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Invitation to Scandal

by Bronwen Evans (Goodreads Author)

3.97 of 5 stars 3.97 · rating details · 59 ratings · 22 reviews

Her secrets are coming undone...

Plagued by scandalous rumors, Rheda Kerrich will stop at nothing to restore her reputation and make an honest living for herself—and she’s determined to do it without a husband. But times are hard, and smuggling is a risky though profitable trade. So when a dashing agent for the English government catches her in the act, she desperately resi...more

Paperback, 320 pages

Published May 1st 2012 by Brava (first published April 24th 2012)

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Oct 23, 2012 My Book Addiction and More MBA rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

INVITATION TO SCANDAL by Bronwen Evans is another intriguing historical romance by this author. See,"Invitation to Ruin" for another great read by this author. Written with vivid descriptions and engaging characters."Invitation to Scandal" is full of intrigue,passion,danger,secrets,smuggling,adventure,romance, love with a few twists and turns. Rufus Knight, Viscount Strathmore,is on a search for the exclusive but daring "Dark Shadow" and a game of cat and mouse. Rheda Kerrich,with scandal abound...more

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May 11, 2012 Marlene rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reading-romances-challenge

Originally published at Reading Reality

It seemed as if every single person in the village of Deal and the surrounding County of Kent was participating in one scandal or another in Bronwen Evans' latest historical romance, Invitation to Scandal. But that was what made this tale of smugging and spying so damnably much fun!

Heroes have been "over a barrel" before, usually financially, but this may be the first time a heroine has been trapped behind one before. At least when the trap is not initially...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Joy rated it 2 of 5 stars

2.5

What hasn’t been said already but I’ll add my tuppence worth.

(view spoiler)...more 2.5

What hasn’t been said already but I’ll add my tuppence worth.

(view spoiler)[In the opening scene we’re introduced to the hero Rufus slurping on Lucy the tavern wench. Eww. I’m thinking I don’t want to continue reading this but I was assured it gets better. Okkaaayyyy.

Rufus is a spy on a mission, he’s an Adonis, he’s cocky and he’s arrogant and it’s driven home (smirk) in the first few pages that he has no qualms about using his sexual prowess to extract information...but underneath that swagger hides a man with secrets and past hurts. Much like the heroine Rheda Merrich, only she hasn’t got the swagger and a 25 yo virgin is no match for the virile hero with an agenda of his own but where she lacks in sexual experience she makes up in brains, courage and fierce independence.

And so begins a battle of wits and daring, subterfuge and misunderstandings, deceit and betrayal, murder and mystery.

But…a couple of things don’t do it for me in a novel, the constant need to remind me of the hero’s 100% strike rate, it was established very early on so I truly don’t need constant reminders.

Rheda to Rufus. “Do you always get what you want?”

“Always.”

Another thing, mid-twenties virgins must have been very common back then. It’s so overused it’s simply one big yawn (almost as much as the hero’s who are not only drop dead gorgeous but hung like a stallion) but how much more interesting if she hadn’t been a virgin, what then?

Rheda justifying why she should give herself to an angry frustrated Rufus so he wouldn’t feel guilt ridden on discovering she was a virgin. Clearly she was making excuses to herself but what if she hadn't? Would lust or honour have won out for our hero?

Days later the selfish angle still puzzles me. Rheda is convinced by the other woman to hand over Rufus or else suffer the consequences and for once in her life Rheda is going to prove how selfless she can be and here I assumed her selflessness was already an established fact. Rheda is a 'modern’ day version of Robin Hood, she's also the creator of a smuggling ring to save her brother’s future and that of the villagers. She has suspended her life for these people since she was a girl herself. I can understand moments of self doubt but selfish is a stretch. (hide spoiler)]

Despite a few reservations I did enjoy the book but clearly not as much as other reviewers nor did I feel I'd lost anything by not reading the previous book in the series.
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Mar 21, 2013 Romancing the Book rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed by: Bri
Book provided by: Author
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

Review: Rheda Kerrich is a character that I really like! Mrs. Evans did a great job slowly showing us who she is and the events that made her this hellion/smuggler/heroine lady that she is today.

