A fairly good ready. I enjoyed it.

Had a promising premise but I couldn't get into it - I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters. And I felt like the author got tired of writing and decided to use a quick fix in the last chapter to just end the book.

I loved this one as much as the other books in this series. Could not wait to finish it. Nice twist at the end.

I enjoyed the book. It was just a light, entertaining read. Not one that I couldn’t put down, but enjoyable.

This is a very well done different spin on Cinderella. I love second chance on love romances and wasn’t disappointed. Great storyline and lots of twists and turns. Loved the banter between this pair. True love always wins in the end.

Full review appeared on Reader's Edyn on 09/08/17

Aurora Paxton had a bit of a reputation for being a flirt. She was a huge success in her first season, but fancying herself in love with one of her suitors, she let things go a bit too far and ended caught in the act – so to speak. Except she hadn’t actually done anything and was now ruined – banished from society to live with a widowed aunt in the country. When an old acquaintance from the ton visits and requests her help to clear her step-mother from a bad scandal that could ruin her half-sister’s chance at happiness, Rory really doesn’t have much choice but to go. When it is revealed that the suspected culprit is Dashell, it doesn’t take much for her to believe he is involved. She had thought him a possible suitor at one time, but she could not break his cold exterior. When she discovers his innocence and enlists his help, she ends up risking putting herself right back in the same scandalous situation she had already found herself in once. But Lucas isn’t quite the hard man she had thought and the risk just might be worth it – even if only for a night.

Lucas Vale, Fifth Marquess of Dashell had been in love with Rory since the first time he had seen her eight years ago. He had allowed himself one dance, but nothing more. He couldn’t see himself settling down with such a scandalous flirt. He knew it would come back to bite her and so it did. When she unexpectedly shows up on his door step seeking employment, he isn’t sure what to do. He strongly disapproves of her ruination, but those old feelings don’t take long to stoke back up. Necessity dictates that he allow her employment; unbelief follows when her scheme is revealed; and honor dictates that he help her complete her quest. His passion is barely kept at bay and the more they get to know one another, the closer they come to a point of no return. But can there be a chance for a Marquess and a ruined tempest?

Let me first say that when you find yourself loving the secondary characters just as much as the main characters, you have truly found a gem. Lady Dashell and Aunt Bernice almost stole the story … almost. They cracked me up and added such fun and wit – almost golden girls style. Nit picking on one another and spurring the other out of the doldrums. I just adored them! If my “favorite line” wasn’t any indication of their entertaining dry humor, then I don’t know what would be. Now Rory was a bit misguided and gullible to begin with. She trusts easily, which is a conundrum given her situation following ruination. But she also has a quick sense and picks up immediately on inconsistencies. I really enjoyed watching her blossom into the person she would have been had a lecherous liar-pants not succeed in ruining her first. But also, had that nasty situation not occurred, she would never have entertained a future with Lucas; hard nut to crack as he was. With Lucas, you have to get past the tough exterior and hone in on the brief instances when his guard isn’t quite as high as usual. And I do mean brief. But the transformation for Rory when she glimpses little snippets of who he really is, are truly heart-stopping. He’s the perfect example of living up to expectations, even if it means sacrificing his own happiness. The problem enters when it becomes love or money – he’s facing a massive financial deficit that only an heiress can pull him out of. Rory, having been disinherited after banishment, cannot help him with that predicament.

I absolutely loved every moment of his book. In fact, I stayed up and finished it all at once, forgoing sleep for reading. We’ve all done it. This was one of those times where putting it down and coming back to it wasn’t even an option. Not even a thought. I truly fell in love with all of the characters save a couple. But I did come to understand their ways and had a bit of empathy by the end of the book. This book has absolutely everything I look for! A bit of mystery, strong characters, well developed personalities, the larger-than life secondary characters who add another wonderful dimension to the book, and of course romance with scorching passion! If you like the type of book that you won’t regret getting invested in, then you have come to the right place. Also fabulous is that this is the 6th book in the series, but given that it is my first read in this series and wit this author, it is also a perfect stand-alone. I will most definitely be reading the other 5 books and Ms. Drake has become an instant favorite. Do yourselves a favor, romance readers, and buy all of her books TODAY!

Kindle version provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

During her debut season, Aurora was involved in a scandal that nearly ruined her family. Rushed off to the country, she’s made a life for herself with the new ‘limited’ options, even as her tendency to speak her mind hasn’t changed much. But, a new scandal threatens her family, and she’s brought back to London to see if she can’t find a solution. Hired as a companion to the suspected blackmailer’s mother, Aurora will be singularly placed to find the culprit.

Lucas, newly minted Marquess of Dashell is struggling to keep things on track, with an heiress he’s courting and a rather mercenary approach to marriage and his own happiness being unimportant – he’s a bit of a cold fish, and not particularly engaging. But, it’s also very clear that he’s not the blackmailer that Aurora was led to believe, and their cooperation to find the real culprit is now aided and manipulated a touch by his mother and her aunt.

The second I’ve read in this series – the references to Sleeping Beauty are far between and more emotional in nature – the two are closed off from their emotions. He’s believing that emotion has no part in his life, hers are rather immature and erratic – and the two together have some moments that are clever –but miscommunication, his bad behavior and the overall feeling that these two were thrust together without really establishing either as a viable primary character was the overwhelming feeling I was left with. Both Rory’s aunt and Lucas’ mother were far more intriguing as people, and their determination to see the best for the couple was apparent – if not always apparent to readers. Quick reading, solid descriptions and clever twists to unveil the blackmailer, this was a decent read, but not imbued with the feeling that would leave me believing that love would conquer the differences between them, or that they were meant to be together forever.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.