Almost A Scoundrel

Ladies Who Dare #1

by Tanya Wilde

What if the biggest scoundrel in town has been by your side all along?

Phaedra Sharp is an heiress with a mind of her own—and her mind is dead set on becoming a cat-loving spinster and avoiding the scheming entanglements of men. But her plan goes awry when she is suddenly thrust into a whirlwind of wagers, fortune-hunters, and indecent encounters with the earl-next-door.

Marcus Lawson, Earl of Deerhurst, is a man with secrets. Secrets that will cost him his future if they’re ever revealed—perhaps even his life. He is also a man of many, many mistakes, and his latest include kissing Phaedra and letting her take sanctuary in his home. But the biggest mistake of entering into a fake courtship to foil the very rogues he accidentally set on her trail.

When secrets are exposed, Phaedra is mortified to discover the biggest scoundrel in town has been by her side all along. Will Marcus’s mistakes—and the dark secret he keeps locked in his heart—be too much for her to overcome


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Ladies Who Dare
Book 1: Almost A Scoundrel
Book 2: By No Means A Gentleman
Book 3: A Knave By Any Other Nam
Book 4: A Little Bit Of Hellion
Book 5: Just About A Rake
Book 6: Only A Duke

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, Adult

278 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2023

About the author

Hello there!

I have a free book for you.

Get your copy of Under The Highland Sky here: https://authortanyawilde.com/under_th...

Tanya Wilde developed a passion for reading when she had nothing better to do than lurk in the library during her lunch breaks. Her love affair with pen and paper followed soon after she had devoured all of the library’s historical romance books!

In 2020, she won the Romance Writers Organization of South Africa (ROSA) Imbali Award for Excellence in Romance Writing for Not Quite a Rogue.

When she’s not meddling in the lives of her characters or drinking copious amounts of coffee, she’s off on adventures with her partner in crime.

Wilde lives in a town at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains, South Africa.

Be sure to follow Tanya on BookBub for the latest on her sales: https://bit.ly/3AbLlwz

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

This was my first time reading a book from this author and I have to say I loved it.

The characters were amazing, the angst was intense, the only thing I would have loved was to have seen was maybe a small appearance of the hero's illegitimate daughter's mother and another visit to the orphanage for the heroine by herself.. That's the only thing I was hoping to see but overall I enjoyed the story from beginning to end

[Gloria · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars, maybe 2 if I’m feeling generous

This went from kind of charming to cutesy to unlikely to unbelievable to histrionics, before settling down into merely repetitive and annoying. The female main character acted like a child in a woman’s body—the beautiful, well-dowered, slightly spoiled and spirited daughter of an earl (and, boy, the ground was thick with earls in this book)—who aspired to spinsterhood and cat ownership. WITH HER PARENTS’ SUPPORT AND APPROVAL. Snort. As if. The male main character (yes, an earl) had a big secret, an illegitimate daughter, so he could never, ever marry. Yeah, right, because every single unattached female in the universe would be mean to her. Snort. As if.


A lot of nonsense that would never happen happened, and thoughts that would never be thought were thought. Fortune hunters traveled in packs and acted like teenage girls outside the arena door at a Beatles concert. Then a big, huge, endoftheworld scandal was uncovered and four women tried to start a revolution because they were targets of a wager. Feminism roars. All I can say is if that’s the worst thing that ever happens to these women they are very, very lucky.

There was the occasional reference to time and place, i.e. an acceptable number of dances allotted to one man at a ball, but mostly people did and said whatever they wanted to say or do. So historical? Only a passing resemblance.

[Pam Bereznak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my 12th book by Tanya Wilde. Six of those books I read before I started really leaving reviews so I can only go by my personal notes. I wrote that they were good stories and had sex scenes although not super descriptive. The last book I read of hers was in July 2021, so it's been awhile. I am glad to see this new series out and looking forward to the read.