Now Rufus (what a name! LOL) is a very dynamic hero. He is as volatile as a nuke in Korea. One minute he is a gentleman, honorable, the next a seething barbaric Alpha male. But always always presumptuous sensuality.

Ther...more

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May 31, 2012 Linda rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'd been looking forward to reading this book after enjoying her previous 2 but this one fell flat for me. Totally couldn't connect to the H/H. Neither was there any connection btwn them - seemed all lust n sex. Particularly put off by the hero; his "rakishness" seemed overdone. The intimate scenes fell flat too; when well written they should make one melt but in this book they felt like a farce - the conversation was lame. I flipped a lot towards the end. I was even irritated by the heroine for...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Kelsie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

This is one of the first books I won from Goodreads First Reads so I was super excited to start reading it. I usually don't read books without some type of paranormal beings in it, but this was my exception and I loved it! It caught my attention from the very beginning and I had a hard time trying to put the dang thing down.

So pretty much, Rheda Kerrich is a smuggler. Not just any smuggler, Dark Shadow. Then enters Rufus Knight. He has been hunting for information about a spy to clear his father...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Eli Yanti rated it 5 of 5 stars

The reason I love this book :
1. The cover , isn’t it look gorgeous and wow ;)
2. I won from the author, yippie, who do not want to love a book that generously gave by the author ;)
3. The whole story, yup, the whole story really enticing, triggers adrenaline, excitement, suspense, curiosity, pleasure and all that you can find in this book ;)

Story :

Rufus Knight want to find out what was happen to his father past 12 years ago, his father has been accussed as a treason so he have to clear his good na...more The reason I love this book :
1. The cover , isn’t it look gorgeous and wow ;)
2. I won from the author, yippie, who do not want to love a book that generously gave by the author ;)
3. The whole story, yup, the whole story really enticing, triggers adrenaline, excitement, suspense, curiosity, pleasure and all that you can find in this book ;)

Story :

Rufus Knight want to find out what was happen to his father past 12 years ago, his father has been accussed as a treason so he have to clear his good name because he believed his father is not a treason and to make her mom and her sister are not been isolated by the nobles. To complete this task, he has to find a Smuggler, a famous smuggler named Dark Shadow which he believe this smuggler can help him to find the spy who is knowing what’s going on past 12 years ago. Then he decided to go to the place where the Dark Shadow operated and in the middle way, he saw Rheda and the barrel of Prancis's Wine, actually Rheda was trapped between the Barrel and tree. He sures that this woman will know where is the Dark Shadow so he approached her, teasing her until she will telling him what he want and need.

Rheda Kendrick, plagued by scandal, decided to un-marriage since her father betrayed her mother, doing what she want and take care of her brother and make sure his welfare. She also decided to help people around her. So when she met with Rufus, she knew he can help him to get her freedom.

This is the begining of their meeting and their togetherness afterward, beside trapped in their passion and lust that they always trying to deny and to fulfill their own duty, they do not realize that there is someone who know everything and waiting the perfect time to execute it.

Character :

Rufus was decribed as a dark, tall with a physique like the Greek gods, how can I don’t love him, even sometime he is arrogant ;p

Rheda was described an independent woman, beautiful, nice body shape, smart and kind but she think she is selfish T_T

Overall : Recommend this book, full of romance, passion, suspense and surprise and ultimately makes you curious about the next book :D

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Jun 28, 2012 Lucy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Miss Rheda Kerrich is secretly known by the local villagers of Deal as the smuggler, Dark Shadow. Rhe gives the smuggled goods to the local widows to sell to support themselves since many of the men have died at sea. With her own smuggling profits, she has paid off all of her father’s massive debts and is managing to run of the estate. Now that her brother’s is old enough to step up as the head of the household, Rhe is hoping to end her life as a smuggler and concentrate on her horse breeding wh...more Miss Rheda Kerrich is secretly known by the local villagers of Deal as the smuggler, Dark Shadow. Rhe gives the smuggled goods to the local widows to sell to support themselves since many of the men have died at sea. With her own smuggling profits, she has paid off all of her father’s massive debts and is managing to run of the estate. Now that her brother’s is old enough to step up as the head of the household, Rhe is hoping to end her life as a smuggler and concentrate on her horse breeding which will allow her to remain an independent woman.

