The Rogue's Seduction

August 20, 2018
Regency London praises Perdita Darby’s perfect manners and friendly conversation, but her pristine reputation is also her downfall when unpleasant Samuel Milburn shows an interest in her. Perdita begs Vaughn, Viscount Darlington, for a fake engagement during her family’s house party, hoping to escape Milburn and the rumors of his cruelty. Darlington, a charming rogue with a powerful reputation of his own, is happy to pretend, but plans to seduce Perdita into actual marriage because he needs a rich wife to save his estate. The romance is formulaic, and Milburn’s aggression is predictable, but Perdita and Vaughn are surprising in how they relate to their friends, their families, and each other. They are sincere and innately kind, and they avoid self-centered drama. Vaughn promises Perdita a little bit of pain with pleasure, but his bedroom play is tender and exploratory, and their embraces heighten the romantic tension. Each carefully crafted scene drives the plot toward a satisfying ending. Occasional plot holes and anachronisms barely detract from this tender romance.