The Midnight Rake

The author doesn't have the books linked as a series, but it has characters from To Love a Wicked Scoundrel and Duke of Darkness.

Penelope Rosebery and her sister have been left penniless by her disreputable fiancee. Hoping to find him in London, they are waylaid by a broken axle when the Viscountess of Fenhurst comes to their rescue. Inviting them to join her to London, she eventually gives them shelter in her son's home.

Phineas Betchum is surprised to find his mother and her guests in his home. Having promised his mother to help, he is now required to escort Penelope around town in hopes of her finding her missing fiancee. Having no desire to marry, Phineas is dismayed to realize how strong of an attraction he feels for Penelope.

Can Phineas help Penelope with her problem before he secums to her charm?

I definitely enjoyed this story as much as the other two in the series. It was also nice to see the characters from the other stories again.

I liked Penelope. She was a very strong woman to take off on her own to try to get justice for herself. Phineas was very likeable too. It was interesting to watch him struggle with what he thought he wanted and what his heart knew he needed.

Bryant did a good job of adding a bit of a mystery to the story to keep it interesting. There is one last friend in the group, so I'm assuming that his story will come next. I look forward to seeing what Bryant has in store for us.

I was hoping for something a tad different from the more standard damsel in distress, titled man who doesn’t want to marry storyline – mixing up the storyline that has become the backbone for so many Regency-era romances I’ve read of late. While the basic plot elements are similar to so many others, Anabelle Bryant does manage to use some more formal British English in telling her story, and Penelope is far from a shrinking violet without a plan.

Penelope was left at the altar, with her father dead and all means of support wrested from her with her fiancé’s disappearance. Struggling to support herself and her younger sister, she decides that she will chase down Simon and reclaim what was hers.

Travelling to London, the mail coach they are using for transport is disabled, but fortunately the Viscountess of Fenhurst, Victoria is travelling not far behind and takes the young girls under her wing. Her son Phineas, the current Viscount has professed his unwillingness to marry, not even knowing that it is both his duty and expected. But, Penelope is intriguing, and her situation is curious.

With a growing attraction that he does not particularly want after a drastic betrayal, and Penelope’s seeming ignorance of his plight, Phineas is pouring out a heart he long thought closed. Victoria is a tremendous character – alternating between outright meddling and utter innocent-appearing comments, her gentle pushing of the two until they see what is in store is a lovely addition.

While not particularly original in plot, the story is beautifully told with secondary characters that add a lightness and humor, especially the parrot. A bit of British English thrown in offsets the Americanisms that were missed, and the story does manage to provide entertainment even as you know how it will end.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.