After years of watching her mother’s unrequited love for her unfaithful father, a man who tossed away his fortune on mistresses and leaving nothing for his family, Rhe has vowed never to enter into matrimony, and the whispered scandal that surrounds her, keeps her away from those prospects anyway.

Rufus Knight, the Viscount Strathmore, is investigating the smuggler known as Dark Shadow. He believes Dark Shadow is a traitor who is smuggling more than just goods to France. If he can bring Dark Shadow to justice, he may be able to clear his father’s name. The Strathmore name has been stained since his own father was wrongly accused of treason, and it has been Rufus’s sole mission to clear the family honor.

When Rufus arrives in Deal and finds Rhe trapped by a barrel of smuggled brandy, he decides to seduce her for information to find the notorious smuggler.

The story itself was very exciting with several antagonists that we knew and several that we did not. There is even an intriguing set up for the next novel.

I liked the character of Rheda. She was smart, headstrong and determined to fulfill her dreams, no matter what she had to do. She even refused to use her neighbor and friend for his title and fortune after her father’s death when he proposed to her, refusing to taint his good name with her scandal. She opted for smuggling rather than the loveless marriage.

My hesitation on this story was the character of Rufus. Rufus is determined to clear his family name. He has a well-bred daughter of a friend picked out to be his future wife; a woman who is mousy and quiet and who could not possibly cause any further blemishes on his family honor. YET – Rufus is a well known womanizer, so much that even Rheda who never spends time in society and lives in the country knows exactly who he is and his well-earned notorious reputation. Soooo, I guess it is okay to be a rake in regency England and still clear your family name, as long as you have a proper wife picked out?? Not only has Rufus been traumatized by his father’s scandal, but he also fell in love with a woman who turned out to be working for the wrong side, and who stabbed him and left him for dead.

First of all, when he first sees Rheda she is in an old dress so he assumes she is a local girl and since she looks in her early 20s, he assumes she must be willing for a little “fun,” and he takes a lot of liberties with her, putting his hand up her dress to massage the feeling back into her legs, “oh and as long as I’m here” keeps reaching up; and even going as far as pulling the front of her dress down and fondling her. Seems that that is okay to do when you’re a Lord and the local girl keeps saying “stop it!” When he finds out who Rheda really is, he quickly believes all the whispers around her, basically because he wants to get her in bed and he certainly doesn’t want to marry a woman surrounded by scandal so it is in his best interest to believe she a wanton woman so his behavior towards her is okay. Whenever they take a step forward in the story, Rufus then takes two steps back constantly reminding himself of the last woman he trusted and no matter how much he appreciates Rheda’s spirit or her determination, he is still just looking to get under her skirt and looks down on her and jumps quickly to the wrong conclusion.

I had high hopes for this story when I started, but the downfall in this story is the character of Rufus. He isn’t my idea of a hero. I would like a chance to read Invitation to Ruin and the next story due out in this series since the other characters were great and the mysteries of who was the real danger to Rheda and the Town was intriguing. Rufus’s attitude rubbed me the wrong way.

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Jun 19, 2012 Toni rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kensington-arcs

Take one self sufficient smart woman and a man on a mission to clear his family’s name and you get a clash of wills that the small town of Deal has never seen before.

Growing up witnessing the unhappy marriage of her parents has jaded Rheda Kerrich. Then add an unforeseen scandal and Rheda is now in the perfect position to stay unmarried, which is just fine by her. She has worked too long and hard to allow a man to rule her world. She has a community to take care of and a husband would only be in...more Take one self sufficient smart woman and a man on a mission to clear his family’s name and you get a clash of wills that the small town of Deal has never seen before.

