, there was a mystery, secrets held and such strong emotions with these two. Due to the author’s wonderful descriptions and amazing prose, I fell in love with these characters and only wanted them to find love and happiness.
I recommend this story tenfold and although part of a series it can be read as a standalone. Thank you Bronwen Evans for a wonderful book. I cannot wait for more.
Holy cow, I want Stephen Hornsby, the Marquess of Clevedon for myself! Dang this man is just so full of passion! And the cover on the book….WOW!!!!
Lord Stephen has been chasing a demon most of his life. His father had gone blind and taken his own life and now as an adult, Stephen is starting to lose some of his sight. He is determined to see the beauty in everything before this happens. So what if he likes to see woman in the throes of passion, whether from himself or from someone else. Since he will never marry and leave this burden to a wife, or pass it on to a child, Stephen will just enjoy his life as he can.
When a spitfire of a lady tries to purchase a painting he really wants, he is surprised when she doesn’t take to his advances. Now even more intrigued, Stephen realizes he wants this lady in his bed. What Lord Stephen didn’t realize is that Lady Penelope had set it all up!
Lady Penelope was married to an evil man who did horrible things. She was finally relieved when he accidentally died. Now that his brother was trying to frame her for the murder so she would lose her house, Pen realizes that she needs the help of Lord Stephen. Of course Stephen agrees…for a price….a chance to be in her bed!
As these two work to clear her name, real feelings start to emerge. It doesn’t matter to Penelope that Stephen is losing his sight. She likes that he has returned feeling back into her life. Just when it looks like they are headed to their perfect happy ever after, life throws a wrench into the situation. When all looks lost, the promise of love looks like it will win out.
I just adored this book! It was fun, sexy and intriguing all at the same time.
This is not the first book I read by this author and yet it still amazes me that I always get swept up in her books.
Drawn to the Marquess is no different. From the very first page to the last, I was completely wrapped up and invested in the characters and plot.
The writing is amazing. It had me falling in love with the Marquess from almost the very beginning.
Lady Penelope Fisherton is a widow and is glad to be so. She lives away from society due to the scandal of her marriage. She must somewhat re-enter it to seek the help of Stephen Hornsby, The Marquess of Clevedon, because her brother-in-law is accusing her of murdering her husband.
Steven Hornsby, is slowly losing his eyesight. He is now a connoisseur of beauty. He is at an auction house to bid on a picturesque painting when he meets Penelope. It is also when he realizes the painting’s beauty pales in comparison to that of Lady Penelope’s. With this, he makes plans for the seduction of said beauty.
With Lady Penelope requiring Steven’s help and Steven wanting to bed her, they come to an agreement. Steven will help clear Lady Penelope’s name if she allows him a chance to try and seduce her.
The game of seduction is oh so good because he eventually realizes that Lady Penelope is holding secrets and now must ask himself if he is the seducer or the seduced….
This is a captivating read that is told in dual POV. I loved the thrill of the seduction in this book; the way Penelope and Steven just naturally gravitate towards each other. The spark and the fire between them. The mystery itself was intriguing.
Recommended to those who love a sensual romance along with a side of intriguing mystery.
I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Lady Penelope “Pen” Fisherton needs help clearing her name, her brother in law, Lord Rotham wants her inheritance and has accused Penelope of killing her husband. If his accusations are proven, Penelope will be charged with murder and Rotham will claim her fortune for himself. She has come to London from Essex to bribe Stephen Hornsby, the Marquess of Clevedon into helping her. Stephen is a spy, a rake and a lover of beauty, Penelope plans to outbid him on a painting he wants and use it as leverage to get him to help her.
Stephen has a secret, he is going blind just as his father before him, as a lover of beauty, this terrifies him, the painting of a sunrise is especially lovely and he wants it so he can burn the image in his mind before he loses his sight. He is surprised by the beautiful woman bidding against him, but wins the painting. Intrigued by her, he tracks her down, to give her the painting. And when he meets her, he learns why she wanted it. He agrees to help her on one condition – she will let him try to seduce her. She agrees, but has no plans of letting him succeed.
Stephen needs more information and goes to see her brother, the Duke of Sandringham, he learns about Pen’s unhappy marriage and Carmichaels untimely death. He tells Pen they will need to go to Essex and she agrees. On the trip, he begins his seduction and she is upset to learn that she is not as immune as she thought. They stay with his sister, who is married to Pen’s dear friend Jonathan, and both of them are a bit envious of the couples obvious love. By the time they reach her home, she has figured out his secret and confronts him. A talk with his sister, makes him realize how selfish he has been regarding his plans for when his sight finally fails. He returns to the house to find Pen waiting for him. They talk and Pen seduces him.
They are falling in love and they discuss marriage, but Stephen still needs to clear Pen’s name. His investigation turns up information about Carmichael that is truly shocking and nearly gets him killed. Pen cares for him while he is injured, she knows that she should tell him the secret she has been keeping from him, but is scared he will think she used him, she uses the time together to prove to him that she loves him. When he is healed, he leaves to go to London to speak to the magistrate, he will clear her name and return to her to marry.
But while staying with his sister on his return, he gets a note that changes everything. He returns to Pen, but instead of the loving reunion she expected, Stephen accuses her of using and betraying him. The HEA she envisioned crumbles before her eyes. She tries to explain, but his insecurities lead him to believe the worst. She is heartbroken and desperate to prove to him her love is true, but her past catches up to her before she can find him and it may be too late.
