How the Scoundrel Seduces

June 30, 2014
Jeffries’s lively third Duke’s Men 19th-century romance finds Lady Zoe Keane determined to learn the truth about her origins, even if it means hiring the decidedly unsettling Tristan Bonnaud, one of the famous “Duke’s Men” of Manton Investigations. Tristan is far from thrilled to work for a woman with a “penchant for sticking nose where it doesn’t belong.” Zoe should, one day, become Countess of Olivier, but if the couple who raised her weren’t her real parents, she’ll lose claim to the title and the estate. As the bastard son of Viscount Rathmoor, Tristan was denied his meager inheritance by his half-brother, George. Now he’s counting on using his commission from Zoe’s case to fund his own quest for revenge. As their investigations proceed, Zoe and Tristan’s growing mutual attraction becomes just one more secret that’s bound to be revealed. The setting is vivid, the lovers are well-drawn and colorful, and the mystery is intriguing, making this a winner for fans and new readers.

Starred review from August 1, 2014

When a search for the truth about her background for the sake of her inheritance sends Lady Zoe Keane to the "Duke's Men" of Manton's Investigations, she is sure of two things: she must know if she is truly her father's daughter and she doesn't want rude, mocking Tristan Bonnaud, a man who once held her at gunpoint, handling her case. Naturally, Tristan ends up being the only person capable of doing the job--and for dangerous reasons of his own is more than willing to oblige. A cynical, well-born bastard hero who doesn't believe in romance and a spirited, titled heroine who would prefer to marry for love are conflicted from their first mind-shattering kiss. VERDICT Vivid, well-described characters, both old and new, add depth, while a brash, adventurous American cousin spices things up. Old animosities, cruel betrayals, life-changing secrets, and class issues fuel the plot of this sexy, vengeance-driven tale that touches on cultural diversity, explores the question of honesty, and nicely expands Jeffries's world. Jeffries (When the Rogue Returns) lives in Cary, NC.

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