Growing up witnessing the unhappy marriage of her parents has jaded Rheda Kerrich. Then add an unforeseen scandal and Rheda is now in the perfect position to stay unmarried, which is just fine by her. She has worked too long and hard to allow a man to rule her world. She has a community to take care of and a husband would only be in the way.

For over a decade, Rufus has battled the lies that have clouded his family’s world. He is closing in on the truth and he is not about to let one allusive woman get in his way. He will just have to be smarter and use every trick he knows to find out the truth.

These two have many secrets between them. Neither knows what is really at stake and until they can be honest with each other, they won’t get anywhere. The problem is there is a spy lurking around and is tangled in both their lives. The spy has secrets that they will kill for and has done so in the past. Can Rheda and Rufus protect all they love and each other?

This was an exciting read. While the antagonist hid in the background, you had these two strong people battling their feelings and guarding their individual secrets. The novel did not revolve around the mystery of their secrets; it was more about the unveiling of it amongst the characters. As the reader, you knew what was happening most of the time. But Ms. Evans was very clever and she had other secrets buried that were just as juicy. It was great to be able to enjoy them later on. I also had a very good idea, who the antagonist was early on, but the way that Ms. Evans wrote the story, it didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the plot. It was very well done.

All of the characters involved were such a pleasure to read about. At times I wanted to clobber Rheda’s brother Daniel and at other times, cheer on the townsfolk. I enjoyed how they were all unique and how they enhanced the storyline. But I loved the cat and mouse game that Rheda and Rufus played, most of all. Just sitting back and wondering who was going to get the upper hand was the best. Not to mention Ms. Evans starts the book rather saucily and sets the stage for sexy scenes without being too erotic. Invitation to Scandal is a complex vivid tale that is well balanced.

I did not have the opportunity to read her prior book in this series Invitation to Ruin. I don’t feel like I missed anything either. These two books are linked, but they seem to be their own stories. I truly enjoyed Invitation to Scandal and I plan to read Invitation to Ruin as soon as I can get my hands on it. It is my hope that Ms. Evans has future plans for the other bachelors in her little corner of England. She has a wonderful talent to write distinctive plots that are above and beyond the norm and she is a real pleasure to read. This is a relatively new author to watch. Great Job!(less)

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Jun 18, 2012 Mandi Schreiner rated it 3 of 5 stars

Viscount Strathmore, better known as Rufus Knight, wants to redeem his family’s honor. Rumors that his father committed treason combined with his suspicious death in the woods makes Rufus committed to uncovering the secrets of his father’s fall from grace and death. And there is one person whom he thinks holds this information – someone that goes by the name, Dark Shadow. This mysterious person is a smuggler who he thinks will lead him to a dangerous French spy who could tell Rufus what the real...more Viscount Strathmore, better known as Rufus Knight, wants to redeem his family’s honor. Rumors that his father committed treason combined with his suspicious death in the woods makes Rufus committed to uncovering the secrets of his father’s fall from grace and death. And there is one person whom he thinks holds this information – someone that goes by the name, Dark Shadow. This mysterious person is a smuggler who he thinks will lead him to a dangerous French spy who could tell Rufus what the real deal behind his father was.

Rufus has a small breakthrough when he comes across a woman who is pinned to a tree by a rum barrel. Knowing she is probably smuggling this in, if he can convince her to tell her the source of this barrel, that would lead him to a ring of smugglers who would hopefully have information on who the Dark Shadow really is. The problem is Rheda Kerrich is not cooperative. She has no desire to tell this man any of her secrets, knowing her secrets could get her and other people into a lot of trouble. Rufus decides seduction is the best method to get Rheda to share her secrets. But she has had her fair share of scandal, with rumors flying about that she lost her virtue with a prince, Sultan Hammed a while ago after he left her two beautiful horses. These two butt head (okay, and other body parts) in a battle of who can be the most stubborn and most alluring.

