In the second installment of USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell’s Sinful Brides series, a noblewoman risks her reputation—and her heart—on London’s most notorious gaming proprietor.
Thanks to her older siblings, Lady Penelope Tidemore is no stranger to scandal. In order for her to make a good match, her secret longings for intrigue and romance must be quelled. Yet it is through … quelled. Yet it is through terrible mischance that Penelope is caught in a compromising position—however innocent—with the darkly enigmatic viscount Ryker Black.
Mr. Black is no gentleman. Raised from the streets and proprietor of the most notorious gaming hell in London, Black lives in a world filled with debauchery and danger. Taking a Society wife from the very ton he despises is not part of his plan, even if the innocent Penelope turns his blood hot with desire.
But Penelope isn’t afraid of Mr. Black, and she soon discovers that his reputation as a scoundrel may be designed to hide a surprising vulnerability. As this unlikely husband and wife grow closer, they learn that what started as chance could end up sealing their fates.
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Another emotionally stirring tale, impossible to put down.
I am a sucker for the Tidemore sisters and this one did not disappoint! I love how Ms. Caldwell’s characters show up in other books and I especially loved revisiting the world of the Tidemores. Ryker was such a harsh, almost unlikable character in the first book and boy was I excited to find out just why in this one. Penelope and Ryker are definitely more alike than they both realize at first- hello cool logic, party of two- but are able to awaken such deep passions in each other. One of my favorite not just of this series but of all of Ms. Caldwell’s books so far!
This story is about the third Tidemore sister, Penelope. A free spirit, determined to squash all those gossips about her brother (Earl of Sinclair) and her two older sisters, Penelope tries desperately to be a perfect lady. But fate steps in during a ball when she overhears gossip about her family and after setting them straight, she rushes out into the garden. Hearing footsteps she attempts to hide. Ryder Black, the brother of Helena, Duchess of Somerset, hosting the ball, is escaping the crowds he hates. The owner of the Hell & Sin gaming hell, Ryker was stolen at birth and given to a vile cruel man. His life has been a misery of pain and cruelty. Both he and Helena are the illegitimate children of a duke. But Ryker wants nothing to do with society except for those peers who come to his club. Together with his 3 “brothers”, not born of blood but bonded with the wretchedness of the underworld of London, he has risen as the rich owner of a club. Penelope and Ryker are caught in a compromising situation – she is ruined and Ryker’s clients have abandoned his club. The only way to fix this is to marry. But Ryker is a solitary man, quiet, serious, dedicated to his club and his brothers and all those who work for him. There is no room in his life for smiles and laughter. Penny comes from a loving and outspoken home, free with affection. Thrust into this world in the slums of London, she tries to make the club a home – and is blocked at every step of the way by her husband, brothers and workers. Also, she is a target for Ryker’s enemies. Can Penelope’s kind nature and innocence break down the barriers built by necessity by Ryker to protect himself from viciousness and wickedness he has endured? The transformation is subtle and slow, and shows how even in savage ruthlessness, our true self exists and only needs the light of love to emerge! Very touching and beautiful romance!!
Loved it!
This book is about changing your mind about other people. After hating the nobles in England, Ryker is made one of them after he saved the life of a Duke. After a compromising discovery with a woman of the ton as it was called, he has to marry her. This book is about how they change their opinion about each other.
I started to read The Hellion and thought to myself I want to know Ryker Black’s story. So I went back to hear about how Penelope and Ryker came to be. Wonderful story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Was sad when it was over, but now looking forward to The Hellion and that series.
The Scoundrel’s Honor is book 2 in The Sinful Brides series by Christi Caldwell. This series just gets better and better. If I could give a book 10 stars, it would be this one hands down. First I adore the Tidemore family and so finding that this one is about Penelope is just a massive plus. Ryker Black is a dark mysterious character in the first book. This story peels back his hardened layers. I enjoyed how their attraction grows for each other. “At some point, Mr. Black moved so only a handful of steps stood between them. The candle’s glow bathed his face in an ominous light. It accentuated harsh, angular features nicked with scars. A crooked nose, undoubtedly from too many fights. The midnight hue of his hair, and the near obsidian shade of his irises Lucifer would have fought him for. And yet…there was a primitive beauty to him, a masculinity that conjured whispery thoughts of ancient warriors and battlefield heroes. Her pulse pounding in her ears, she retreated a step.” Can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Loved Ryker and Penny, was wondering who would ever break through Ryker’s shell. Great story, took their time in a way to fall in love.
