Miss Olivia Dunne was the darling of society until a thwarted abduction and elopement scheme by an unscrupulous man left her reputation in tatters. But having moved from paragon to pariah, Olivia realizes that there is no reason for her to continue abiding by society’s mandates. In fact, she decides to embrace her scandalous nature and do the very thing she’s been accused of… take a lover. The … man she’s chosen is one she’s secretly loved for years, but she’ll need to employ the aid of an unlikely ally to carry it off.
Lord Burke, Viscount Holland, has loved Olivia for years. He even offered for her once, only to be summarily dismissed by her older brother, his oldest friend. With his pride still stinging, Burke is confronted with the horrible truth that Olivia had never rejected him at all. Her brother never told her of Burke’s interest in her. But if he tells her now, she’ll take it for pity and reject him out of hand. The only way to make her his wife is to first accept her offer to be his mistress.
But not everyone wishes to see the couple achieve a happy ending. Some will do whatever it takes to keep them apart. Can true love prevail or will pride and greed conspire to keep them apart forever?
This is a novella (not a novel) of approximately 30,000 words, which is half the length of a typical novel. It is however a complete story with no cliffhangers. It’s a perfect read for when you don’t have a lot of time to invest.
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Her Scandal – His Obsession
When her abduction was discovered, Olivia Dunne’s reputation was destroyed, as was any hope she would ever marry. If she is already a scandalous woman, then she may as well enjoy the pleasures of the flesh — but only with the man of her dreams.
When the only woman he has ever wanted was abducted, Lord Burke not only rescued her, he also stepped away to protect her. He never dreamed she would come to him with a scandalous request — but could this be the way to make her his forever.
Nineteenth century high society was unforgiving and cruel towards any woman who dared to breach accepted social behavior. Even if a woman was innocent of wrong doing, she and she alone suffered utter rejection and ridicule. Though unfair, this social behavior is at the heart of Olivia’s decision in The Last Offer.
Even if the story is a bit unrealistic, still Olivia and Burke’s story is an engrossing and well written read that is also very entertaining. The author, Chasity Bowlin has done a great job of developing both of the main characters, as well as the supporting players. They are not only likable but also engaging. I also enjoyed the dialogue and interaction between all of the characters. Though there is a threat waiting to pounce, our lovers still manage to secure their happiness with a very sweet ending.
Content 411: In addition to some moderate swearing, there are a few descriptive sex scenes.
Great, easy read! I’m now following Ms. Bowlin after reading this one!
I Liked this book a lot! It kept me glued to the pages into the night. The characters were all memorable, which makes for wonderful reading. The heroine, Olivia, was a strong-willed girl who had been maligned and her reputation destroyed when she was abducted by an evil man who wanted her fortune to pay for his gambling debts. This time Olivia was not going to take it lying down. Having interfered before in her life and botching the job, her brother promises not to interfere when she tells him of her plan to take a lover. The Hero, Viscount Holland, is her choice and her brother realizes that it was very wrong of him to come between them before. A wonderful story!
enjoyed it
“The Last Offer” (nook) begins with a scandal in 1816 England and continues with an even more scandalous plan. To my way of thinking, the story was short but – I loved it. Emotions were intertwined and resulted in a touching, sad and HEA tale.
Ms Bowlin has written another inspiring read. All of her stories have a mystery which keep you turning pages to find out who or what but at the same time don’t want the story to end. She is one of my favorite authors.
A very romantic and fast paced story. I adored the hero, and heroine. The story line was fun and it was very well written. A little predictable in places but an otherwise fantastic read.