A Secret Identity and a Mystery that Unravels to Reveal Something Sinister. Miss Charlotte James despises being forced to search for a suitable husband, much preferring to use her wits rather than batting her eyelashes. Finding an injured gentleman in the park, she immediately goes to his aid, taking him back to her brother’s house. The injured gentleman will not tell Charlotte anything, not even … Charlotte anything, not even his name. Despite her frustration, Charlotte cannot remove him from her mind.
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Lord Glenister is extremely grateful for Charlotte’s kindness, but he must keep his identity unknown. However, his heart keeps leading him back to her. Kissing Charlotte in the gardens under the cover of darkness obscured his face, but revealed his feelings. As much as he might care for her, he cannot allow her into his life. There is too much danger surrounding him.
Unfortunately, Charlotte is utterly determined. As she pursues him and as things become even more tangled, can Lord Glenister allow her to know the truth?
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This book had a wonderful, fast-paced story line that will capture the reader’s heart from the start. Finding an injured gentleman in the park who has been attacked by scoundrels, Charlotte doesn’t hesitate to help him by taking him to her brother’s home – even though he won’t reveal his identity to her. Charlotte is a strong, independent female character who is easy to admire. She knows what she wants and is not afraid to pursue it, despite her mystery gentleman’s determination to keep her safe by avoiding her. With her courage, the reader could never doubt that she would be capable, and willing, to face whatever dangers may come – as long as she can capture the heart of the man she has decided meets her criteria of what she wanted in a husband.
I found the book to be a definite page-turner, fun and intriguing. I loved Charlotte’s determination and courage, as well as the interaction with her brother and with her injured patient, Lord Glenister. I highly recommend this one! The author does an amazing job with the story and it’s become one of my top favorites!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. The Viscount’s Mystery is a part of the Weddings & Scandals series. I just really enjoyed this title. It was just really easy to get lost in this story. It just captivated me. I will definitely be reading more by this author.
Even though this book is called The Viscount’s Mystery, we don’t meet the viscount until after 12% of the book. Instead, we meet Charlotte and her brother. She considers herself a bluestocking who would be content to remain a spinster, but her brother wishes her to marry, and in fact, insists she does so before he weds. She is tired of her brother’s interference, so they make a pact. At the next ball, she will accept dances and discussions with a variety gentleman, and if she is good to her word, he will refrain—going forward—from mentioning her unmarried state and desires for her life. If he fails in this regard, she has the right to pick the girl he will court. She very firmly believes that she will win this. She’s out walking with a friend before this ball when they happen upon a man who is being roundly beaten by two other men. At some peril to herself, Charlotte stops the assault and brings the man back to her brother’s place for treatment. The man is mysterious, not wanting to go with her, not wanting help, and not wanting to reveal his name. He does stay there for some days under her care.
What will happen with the brother and sister’s pact? Who is this mysterious injured man? What role will he play in Charlotte’s life?
I enjoyed watching the brother’s and sister’s interactions in this story. Charlotte is very determined, much to her brother’s chagrin. Charlotte and Michael, the unknown injured man, have a feisty push-me, pull-you interaction. For her, there is definitely something intriguing about the man about whom she knows so little. Perhaps his anonymity makes her more candid than she would be in another situation.
This is the third book that I’ve read by this author. While I wasn’t so wild about one of them, I enjoyed the first one that I read and this one. In particular in this book, I enjoyed Charlotte’s character. One thing does seem strange to me. All of this author’s books that I’ve seen clearly stated on the cover that they are Regency, but inside at the start of each book, she just puts 19th century England. The Regency is a very short, very specific time in English history, from 1811 to 1820. If you’re going to be as specific as Regency on the cover, why would you be no more accurate than a hundred years’ span on the inside? I just don’t get it.
That said, I enjoyed Charlotte’s story and her pact with her brother as well as her trying to figure out the viscount’s mysteriousness and his mystery.
Great storyline! The story never slowed down. Definitely a page turner with enjoyable characters. I loved Charlotte’s grit and the way she handles her brother. A must read! Another excellent book from Joyce Alec.
I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review