There is a lot happening in Invitation to Scandal. I enjoy the theme of smuggling and that Rheda has a lot of secrets to keep in relation to that. I don’t want to divulge too much about these secrets, but it gives the story a little bit more of an adventure feel.

A lot of this book is Rufus all hot and horny for Rheda. I mean, from the moment he sees her pinned against a tree, he is ready to take her. Rufus was once betrayed by a lady he loved, so he is cautious (or should be!) when entering into another relationship with a woman he doesn’t really know. He tries to make a deal with her, that he will give his prize stallion to her to mate with her beloved mares, if she will ‘service’ him anytime day or night he is in the mood. Let me note that Rheda secretly had Rufus’s stallion mate with her horse and then he found out and got angry. She basically owes him something for this service. Does she owe him sex at his whim? I didn’t really love that scenario (neither does Rheda) and she kind of gets around it.

While this book has a lot of sexual overtones in it, I had a hard time believing in a romance between these two. They both were attracted to the other, but the sex has more of an angry feel to it. Also, I’m not sure I love how they first have sex:

This was not how she’d imagined her first time would be – certainly not her first time with him. His mouth took hers in a bruising kiss. His tongue probed her tight lips, forcing his way in. Invading. Punishing.

Rheda knew she deserved to be chastised. She’d teased this man. Pushed him to do something she knew he’d never forgive himself for. Or her.

If Rufus discovered he’d raped an innocent it would destroy him. He had no idea who she really was. No idea that the rumors about her and the prince were false. She had never professed her innocence. Now he was going to pay the price for her pride.

She had to help him. Perhaps if he understood she truly wanted him, he’d not feel so guilty over what he was about to do. She might even be able to hide her virginity from him; if she made it plain she welcomed her ravishment.

So basically she is saying, Rufus is going to have sex with her and he can’t stop himself. And even though Rheda wants it, Rufus thinks he is having sex with someone that is not a virgin. She has to help him what? Help him make himself feel better once he learns she is a virgin? This whole set-up just didn’t sit well with me leading up to their big first sex scene. It was hard for me to find this scene romantic.

Also in this story is a villain who you meet towards the end. You see him very briefly in the middle of the book, and he has a young sex slave (a male) and you get the idea that the villain enjoys other men’s company and that he does it in a very creepy fashion. He is very icky. I’m not sure if I bought into all of it.

The HEA at the end felt more like two people who enjoy good sex, rather than two people who love each other. I needed more romance time with these two. But this book does have a lot of action to keep the pace moving,

Rating: C
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Jan 12, 2013 TerriC. rated it 5 of 5 stars

The hero is 32 year old Rufus Knight. He’s got brown hair and brown eyes. The heroine is 25 year old blonde and green-eyed Rheda Kerrich. Boy, do they have an interesting first meeting! He’s attracted to her from the start and she, him. He’s in town to find out who a smuggler, who goes by the name Dark Shadow, is. After meeting Rheda he believes she knows who that person is.

Rheda is involved with things she shouldn’t be. She’s trying to be independent and earn her own money. She has turned down...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Kati rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, arc, historicals, 2012-reads, erotic, 2012-reviews, 4-stars, books-with-reviews

**original review posted at Romancing Rakes For The Love of Romance**

Rheda Kerrich has been keeping her family and the town of Deal afloat with a bit of smuggling. She refuses to marry even though a friend has asked a few times. Independence, a horse breeding business and making sure poor people of Deal have enough to get by are her top priorities. She will stop at nothing and bend to no one to get all of it accomplished.

Enter, one dashing, Rufus Knight. Since his father's death, he's been chasi...more

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May 05, 2012 Sassafrass rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, the-romance-reviews, src-spr12, challenge-books-2012

A review for The Romance Reviews.

