He’s betrothed…but not to the woman who holds his heartShe’s hiding from the past…
Though thoroughly compromised—through no fault of her own—Jessica refuses the enigmatic nobleman’s obligatory marriage proposal. She’d rather face certain scorn and ridicule than be forced into a marriage of convenience. Or rather, inconvenience.
He’s avoiding his future…
Betrothed since childhood, Crispin has no interest in wedding the woman he’s expected to marry before Season’s end. The lovely country miss, Jessica Brentwood, holds the key to his heart, though he’s never hinted at his feelings for her.
When they are the victims of a cruel hoax, Crispin isn’t at all unhappy that he’ll have to break his unwanted betrothal to marry Jessica. Except, his betrothed isn’t willing to release him from their agreement, and the vengeful villains who conspired to ruin Jessica and Crispin aren’t finished plotting mayhem.
How can he convince Jessica his rakehell’s reputation is mostly conjecture and that he’s adored her from afar? Dare Jessica believe the scoundrel who swears he’s not a rogue and vows he wants to protect her?
This heartwarming secret admirer historical by a USA Today bestselling author will make you sigh and have you rooting for Jessica and Crispin to outwit those conspiring against them.
If you enjoy reading class differences, lovable rogue, duke, and intrepid heroine love stories with a pinch of mystery, a dash of humor, and gripping emotion, then you’ll adore Collette Cameron’s enthralling SEDUCTIVE SCOUNDRELS SERIES. Buy WOOED BY A WICKED DUKE and settle into your favorite reading nook for a page-turning, entertaining Regency world adventure you can’t put down.
Though this book can easily be read as a stand-alone, most readers prefer to read the series in order.
SEDUCTIVE SCOUNDRELS SERIES:
A Diamond for a Duke
Only a Duke Would Dare
A December with a Duke
What Would a Duke Do?
Wooed by a Wicked Duke
Duchess of His Heart
Never Dance with a Duke
The Debutant and the Duke ~ Coming soon!
Wedding Her Christmas Duke ~ Coming soon!
How to Win a Duke’s Heart ~ Coming soon!
Loved by a Dangerous Duke ~ Coming soon!
When a Duke Desires a Lass ~ Coming soon!
CHECK OUT COLLETTE’S OTHER SERIES:
Castle Brides
Heart of a Scot
Highland Heather Romancing a Scot
The Blue Rose Regency Romances: The Culpepper Misses
The Honorable Rogues®
Wicked Earls’ Clubmore
Wooed by a Wicked Duke is book 5 in the Seductive Scoundrels series by Collette Cameron. Each book can be read as a stand alone; however, they are so much richer read in order. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Jessica Brentwood is a great character- feisty but vulnerable too. I could relate to her desire for friendship only to be hurt through it all. The hero wasn’t my favorite in Cameron’s line up of swoon worthy males – that place goes to Ansley from The Earl of Scarborough – but still Crispin is quite a handsome, witty devil. You can’t go wrong with a Cameron romance. Looking forward to more.
Loved the story of Jessica and Crispin! Jessica was trying so hard to be proper and escape any drama or things that would besmirch her name, and Crispin was the definition of drama! The story was awesome and I loved watching them fall in love. The only thing I wished for was more of was a story in the end with an explanation of how things ended for the bad guy! Thank you for the advanced copy, it was a great read!!
Crispin Rolston, the Duke of Bainbridge, has been betrothed since boyhood to a woman he cannot tolerate. He longs to break the betrothal, but will lose several if his properties if he does so, including the house where his mother and sisters live. His best option is to get his unwanted betrothed to cry off so he can keep his properties and pursue the lady his heart truly desires, Miss Jessica Brentwood.
