The Contrary Debutante
Series: The De Petras Saga #3
Author: Emily E.K. Murdoch
Published July 29th 2022 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
Emerald de Petras will not get married, and her rambunctious family cannot make her.

The definition of a wallflower, Emerald hates Society: all those people looking at her, judging her, pointing and gossiping about her family. She won’t have it, and she’ll never marry and provoke even more tittle tattle.

She is hardly a debutante anymore, however, and her contrary ways forces her mother to make a desperate agreement. Emerald will attend ten more balls this Season…and then no more. She’ll be freed from her obligation to her family to marry, and that will be an end to it.

Delighted to find a way out, it was rather inconvenient that Robert Ainsworth, Marquis of Swindmore, decided she was a challenge.

After all, what recently divorced man didn’t want a challenge?

Following a humiliating divorce, he’s just about managed to keep quiet. Robert sees something in Emerald that no one else does. Wallflower, yes—but there’s something deep and passionate in those shy green eyes.

As Emerald tries to fight the growing attraction she knows can go nowhere, and Robert begins to realize his teasing flirtation is becoming so much more, there’ll be scandal despite both their best efforts before long.

Can a contrary debutante with no wish to marry and a Marquis with no faith left in love find something truly special?
Goodreads

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

Emerald de Petras is determined that she will not marry. Unlike the rest of her family, she hates the season, and attending ton events is like a nightmare. This will be her last season, and she won't put up with the gossip any more. So she makes her mother a deal: if Emerald attends 10 balls, she won't be forced to do anymore. Emerald agrees, thinking that it's a good compromise, but when she meets Robert Ainsworth, Marquis of Swindmore, all of her original thoughts go out of her head. Robert may have just gotten divorced, and the gossip and scandal is on everyone's tongue, but he is not about to stand down. As soon as he sees Emerald, he wonders why everyone thinks she is a wallflower. He sees the real Emerald, and relishes spending time with her, wanting her to come out of her shell, and be willing to give him a chance.

This book was enjoyable, though not as good as book 2 in my opinion. I really liked Emerald, and felt sorry for the way she was being railroaded by her mother and sister. She was very much introverted, and the gossip and scandal of the season is not something that she enjoyed. Everyone expected her to be someone she wasn't, except for Robert. I like him as a love interest, and though he was a little jokey and teasing to start off with, it was clear he fell quicker for Emerald than she did for him. He wanted her to be happy, and was willing to step aside if that was what it took. I'm really looking forward to Sapphy's book - hopefully that will be next!

Dates Read:
July 22-23, 2022

Rating
3 Stars