The son of a duke and an infamous mother, Alistair Mabry, Marquess of Rexton, fought his way to respectability. Now, the most eligible bachelor in London, marriage-shy Rexton will take only a wife with an impeccable reputation, good breeding, and a penchant for staying out of the gossip sheets. But when he strikes a deal to be seen “courting” a sweet young debutante whose notorious older sister has blemished her chances for marriage, Rexton is unexpectedly drawn to the highly inappropriate, calamitous Tillie, Lady Landsdowne herself.
After a scandalous incident that sent shockwaves throughout society and disgraced her, Tillie refuses to cower in the face of the ton. Instead, she will hold her head high as she serves as chaperone for her younger sister, but Tillie is convinced Rexton’s courtship is shrouded with secrets—ones she vows to uncover. However, doing so requires getting dangerously close to the devilishly handsome and forbidden marquess…
An Affair With A Notorious Heiress, by Lorraine Heath
Well, my intentions were to review a bunch of holiday romances this season but the season has been leaving me very little time actually read and write them, so here’s a classic Regency tale instead. Maybe this week, I tell myself, ignoring the steadily growing list of things to get done before Christmas…
Alistair Mabry grew up knowing what the consequences of love could be. His father might be a duke but that wasn’t enough to shield his son from the insults, pranks, and fisticuffs of his peers when he was a boy, all because his mother didn’t meet the expected standards of the ton. He might love his parents dearly, but he has no desire for his children to repeat his experience. The most important qualifications for his wife will be impeccable breeding and a spotless reputation.
Not that he’s looking for one yet, of course. There’s still plenty of time. On the other hand, he’s desperate to breed his prized stud to a particular horse — and so when the price of that is to pretend to court the younger sister of a notorious American divorcée, he agrees. What’s a little harmless lie to use his influence to raise her profile, especially since the girl herself has done nothing beyond being related to a scandalous woman?
Unfortunately for him, the scandalous woman has her own set of criteria for her sister’s potential husband. Tillie made a mistake with her marriage and has paid for it many times over. Her reputation is in shreds and she’s shunned by society. If not for her promise to her mother that she would see her sister happily married, Tillie would have fled back to America long ago. Aware of what her presence would mean for her sister’s chances, she’s stayed in the background — but she’s damned if she’s going to let her sister marry someone who doesn’t love her the way she should be loved.
This being a romance, of course, sparks fly immediately between Alistair and Tillie. She’s horrified because he’s supposed to be courting her sister. He’s horrified because she’s precisely the type of woman he’s trying to avoid. Still, he can’t help but invite her along to be her sister’s chaperone — on a drive in the park, on an outing to the theater. He even finds himself convincing his parents to give a ball so that he can send her an invitation.
I liked Tillie a lot. She’s aware of the mistakes she’s made and wants to keep her younger sister from making the same ones. She knows she can’t go back and change the past. She’s strong enough to handle the disapproval of society and can admit where she might have taken things too far in her hurt and anger. She also has places where she’s vulnerable and it’s a reminder that strength isn’t infinite. Alistair makes a good partner for her even as she forces him to grow and examine what he wanted in his life. He respects her experiences and can admit where he was guilty of failing to see beyond the surface.
There are a number of side characters that suggest that this is not the first book in this universe; indeed, I wouldn’t be surprised to find the story of Alistair’s parents somewhere, and there are plenty of friends mentioned whose stories must have previously been told. Tillie’s sister seems a simple enough debutante at first but appearances can be deceiving and I look forward to her story. If you’re a stickler for historical accuracy this may not be 100% to your taste but I don’t mind bending the rules here and there (especially since some consequences do remain!). All in all, it’s an enjoyable romp and a solid Regency.