This is a well written book (there were a few inconsistencies and title errors, but I assume that they will be corrected prior to publication) that moves at a steady pace. Stephen and Penelope are both flawed, broken people who don’t believe that love is their destiny, but as they get to know each other, they find love and because of their insecurities, almost lose it. There are cameos with Alex & Hestia, steamy love scenes, a nail biting ending, a hard won HEA and a very sweet epilogue. I liked the book but honestly, I really, really had a hard time buying the plot, it made no sense to me why Pen would seek out Stephen’s help without telling him her secret or why she would want him to investigate in the first place. I don’t feel like that aspect of the story was ever explained and it left me feeling confused. This is the second book in the series, but it can absolutely be read as a stand alone.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an uncorrected eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*
An absolutely gorgeous story. Stephen’s sexy, dirty talk is alluring and paints a vivid picture. Penelope is a fiercely determined young lady who is just strong enough to bring Stephen to his knees. Their sensuous banter, and sexual tension was a magnificent reason for turning each page in the book.
Stephen Hornsby, the Marquis of Clevedon, has one goal: to see every exquisite thing he can before he goes blind. His greatest joy, watching a woman shuddering in the throes of passion, will be gone. Lady Penelope Fisherton was married to a scoundrel who cared for no one but himself. Now he’s died after falling over a cliff that she’s free, she wants nothing to do with love, passion, or desire emotions that abandoned her with a cruel husband. Then the new Earl of Rotham learns from Carmichael’s will that Pen is left everything that isn’t entailed. So Rotham has Pen investigated & tries to find evidence that Pen murdered her husband. Pen needs a high ranking man to prove she hadn’t anything to do with Carmichael’s death, Stephen is ideal as he is impartial & has a history of investigative work. Both of them hadn’t bargained for the attraction they feel towards each other.
This is the second book in the series & could well be read on its own. We met Stephen in the first book Addicted to the Duke & I’ve been looking forward to his story ever since reading that. Stephen suffers from a degenerative eye condition & expects, like his father, to go blind so he’s very much living for the day. He has no intention of ever marrying nor of having children. Pen was abused & neglected by her husband, so although she’d love children she has no intention of ever marrying again. My heart went out to both Stephen & Pen as they were tortured souls but the more time they spent together the more they healed & soon both fell in love. The secondary characters were also well portrayed & it was good to meet Alex & Hestia again. The pace of the story was very good, there was plenty of intrigue, mystery & secrets to keep me engrossed from the start at the Sotheby’s auction until the epilogue. I love the author’s books & she’s one of my must read authors because she never disappoints & this book is up there with her best.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Drawn to the Marquess (Imperfect Lords, #2) by Bronwen Evans…Another great book in this series… Thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley for letting me preview this book. This is the story of Steven and Penelope (Pen) they both have their secrets…he fears he is going blind…she fears helping her he will find out her secret about her late husbands accident. This book has it all ..laughter..tears happy and sad… evil men and their deeds..mystery and danger…catching up with old friends from previous books…steamy sex and of course a very HEA.
I’m a fan of Ms. Evans and was so excited to read this book. Stephen Hornsby, Marquess of Clevedon, is the epitome of a perfect man’s beauty, but just because his outer shell is perfection doesn’t mean he’s not without flaws. His flaw is a big one–he’s slowly going blind. He has tried to “see” everything beautiful before he loses his sight completely. He also carries around a lot of guilt from the war when his best friend was captured by the Turks. If he’d seen the enemy, Alex would never have been captured.
Lady Penelope is another flawed character and though she is beautiful, she has trust issues. When her brother-in-law accuses her of having a hand in her husband’s death, she needs a champion and chooses Stephen, but she doesn’t tell him the full truth. Both have secrets and that is a big problem throughout the book. Can these two overcome their trust issues and work together to shut down a horrendous smuggling ring?
I really enjoyed this book. Flawed characters are so much more interesting to read about especially how each of them learn to trust again. Regency romance fans will definitely enjoy this book.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Fantastic read
I enjoyed how the story unfolded and love the ending.
It was very average. Too much inner dialogue with character angst which became boring.
Drawn to the Marquess is the best of Bronwen Evans all in one: complex and emotional characters, steamy passion, and a mystery that kept me turning pages late into the night. Evans never disappoints!
*3.5 Stars*
I really enjoyed how well Evans handled Stephen’s issues with his sight and how he’s dealing with his fear about what his future holds. It’s definitely an intimidating prospect and bleak for a man of his position & personality. His emphasis on not getting married or having children got just a bit repetitive but as he started fighting his heart he was doing everything he could to remember why.
Unfortunately I think that Penelope’s situation with her husband was a bit weaker but it was still interesting. She worked hard to get Stephen involved but didn’t really want him to find out the complete truth. I’m not sure what she expected him to do but I don’t know that it was well thought out because he’s not the type to let it go without finding out everything.
I do think the two of them together are enjoyable and I really liked how supportive & understanding of Stephen she is. She sees things about him, including his vision issues, that no one else does but she does what she can to help him understand that no matter what he has value. It’s sweet and a joy to read.
**Review given honestly and freely after receipt of a reader copy. This opinion is completely my own and was not influenced in any way.**
Such a burden to carry for Stephen. I loved how Penelope was able to see beyond that burden. When misunderstandings and unspoken words threatened to tear apart this couple, my heart hurt. I loved their chemistry, their ability to see more than what was right in front of them, as well as the honest and steamy scenes between the two of them. Great descriptions and emotion. I recommend this story.
I received an ARC of this story through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.