Struggling to live down the scandal caused by her father, a vicar who stole church funds, Jessica is determined to behave impeccably during her first season, sponsored by her brother-in-law, the Duke of Sutcliffe. It’s going swimmingly until a needlessly cruel prank sees Jessica and Crispin discovered naked in each other’s arms at a ball. Though both are innocent victims, the scandal will destroy Jessica. Crispin is thrilled to offer her marriage immediately, but Jessica doesn’t want a husband who’s only marrying her out of a sense of duty. Crispin will have his work cut out for him in convincing Jessica his feelings are genuine, especially when his former betrothed’s father proves unwilling to let Crispin, and his title, escape his clutches so easily.
I felt so bad for poor Crispin in this one. He was trying so hard to find his happiness and keep his honor and I’m glad things worked out for him. I found Jessica to be exceedingly silly and quite immature. She was a victim of the ton’s unfounded gossip and yet she was fully prepared to believe everything she heard about Crispin’s rakish reputation. I was relieved when she finally had an honest, open conversation with Crispin and worked things out. I think the villains were dealt with rather simply and I’d have liked to see more of a comeuppance for the former betrothed’s awful father, but this was a clever way for everything to work out nonetheless. Overall, I found this to be a charming and enjoyable read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Wooed by a Wicked Duke: A Regency Romance
Seductive Scoundrels Series #5
Collette Cameron
https://www.facebook.com/collettecameronauthor/
Release date 12/31/2019
Publisher Blue Rose Romance
Blurb :
He’s betrothed…but not to the woman who holds his heart
She’s hiding from the past…
Hoping to put the shame of her father’s disgrace behind her, Jessica Brentwood is determined to be the epitome of decorum and propriety her first London Season. All is well until she’s discovered naked in the arms of a notorious rake, Crispin, the wicked Duke of Bainbridge.
Though thoroughly compromised—through no fault of her own—Jessica refuses the enigmatic nobleman’s obligatory marriage proposal. She’d rather face certain scorn and ridicule than be forced into a marriage of convenience. Or rather, inconvenience.
He’s avoiding his future…
Betrothed since childhood, Crispin has no interest in wedding the woman he’s expected to marry before Season’s end. The lovely country miss, Jessica Brentwood, holds the key to his heart, though he’s never hinted at his feelings for her.
When they are the victims of a cruel hoax, Crispin isn’t at all unhappy that he’ll have to break his unwanted betrothal to marry Jessica. Except, his betrothed isn’t willing to release him from their agreement, and the vengeful villains who conspired to ruin Jessica and Crispin aren’t finished plotting mayhem.
How can he convince Jessica his rakehell’s reputation is mostly conjecture and that he’s adored her from afar? Dare Jessica believe the scoundrel who swears he’s not a rogue and vows he wants to protect her?
My review :
When found in a compromised position, what the two played victims of an orchestrated setup are to do …
Mrs Collette Cameron delivers here a sweet and lovely tale of second chance.
Jessica makes do after the scandal that let her family bereft of a good name. She is provided a London season only because her sister married a duke. Yet, she does not feel she belongs. She even hopes to have it over to return in the countryside once this masquerade comes to an end.
She longs to be accept for who she is, and she doubts it between her name and the dowry which had been setup for her, she might attract the wrong eyes.
Crispin without suffering the society’s scolding like Jessica is too victim of circumstances out of his own volition. Why he acted the opposite of her, hoping that by tarnishing his reputation he would be able to put an end to his betrothal.
For sometime he has admired from afar Jessica but with his current engagement he is only permitted to dream of her.
So when they found themselves tricked, even if it is not the best circumstance, he is happy to propose, he not expected his built reputation to come between them.
Even if there is no mystery about who and why they were staged, they must still face some loopholes as their trickers’ scheme was not fully soundproof.
It is a short fast read with two cute people attracted by one another and when Crispin has no doubt about what he wants, Jessica must work to give him her trust. Yet she is well aware how a reputation can be build up by only hearsay.
I just found the resolution of their predicament a bit rushed, probably because I expected the true villain to get specifically his right reward.
4 stars
For those looking for “clean” reads, there is no detailed on-screen love scenes.
I was granted an advance copy by the author, I also preordered my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
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