INVITATION TO SCANDAL is historical romance at its best! Bronwen Evans writes a tale of love, betrayal, honor and strength, and it kept me riveted from beginning to end.

Rufus is out to clear his father's name and to rid his family of the shame they've had to endure since his father's death, but his plans take an unexpected turn while trying to find a smuggler who may hold the key to the information he needs. Instead of the criminal named "The Dark Shadow", he fin...more A review for The Romance Reviews.

INVITATION TO SCANDAL is historical romance at its best! Bronwen Evans writes a tale of love, betrayal, honor and strength, and it kept me riveted from beginning to end.

Rufus is out to clear his father's name and to rid his family of the shame they've had to endure since his father's death, but his plans take an unexpected turn while trying to find a smuggler who may hold the key to the information he needs. Instead of the criminal named "The Dark Shadow", he finds a hellion of a woman who beguiles him more than he cares to admit--especially since he knows she hiding something.

Rheda has dealt with scandal since her father died, but she's out to make a life for herself without having to be at the mercy of a man. So, when a rakish devil named Rufus comes sniffing around trying to find out more about her secret identity--"The Dark Shadow"--she's determined to stay away from him although her body heats at the sight of him like no other man. Can love bloom in the face of deeply guarded secrets?

INVITATION TO SCANDAL completely surprised me. I didn't know it from the first chapter, but I was soon entranced by Rufus and Rheda in such a way that I finished the book before I even realized it.

Rheda's character really resonated with me. She was left with a younger brother at the early age of 17 and she had to fend for the two of them. She may not have made the best choices, but she was strong, determined, and totally fierce. But underneath it all, there was a vulnerability to her that made me wish for someone to protect her as much as I respected her independence.

The chemistry between Rufus and Rheda was sizzling from the instant they meet. Rufus being the rake he was, was intrigued by a woman who would actually turn him down. So, that was fun to see. But it was obvious their relationship was an inevitability.

This romance was not all love and roses. The plot in this book was fantastic. Intermixed with the romance were secrets and deceit, treachery and betrayal. The story had twists and turns that had me continually changing my theories. But when the big reveal came, even I was shocked with how deep the villainy went.

Overall, INVITATION TO SCANDAL was a fantastically absorbing read. It had everything I could have asked and then gave me even more. The ending was a bit of a cliff-hanger, so I'm hoping to get more of these characters very soon!(less)

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Apr 23, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bronwen-evans, historical-romance, arc

Rheda Kerrich thinks her days of smuggling are going to come to an end when she is trapped against a tree from her latest smuggle, a barrel of wine. She is sure one of the men on patrol will find her and question her and then a magnificent horse appears with a mysterious man on his back. Rufus Knight, Viscount Strathmore, is on the hunt for the elusive smuggling ring leader, Dark Shadow and knows he has stumbled upon a woman who must be in the ring and will surely lead him to the answers he desi...more Rheda Kerrich thinks her days of smuggling are going to come to an end when she is trapped against a tree from her latest smuggle, a barrel of wine. She is sure one of the men on patrol will find her and question her and then a magnificent horse appears with a mysterious man on his back. Rufus Knight, Viscount Strathmore, is on the hunt for the elusive smuggling ring leader, Dark Shadow and knows he has stumbled upon a woman who must be in the ring and will surely lead him to the answers he desires to clear his late fathers name. Being a master of seduction, he attempts to seduce the surely un-innocent woman and is roundly put in his place and Rheda manages to escape without revealing her true identity. She tries to put the man out of her mind but she finds it hard to do but has a harder time putting the magnificent stallion as he is the last piece of the puzzle she needs to get her horse breeding business going. Rheda cleverly thinks up a plan to 'borrow' the stallion but is unfortunately caught and forced to agree to a bargain with Rufus, otherwise her latest scandal will be told to her brother. As Rheda tries to protect all her secrest, Rufus is intent on uncovering them all and at the same time, these two attempt to deny the smoldering attraction between them. Who is the elusive Dark Shadow and will Rufus and Rheda be able to let go of the past to find a future together?

I really enjoyed this book! I wasn't sure if I was going to like the whole smuggling aspect of it as that really isn't my preference, but there was so much more to this story! I loved that Rheda wanted to start a horse breeding business and we got to see a bit of what it takes to do that...and at the same time see the attraction bloom between our couple during a lesson. Rheda is determined to never be controlled by a man, like her mother was, determined not to fall in love with a man who does not return her love and it has made her bold, impulsive and fiercely protective of her heart. When Rufus arrives, determined to prove that his father did not betray his country and give his sister and mother back the social standing they lost, she is intrigued and drawn to this dark, protective man but knows that once he knows the full truth of her past, Rufus will want nothing to do with her and her heart will be lost. There is also a secondary, smaller, storyline that involves the disappearance of young boys that leads to a villain written so vile, it adds another layer to this wonderfully layered story.

Overall, this was a well-written, smoldering, sexy story that was a pleasure to read! Rufus and Rheda were perfect for each other and overcame the obstacles to their hearts in a true manner, all without jumping into bed together at the first opportunity. There is humor, heart and plenty of hot action that will leave you flipping the pages long into the night. The added twist of the vile villain adds a bit of unease but was also unexpected and leaves a bit of an opening for a follow up book that I am eager to read! Recommended for fans of stubborn heroes and heroines who fall hard for each other, but it takes a life or death situation to bring all the feelings to the surface, mixed with supporting characters that add wonderfully to the storyline with a good dose of passion and some humor. 4 solid stars.

Thanks to Kensington Books, Brava, for providing me with this ARC! (less)

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Oct 23, 2012 Jude Bown rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved the hero and heroine. The conflicts were intertwined with deep emotion and dire consequences. Nailbiting tension was relieved by beautifully-written sensual scenes filled with desire and hope. Bronwen's writing is exciting and captivating.

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Jul 03, 2012 Mary rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a good book. It wasn't as good as "Invitation To Ruin", but still a good read. It had a good love story and I really liked how the heroine was the one to save the hero. The villain in the story was unexpected and that made the story even better. Over all a good read.

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Jul 23, 2012 Catherine Robertson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fine-romances

If you want intrigue, action, strong believable characters (including the particularly repellent villains) and brilliant sexy romance, then look no further - this is a great read.

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Jun 07, 2012 Gemma rated it 2 of 5 stars

Won through Goodreads giveaways.

This should be labelled as romantica or erotic romance. Way too lusty for my taste. I don't mind some sex, but this was too much for me. I felt as if the characters weren't really in love with one another, only in lust. It seemed as if sex was the motivation for every character in the book.

The heroine also seemed rather modern in her opinions and attitudes. This was what a lot of reviewers call a "wallpaper" romance.

Readers who like really steamy reads will probab...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Cynthia (aka Artemis) marked it as to-read

Shelves: own, historical-romance

With thanks to Bronwen Evans and Romancing Rake for the Love of Romance for this giveaway!

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Apr 25, 2012 Nocturne Romance Reads rated it 5 of 5 stars

Read the Review at: http://www.nocturnereads.com/2012/04/...

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Oct 19, 2012 Shelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

LOVED IT COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN AMAZING.

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May 26, 2012 Phoenix Carvelli rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: goodreads-com, first-reads

Review copy won on Goodreads.com on 4-23-12.

A really enjoyable book! I loved that Dark Shadow was the village version of Robin Hood by taking care of the widows and children! The characters were exasperatingly real and complex. Well done!

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May 26, 2012 Felicia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: goodreads-first-reads-books, own

Wow I couldn't put down the book- I read it in one day. I loved this book, it had it all action, love and a mystery to solve. The only thing I didn't like was the end because now I have to go get the next book it left a cliff hanger :) (no that was good too). I forgot to add I received this book through the GoodReads First Reads.

