A Proper Scoundrel

Diana Barton has worked long and hard to become the owner of multiple railroad lines. When her brother finally leaves the business in her hands to pursue family life in the country, she is determined to make her business a success. However, a single lady in possession of a railroad company and with little male protection is a prime target for suitors hoping to claim her hand and her wealth with it. To fend off the time-wasters and actually get some work done, Diana engineers a plan to ruin her reputation. She simply must convince the fascinating baron, Lord Bryant to agree to do it. Lord Bryant has carefully built up his rakish image for a reason, and when Diana turns up in the middle of the night with an outrageous proposition, he immediately declines. However, curiosity quickly gets the best of him and soon Bryant finds himself agreeing to an entanglement that could either ruin or save them both.

A new favorite for historical romance lovers, “A Proper Scoundrel” is as delightful as it is unexpected. Straying from many of the usual ballroom-based tropes, this story involves an intelligent woman of means with a titled man whose main asset is his rakish reputation. Their romance is a smoldering slow burn, the conflict straightforward without being shallow. Readers will quickly scramble to read any and all of Ms. Hatch’s works just to get a bit more of the entertaining exchanges between characters both main and supporting.  Truthfully, this story’s only flaw is that it ended and readers will have to wait for the next book to get more.

Sarah E Bradley