I am back again continuing on with Heart of a Scoundrel. It is Book 4 in my Regency novella series Handful of Hearts, where we once again meet Richard, Lord Somersby (a not very nice gentleman from the first book of the series Hearts Beneath the Mistletoe).
Richard, Lord Somersby has just been told he’s to marry Lady Edith, a young bluestocking he’s never met before in a marriage arranged by his father to gain valuable property. The rakish Richard is not enthusiastic about the arrangement–until his father offers to make the deal a bit sweeter by way of a wager that Richard can hardly resist to earn him a racing stable. His father wagers Richard he cannot break three young ladies’ hearts before his betrothal contracts are signed in about three weeks.
This week I’m skipping ahead to find Richard in a bit of a pickle. He’s managed to break two young ladies’ hearts, but the third has just been whisked away for a funeral. So Richard must find another woman to dupe or lose his wager and asks his friend Eric for advice. Richard speaks first.
(Creative punctuation utilized to conform to WWW rules and snippet may therefore be slightly different from published version.)
“So who else can I dupe so quickly?”
“Lady Anne Flyte, perhaps, though she’s a bit stricken in years.”
“God, no, she’d plant me a facer if I did more than speak to her; bit of a run-in three years ago. She’s since taken me in dislike.” The girl should’ve been flattered he’d wanted to steal a kiss from her, not become incensed.
“Miss Grantly?”
Suppressing a shudder, Richard turned away from his friend saying, “Please, Eric, must you suggest every woman so long in the tooth she has fangs? I didn’t think Miss Grantly was even here this year; does one really have a fourth Season?”
“She was at Almack’s last week, so I assume it is possible.” Nodding to an acquaintance, Eric turned back toward the dance floor then stood still and whispered, “I say, Richard, I think your dilemma may be over.”
BLURB:
Recent heiress, Miss Amanda Sharp, is out in Society for the first time and enjoying the social whirl, especially when she dances her first dance with the handsome Lord Somersby. She’s aware of his bad reputation with ladies, but she’s confident she can lead him down the aisle to the altar without raising a scandal. Headstrong, and determined to reform Lord Somersby, Amanda finds herself in danger of losing more than a hand of cards to the scandalous lord.
Richard, Lord Somersby, has another wager to win. He must woo and jilt three young ladies in a month’s time in order to win his racing stable before donning the leg shackle of marriage with a duke’s daughter. His third victim is Miss Amanda Sharpe, a refreshingly determined young woman who makes her interest in him well known. It should be child’s play for the villainous Richard to woo her, make her think he’s in love with her, then spurn her. A plan that might work if he can keep his mind on winning rather than on the lady’s entrancing form and fiery spirit.
Heart of a Scoundrel will be available for pre-order on Amazon in early September.
Books in The Handful of Hearts series:
And don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here. There’s some fantastic snippets to be read.
Jenna Jaxon Romance--because passion is timeless. 
I think he might be heading for a fall!
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He is going to get his comeuppance, I’m sure. LOL Can’t wait to see how.
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I can’t wait for this next conversation with Miss Opportunity. 🙂 Great scene.
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Uh oh… when your friend/confidant goes still and ‘whispers’ – you are in trouble.
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OMG! She might be over 22! How ever is a scoundrel to cope? Love this vivid portrayal of these unscrupulous rascals.
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Thank you, Christina! They really are bad boys, aren’t they? LOL And I’m now wholly certain that redemption is in their cards. 🙂
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FOUR Seasons?! I clutch my pearls! Enjoyed the excerpt – I’m really enjoying the premise of this novel because I’m sure your hero will see the error of various of his ways…eventually. Great snippet!
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LOL, Veronica. I really can’t imagine someone out for a 4th Season, but perhaps that’s another tale entirely! 🙂 Stay tuned to see if this new lady can turn Richard from his wicked ways.
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Hm, he deserves to have the tables turned on him – I wonder if this lady is the one to do it!
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That you’ll see in the coming weeks, Hywela. 🙂
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The sparks are already flying and they haven’t even met yet!
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Exactly! Let the fun begin!
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Your covers are just gorgeous! Love this scene. He’s such a scoundrel, you can’t wait for him to meet his match.
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Thank you, Nancy! Dani does an excellent job every time. And yes, Richard is absolutely needing his comeupance! LOL
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Whomever the woman is, I hope she puts him right in his place.
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I think she just might, Jessica!
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What a scoundrel! I hope he gets what’s coming to him and it’s not Happy Birthday!
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Well, we’ll have to see what this newcomer has to say about Richard. 🙂
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I gather that Miss Opportunity just walked into the room?
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Well, Eric certainly seems to think so. LOL
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