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May 19, 2013 Kim Whitehead marked it as to-read

May 12, 2013 Charli Denae marked it as to-read

May 12, 2013 Vivek rated it 5 of 5 stars

May 04, 2013 Nicola rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: nah

Apr 26, 2013 Catherine marked it as to-read

Apr 23, 2013 A rated it 3 of 5 stars

Apr 20, 2013 Tracey Alvarez marked it as to-read

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About Bronwen Evans

My 2011 debut Regency historical, INVITATION TO RUIN, is a Nominee for Best First Historical, RT Reviewer's Choice Awards.

I'm a proud reader and writer of Romance! Any romance, but historical romance in particular, and the Regency period is my favorite. I live in Wellington, New Zealand and I'm one of five sisters - and I am a twin! So no surprise that my first book is about twins!

I grew up on a f...more My 2011 debut Regency historical, INVITATION TO RUIN, is a Nominee for Best First Historical, RT Reviewer's Choice Awards.

I'm a proud reader and writer of Romance! Any romance, but historical romance in particular, and the Regency period is my favorite. I live in Wellington, New Zealand and I'm one of five sisters - and I am a twin! So no surprise that my first book is about twins!

I grew up on a farm in the Wairarapapa until I was twelve and I love the country. My dream is to become a full time romance writer and live in a rural retreat in the beautiful, sunny Hawke's Bay on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. I am finally on the way with the sale of my first two books.

Growing up I loved reading and watching TV, mainly because I loved anything that challenged my imagination. I loved Enid Blyton's Famous Five and The Secret Seven or C.S. Lewis's Narnia series. My twin sister also loves stories and we would often put on plays for our parents. Telling a story is what attracts me to writing. Bringing characters, plots and places to life.

At school I was very good at math. My father has a PhD in statistical economics from Cornell University in the States (I lived there for three years until I was almost six years old while my father attended Cornell), so I was encouraged to go down the science, math route at school, when I would have probably loved English. I went to University and got a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration degree and started work in the corporate world. I have had a successful career in business working in banking and telecommunications. I also set up my own e-commerce company which I listed on the NZ Stock Exchange, before selling in 2005. But nothing has brought me as much satisfaction as seeing my first book in print.

Unfortunately, it took me almost ten years to realize big corporate's were not for me. I finally decided to take a chance and indulge my passion for story-telling. I gave up my well paid, full time, job and took part-time employment in order to enable me to have the time to learn, hone and develop my writing skills. Joining Romance Writers of New Zealand in 2006 was the first serious step I took towards a writing career and the friends, critique partners and mentor's I have met have all helped me get to publication. I can never thank them enough.

Now I spend my time immersing myself in love stories full of passion, desire and of course the happing ever after. But that's not to say they don't have a number of hurdles to overcome along the way.

In my stories I have the rich playboy who just happens to be a Lord of the realm, with the ahead of their time feminist, who bucks Society's conventions and gives the hero a run for his money.

In particular, I love the dark, tortured souls, who don't think they deserve love or are, like most men in my stories, scared of love. My heroes are strong, alpha males with tortured pasts. They need the love of a good woman to save them and my heroine's are up for the task. They are not, sit back and let men run their lives, women. They grab life, shake it, and mold it, and most of all never give up.

And of course lets not forget the villains. Creepy, very dangerous, often perverted but never undefeatable.

My first book Invitation to Ruin hits the shelves on 22nd February 2011. I have also finished book two, Invitation to Scandal - Rufus Knight, Viscount Strathmore's story which should be due out early 2012. Following that, watch out for Richard's story (Anthony's twin brother) Invitation to Passion and Alexander Smythe, the Earl of Montford's tale in Invitation to Love.

I belong to RWA and RWNZ and when not working, reading or writing, I enjoy hiking, golf and movies.(less)

More about Bronwen Evans...

Books by Bronwen Evans

To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield (Wicked Wagers, #1)

To Wager the Marquis of Wolverstone (Wicked Wagers, #2)

To Challenge the Earl of Cravenswood (Wicked Wagers, #3)

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