I listened to this one as an audiobook and the narrator’s voice definitely made me like it more. It was great to see cold, hard, emotionless Ryker do a complete 180 as he desperately fought feeling anything and tried to resist the inevitable falling in love with Penelope. I’m a sucker for a good tortured hero and a hard man showing some vulnerability and we get that here. Penelope may be young and inexperienced but she is determined and she was able to bring Ryker to his knees. There was also some good danger and intrigue from the threat of rival club owner, Killoren. This one was very enjoyable and I would recommend it.
The Scoundrel’s Honor is the second book of the series and a nice romantic story.
Ryker Black, owner of the Hell & Sin Club received the title of Viscount of Chatham due to the fact that he had saved the life of his brother-in-law, the now Duke of Somerset. Ryker, as his sister is the illegitimate son of the Duke of Wilkinson, from the first book, The Rogue’s Wager. A Duke that somehow loved his illegitimate children. Ryker was stolen at birth by his mother’s nurse maid and sold to Mac Diggory a menace of the streets of St. Giles. He suffered the beatings, a mock hanging and abuse by this man and blamed his father who had been told that he had died at birth. Although his sister experienced the same suffering by this man, he managed to save her from her turmoil.
Lady Penelope Tidemore is 18 years of age and although she appears fragile at times, she has underlying guts and strength to stand up against Ryker and his brothers. Not know to scandal in the family, she unfortunately placed herself in the mist of a compromising position with that of Ryker Black at his sister’s garden party. She offers herself up to marry the apparent cold- hearted Ryker in order to save her sister’s reputation when she comes out and he the reputation of his prominent Club. She moves from her plush life in Mayfair to the slums of St. Giles. Penelope, although young musters up the strength to try to make her marriage work even though it seems a bit hopeless as they are very much strangers.
Mac Diggory was killed in the first book, however the Club now have to deal with the protagonist, Broderick Killoran, Diggory’s second in charge. He is just as brutal as Diggory and now torments Ryker and Penny.
Ryker in all his ruthfulness, shame and ruin could come at the knowledge of his peers/workers if they found out he was uneducated (could not read), thus him having someone else doing the books of the Club. He could not let the Club go to ruin on that fact. He was a proud man but allowed Penny to teach him how to read. Throughout all that is put before the H/H, she somehow manages to bring Ryker around to caring and then falling in love with her.
What I like about the story:
It was well written and narration excellent. The H/H were likeable also even though there were on a few character flaws between the two. I liked the way the author made you envision Ryker as hard but having a passionate disposition underneath. I like that the intrigue and threats in this story manages to carry over into the next book in the series.
What I didn’t like about the story:
In all of the adjectives that describe Ryker… beast, cold-hearted, black, ruthless and murderer, it is ironic that he allowed the newspapers and nobility to ruin him when he reputation was one that didn’t care about nobility and the ton and what people said about him. Also, I didn’t like Penny’s no care in the world attitude and not thinking of the perils that could befall her living at the Club. She is whinny at times and then “in your face” at others. Maybe because she is so young and naïve. I didn’t like the open-ended relationship between Ryker and his father the Duke. I thought the relationship could have been expounded on a bit much to bring them closer as it was with Helena in the first book. In addition, I’m not sure where the author was going with the storyline, however if my wife got stabbed, Killoran would have been toast but there was not much put into the ending of the villain. I thought the writing slacked off a bit.
Although there is a lot of drama and action, it fell a bit short because of the “did not likes” I mentioned above. It was a very nice romance story and could have been a standalone read.
I loved Book 1 in this series but this one was even better! Christi Caldwell’s expertise in bringing you into the lives of her characters is amazing & I cried, laughed & prayed for Ryker & Penelope’s love to finally emerge for both of them. I will not review the books happenings as it has been done in many other reviews. Suffice it to say that this series is wonderful & this book is one of my all time favorites & I have read a lot of historical romances. It has the dark side of London, the balls with the Ton, there is danger, marriage forced by scandal, innocence of Lady Penelope & darkness of Ryker, humor, forgiveness, romance, love, close family relationships, forgiveness & a HEA – you can’t go wrong with this book as it has everything!
I enjoy very much the books that this author has written and will continue to read her books.