ARC Review: The Wrong Marquess (The Mating Habits of Scoundrels #3) by Vivienne Lorret
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Series: The Mating Habits of Scoundrels #3
Author: Vivienne Lorret
Published June 29th 2021 by Avon
Goodreads Synopsis
USA Today bestselling author Vivienne Lorret continues the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series with a debutante who believes she is destined to marry the lord next door until a fateful encounter with a rogue makes her wonder... if she might be falling for the wrong marquess!
The wrong place...
Elodie Parrish can feel spinsterhood breathing down her neck. That’s the trouble with waiting for the marquess next door her entire life. But Ellie knows if she gives him one last Season, he’ll finally propose. The only problem is, her path keeps crossing with the arrogant Lord Hullworth, who is convinced she has designs on him.
The wrong time...
Brandon, Marquess of Hullworth, never wanted to be “London’s Most Elusive Bachelor,” or have a horde of hopeful debutantes and their scheming mamas follow him around. His past has left him too jaded to consider marrying any of them. At least, that’s what he thinks... until he meets Ellie. She’s quirky, opinionated, blushes easily, and drives him absolutely wild. The only problem is, she believes she’s in love with someone else.
Ellie never imagined that one sultry summer could change everything. But the more time she spends with Brandon researching her book on the mating habits of scoundrels, the more she wonders if she might be falling for…
The Wrong Marquess
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via Edelweiss. This in no way impacted on my view.
In the third instalment in the series, Elodie Parrish is just waiting for her friend and neighbour, George, Marquess of Nethersole, to come to his senses, and finally propose, after promising to do so years ago. She can see spinsterhood is in the cards, but she'll give him one final season. When she comes across the highly arrogant and handsome Marquess of Hullworth at a party, she's the only person not falling at his feet, but still he's suspicious. At every turn, he's imagining she's only made friends with his sister, Meg, in order to get closer to him, but she's adamant that George is the one for her, and not Brandon. And the longer they spend time together, Brandon may just be ready to settle down, and give up his title of “London’s Most Elusive Bachelor”, but only if he can marry Ellie. Can Brandon convince Ellie that George is not the right Marquess for her, and rather that he is? And will she be able to find Prudence after all this time, and learn the truth about why she fled town after being ruined at a party by the mysterious Lord F?
As soon as I had finished My Kind of Earl, I couldn't wait to read The Wrong Marquess and see if Ellie manages to get George to see the real her. So, when I opened my emails after work before the Easter holidays, and saw that Avon had approved my request, I couldn't wait to read it! I went in thinking it would be Ellie and George's story - I never read the synopsis, oops - and was pleasantly surprised to be introduced to Brandon. He was a softy at heart, and honestly cared for those in his life. He was sick and tired of people trying to get close to him through his sister, and hurting Meg's feelings, and had seen just about every trick in the book for attention. So, when Ellie crosses paths with him again and again, dropping her handkerchief, and spraining her ankle, and whatnot, he's immediately against her. But, he soon realises that she's completely guileless, and doesn't think of him in that way - though her heart flutters around him, and she becomes flushed. In her mind, George is the one she's going to marry, and that's that. So, Brandon has a bit of an uphill battle on his hands to prove he's the one she should marry.
Ellie was adorable, and such an amazing character. She lost both her parents when she was really young, and it was actually at her father's funeral when she met George, and he made the comment that they would marry one day. That's always stuck in her mind, and though she lives with her aunts, who also adore George, but don't want her to put all her eggs in one basket, she can't get over him. For George, he's awful! He's like a big baby, who doesn't care about anyone else, or if his actions cause pain or suffering. Ellie has always had a thing about heights, and yet he forces her to get on his phaeton, which leaves her injured, and he treats it like nothing. He regularly drops in and expects Ellie to clear up his messes, and basically act as his marchioness, without any of the honour or love that would come with it. Brandon, though, always thought of Ellie, even when he was watching her to keep an eye on Meg. He sees her struggles, and her hurt feelings, and wants to do anything in his control to help. When she mentions that she, her aunts, and George will be going into the country to see Prue, but George hasn't planned it all out properly, Brandon agrees to open up his country estate, and host them. Really, he wants to keep an eye on George, because he can see the darkness within, and be as close to Ellie as possible.
The secondary plot line, about Prue and why she left, took a turn I wasn't immediately expecting. I loved how the series has come full circle, and we see past characters again. We also finally learn the truth about who 'Lord F' was, and why Prue had to leave - and the undeserving lord finally gets his comeuppance too. I'm so happy that there's going to be a fourth book, looking at Meg and Prue, and I can't wait for them to get their happy endings!
Dates Read:
March 31-April 1, 2021
Rating
4 Stars
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