OMG. OMG. OMG. I loved this book. I loved Phaedra and Marcus. I loved their story, their personalities and their chemistry. These characters were some of the best I've read in awhile. I wanted their story to go on more and more. I loved how feisty Phaedra was and how much of a hero Marcus was. I love that they both had these inner struggles but willing to trust each other with them. I am adding to my favorite books read for December. Can't wait for book 2. So damn good.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2*STARS*
Lady Phaedra Sharp and her next door neighbor, Marcus Lawson, the Earl of Deerhurst, steal an impulsive kiss one night in the garden. How can one cat cause so much trouble? That kiss leads to more kisses, but there's a big problem for the heiresses in London. The betting book at White's has a list of eligible ladies with the largest dowries and their attributes. It's a list started by the Earl of Avondale's mother. Deerhurst knows of the list and makes it his mission to protect Phaedra from being compromised. Only he is doing an excellent job of compromising her in secret himself. What starts as a fake engagement becomes real, until he makes a mistake. A lot of snickering especially over the drawing room. Poor Marcus! Give the guy a break! Steamy descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

[theartfulreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

yes yes yes

Holy moly.. this was not my first historical romance but this is my favourite, i was sucked in from the word go, the “historical” terms and phrases were refreshing, Puck the cat is a vibe, and this story is just wholesome cannot wait to read the rest of this series. Highly recommend

[Zena · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Easy to Read!
Though this story had some serious moments, it also was quite frivalous too and so very easy to read! It also showed quite clearly just how dangerous and destructive some secrets could be.
I loved Phaedra and Marcus. They seemed to fit like a well worn glove.
This was a super adventure into love with all the right feels and outcomes - a perfectly entertaining story!

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply loved this book. Marcus and Phaedra were delightful from the start. I smiled almost the entire book their banter was so cute. Their escapades were adorable. And I loved the side characters. Her aunt was my fav (I wonder if the author is a RHOA fan). This book seemed to fly by as well. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for my honest opinion.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Almost A Scoundrel was such a wonderful surprise. This galley popped into my inbox and I had forgotten that I had requested it. I had never read Tanya Wilde previously and I always try to support Dragonblade Publishing whenever possible. Phaedra and Marcus were the sweetest couple and I was immediately drawn to them. They had fun banter and they were utterly romantic. Every conversation was a fun volley and there were no mean barbs found in their dialogue. This book had excellent pacing and the book opened up with stolen kisses. Almost A Scoundrel also featured a cat lady heroine, which I was completely here for as a character choice.



Almost A Scoundrel was a lovely historical romance and nearly a 5 stars read. The only thing I didn't like were some chapters dragged on and there was an important subplot featuring a child. Abigail was a sweet darling little girl but I'm firmly of the opinion that children don't belong in romance novels. I understand she was key to Marcus' story, but I couldn't be bothered. This is completely my opinion and I fully state it as a childless millennial. Even without Abigail, this would have received four stars from my waning interest near the last quarter of the novel. I'm sorry, but this is a child-free zone, pal!



I'm so glad I discovered Tanya Wilde off NetGalley and I hope to read more from her catalog. She wrote lovely characters and her pages were full of heartfelt romance. I'm keen to continue with the Ladies Who Dare series and see what else she has to offer. These characters were lots of fun and their stories were amazing. It seems like we were just shy of Marcus' transition to full scoundrel and we were left with him Almost A Scoundrel.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost a Scoundrel By Tanya Wilde, is an alluring tale of an unlikely love affair between neighbors: Lady Phaedra Sharp and Marcus Lawson, Earl of Dewhurst. Marcus led a solitary life, mostly because of a secret he kept. He happened to run into Phaedra one night as she was chasing her cat; a cat who, in reality, spent as much time with him as he did with her. He didn’t
know what possessed him but her kissed her. He liked it. She liked it. It would probably never happen again. Young ladies were not supposed to kiss men. But, he was smitten. Then as he was at White’s, his club, a group of young men was discussing a list of eligible women what one of the men’s mother had put together. There were comments but then the man started taking notes. Then, he lost the list and it ended up in the betting book at White’s, embarrassing the women on the list. Phaedra’s name was one it; Marcus knew about it. She was angry and tossed him out.

