Scoundrel for Hire

Scoundrel for Hire tells the tale of Rafe and Silver, a scoundrel/actor/con-man with a heart of gold and the no-nosense heiress to a mining empire. At the outset Silver hires Rafe to stop her father from marrying a woman she views as an incorrigible schemer. Thing is, Rafe and her father have other ideas. Rafe is crazy about Silver, the father's crazy about his crystal ball reading fiancee, and I the reader was crazy about Rafe. The secondary characters in this book are a delight, the love story is filled with the warmth of redemption, and Tavy (Rafe's otter pup) is absolutely adorable and not to be missed. All in all, a wonderful read.

I was especially taken with the excellent characterization of the male protagonist Rafe. One moment he touches you with his sensitive vulnerability, the next, he has you chuckling at his mischief. He is an intriguing mix of boy and rake. My favorite scene is the gripping scene at the beginning of the book, which takes place at a graveyard, where Rafe confronts his older brother Michael. My next favorite, a séance in which Rafe's pet otter creates havoc. An entertaining read, with suspense rolled in.

I loved this book. Well-developed characters, realistic reactions, and a cunning plot without using the all-too common standby in romantic novels of the 'forced marriage'. The villains range from mere traitors, backstabbers (or backshooters; this is, remember, the old west), a rapist... Plenty of despicable people against whom Rafe can shine as truly heroic. I rate this book very highly, and have sought out other book's by this author (after reading this book), and have bought them. I am only sorry that her first book is out of print, and will be delighted to read her next one in this series. Addendum: The otter was lovable and wonderful. However, I did appreciate Rafe and Silver (the main characters) more... and especially their luscious descent into an inescapable passsionate and dedicated love.

Adrienne deWolfe never ceases to delight, and this book is no exception! Her spunky heroine's and sexy heroes offer an exciting read every time. The subtle levels and dimensions deWolfe gives her stories and her characters are an added bonus to an entertaining tale. She is a true storyteller for anyone who enjoys something above the ordinary. Scoundrel For Hire is a treasure!

In 1886 Colorado, Silver Nichols desperately tries to find dirt on Celestia Cooper. That woman seems to have her claws wrapped inside the heart of Silver's millionaire father, who seems to be stupidly in love with that gold digger. Silver is positive that Celestia loves her father's bankbook only. Silver hires professional sleuths like Pinkerton and a Civil War spy but everyone fails to find any incriminating information.At the local mining exchange, Silver catches Raphael Jones trying to pull a con. Instead of turning in the glib talking Rafe, Silver hires him to impersonate a British aristocrat who is to seduce Celestia. However, Rafe is attracted to the intelligent and beautiful Silver, whose fortune makes her even prettier to the scoundrel. He decides to seduce her as well as Celestia until love burns inside his heart.SCOUNDREL FOR HIRE is a humorous western romance that will enchant sub-genre fans into seeking other works by the talented Adrienne de Wolfe (see TEXAS OUTLAW and TEXAS WILDCAT). The story line is entertaining due to the wickedly witty exchanges between characters, including a ghost. Silver is a delightful lead female protagonist, but the book belongs to that rapscallion, Rafe, robber of readers, hearts. This is another winner for Adrienne de Wolfe.Harriet Klausner