Lady, Be Wanton
Series: Naughty Ladies #1
Author: Cerise DeLand
Published March 8th 2022 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
The lady wants to be good.

Lady Imogen has reformed! She’s witty, from an old Irish family, in pursuit of a fine man to marry—and she swears she’ll never indulge in her little…um…peccadilloes again!

She’s arrived in Brighton with her two sisters and her cousin for the Season—and she’ll ignore anyone who gossips about Grandpapa’s notorious odd talents—or her own tiny scandal. After all, a lady can change.

The gentleman wants revenge.

Returning home after the wars, Lex Rowlandson, the Earl of Martindale, vows to find the cur who sold him and his father into the hell of Napoleon’s dungeons.

With a few clues to the identity of the creature who stole years from his life and caused the death of his father, Lex seeks out suspects at a Brighton ball. But he’s captured by the effervescent woman whose smiles light the dark corners of his heart.

He should not be distracted from his cause. Yet he cannot resist the lure of Imogen’s charm. When he witnesses her plight at the hands of one fellow who threatens her reputation, Lex saves it—and marries her.

Falling in love with her husband, Imogen sees that the best way to thank him for saving her is to commit the very crime she vowed never to repeat.

But can a man whose life was stolen from him love a wife whose skill is taking from others what is not hers?
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

After their grandfather, the Earl of Barry, died, the Devereaux triplets have little to their name, and need to marry as quickly as possible. Left with only £2000 for their come out and dowry each, they are relying on their good looks, and the support of their cousin, Lady Downs, to find them partners while spending the season in Brighton. The middle sister, Imogen, wants to find love, and when she meets Lex Rowlandson, the Earl of Martindale, she thinks she's found it. But a man from her past is back, and out for revenge, and Lex is fighting his own battles too.

I've really enjoyed binging series on a weekend recently, and spotted that I had the three Naughty Ladies books on my kindle just waiting to be read. Imogen hopes that being in Brighton for the season, while the Prince Regent is in town, will be the making for her and her sisters. Her past indiscretions, and her grandfather's reputation, are things to hide, as is the fact that she was accosted at a party in Dublin, and her reputation was in tatters. Imogen is a realist, and knows that if she and her sisters aren't wed by the end of the season, their money will dry up, and there'll be nothing left. Meeting Lex was great for her, as he's a kindred spirit, and their attraction was palpable. But Lex is fighting his own demons, following his imprisonment and time in France when he and his father were betrayed to the enemy. I had a feeling the villain in both instances was the same, but even so, the way that they both discovered the truth was engaging, and added to the plot. A nice start to the series, though quite a short book.

Dates Read:
February 4, 2023

Rating
3 Stars