Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss (Harlequin Historical Series)

Loved it! The characters were complex and lovable, and different from the kind you usually see. Great story!

I know why this won the Golden Heart: the writing is fantastic! The dialogue sparkles and the characters are very well done. I have read a lot of Regencies and this one was such a breath of fresh air.

Deb Marlowe's debut book, her Golden Heart Winner, is a real treat. Her heroine, Sophie has gumption and a career of her own despite the "tons" best attempts to foil her. Her hero Charles, tortured by a past he cannot get clear of, is everything a woman desires. Sophie's part in her nemisis, Miss Ashford's charity ball, is delightful and quite original. I found it easy to relate to the insecurity Sophie must feel as a woman with "brains" in England at that time. Bravo! Miss Marlowe!

Lots of fun but emotional too. I really like a strong heroine and Sophie did not back down. Charles tried to fool the world but she never let him get away with it with her. And with her help, he was able to heal. A really fun and unusual ending too. I enjoyed the ride!

Charles Alden, the wicked Lord Dayle, is valiantly attempting to reform his reputation as a rakehell of the first water. All he needs is the perfect, entirely appropriate, bride to cement his new and reputable place in the government. Things are going well until a scandal sheet prints outrageous (and untrue) news of his supposed exploits and an unexpected friend reappears in his life. The childhood friend is Sophie Westby, a free spirit and most independent young woman. She has grown into a tempting beauty, but is entirely the wrong sort of woman for the reformed Charles. Sophie is delighted to find Charles again, but he has become stodgy and stiff. She cannot resist ruffling his feathers and uncovering the man she knows him to be. The hero and heroine of Marlowe's tale leap off the page, fully three-dimensional. The dialogue and prose and both delightful. Sophie is (most unconventionally) an interior designer and views the world through the eyes of an artist. Charles is steady, pragmatic and tempted to revisit his wild side in a most convincing and natural way. Deb Marlowe's narrative style is ideally suited to the Regency period. It is lightly dusted with Regency terms and lush historical detail. The research for this novel, particularly the details of interior design and the politics of the day, were obviously well-researched but are used only as needed. The story unfolds at a nice pace and the reader is compelled to turn the pages. This is a stunning debut book from an author who will be a star in the world of Regency romance. I highly recommend Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss.