The Rake Gets Ravished

Jordan’s deliciously scandalous second Duke Hunt romance (after The Duke Goes Down) returns to a vision of the Regency era where sin is in. A spinster at 26, farmer’s daughter Mercy Kittinger is burdened with raising her 17-year-old sister, Grace, and cleaning up after her good-for-nothing twin brother, Bede, whose idea of a good time entails losing the family house and lands in a London gaming hall. Mercy’s not about to let her livelihood go without a fight, so she makes her way to town to confront Silas Masters, the hall’s attractive owner, and get their assets back—through seduction and theft if necessary. To say their first meeting is explosive is putting it mildly, but the real trouble starts when the unflappable and rather stubborn Silas follows Mercy home and shows no sign of leaving. While Silas tends to avoid romance thanks to a complicated past, Mercy captures his interest beyond all reason. Though familiar fare, the decadent seduction scenes and sex-positive message are sure to draw readers in, and the realistically drawn characters and passionate love story will hold their interest. This is a treat. Agent: Maura E. Kye-Casella, Don Congdon Assoc. (Feb.)