This was a wonderfully endearing novel of the differences between men and women. Her parents got involved as did most of the ton when Phaedra and her friends took the situation into their own hands. She was a fabulous character, full of charm and intelligence. Marcus was an honorable man, just not smart enough to tell the truth before the truth got out. It was warm and witty and well worth the read.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Almost a Scoundrel by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #TanyaWilde #AlmostAScoundrel

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly entertaining, hilarious in parts, and romantic, this novel brings two strong-minded characters together in an unconventional manner. Caught in the Earl of Deerhurst's garden in the middle of the night is just the beginning of an adventure that Lady Phaedra Sharp could never have anticipated. Sworn off marriage and disillusioned by a relative's disastrous marriage, Phaedra decides to become a “cat lady”, but it is that very cat that leads her into trouble. Marcus has secrets that could be explosive and the only way in which he can prevent them from being exposed is by avoiding society and marriage altogether. An unfortunate error has disastrous consequences and Marcus, realizing that Phaedra is in the thick of things, sets out to rescue her. Only, that causes even more trouble. Bit by bit, Phaedra's heart begins to thaw and when she unwittingly discovers Marcus' secret, he finds that she is indeed very different from most of the ladies of the ton. A malicious individual refuses to let the scandal rest and tries to extract the last bit of vengeance out of it, thereby derailing the fledgling romance. I laughed out loud in several places of the book and thoroughly enjoyed this well-written story, a copy of which I received as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

This was the first book I've read from this author so I went in with zero idea of what to expect. I liked that we were kind of just dropped right into the middle of Phaedra and Marcus's first kiss. It got the story rolling without a lot of unneeded exposition. I enjoyed watching their relationship grow and evolve throughout the story. I completely understood why she was so upset with Marcus regarding the wager in the book - she had asked him straight out if he knew anything about it and he lied to her. I loved that she stood by what she and the other ladies on the list did to get back at the "gentlemen" who make the ridiculous wagers at White's with little (more likely no) thought to what it does to the women they are betting about. I do want to learn more about Harriet's marriage to Leeds - there is definitely more of a story there. The one part of the book that I could have done without was the masquerade Marcus takes Phaedra to - it really doesn't add much to the story and didn't make any sense when you really think about it. In fact, it was rather reckless on his part to put her in a situation like that.

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book kicking off a new series, Ladies Who Dare, and it is off to a brilliant start. Phaedra doesn't trust men and is perfectly content spending the rest of her days as a spinster and becoming a cat lady. But it's that very cat that leads her straight into the path of Marcus, her next door neighbor. Marcus is hiding secrets and because of that keeps mostly to himself. But he can't deny the pull he feels when he is near Phaedra. A mistake on his part causes him to be going to her rescue and entering into a fake courtship. As Marcus and Phaedra spend more time together, they grow closer and real feelings begin to develop. But what will happen when Phaedra learns of Marcus's deepest darkest secrets?
This story was highly entertaining and engaging and I wholeheartedly enjoyed it. It was very well-written and captured my attention right from the start and kept me engrossed till the end. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and following their story. My thanks to Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for providing a complimentary copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Amberreads.alot · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Almost a Scoundrel" is a really fun read! I love all of the Sharp family women, and their willingness to throw Puck under the bus. The book is steamy in the right ways, and I think Wilde did a good job with fleshing out the characters of and relationship between Phaedra and Marcus. A few quibbles - the masquerade seemed to come out of nowhere. Why would Marcus take her to something like that given the context of the scene before? Also, it was interesting that he allowed his daughter to come to London at all, and then to be out in the backyard when her very existence was supposed to be such a secret. I also would have liked more follow-up on the dastardly duke - the book touches on Abigail's resemblance to her birth mother but then lets it go even as the couple state that they are going to being her to London and raise her as their ward. But the enjoyment of the rest of the book outweighs these quibbles.

Solid 4 stars and I am super looking forward to the rest of the Ladies Who Dare books. Thank you to Netgalley and Dragonblade for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

[Bridget Love to read Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 5 stars are for the hero! Marcus is a heck of a man! Phaedra not so much! I understand fear can literally paralyze you but she biases a lot of her decisions on her aunts tragic past!
Her aunt lives with her and their family so she is literally a living witness!
Marcus Aka Earl of Deerhurst lives very quietly as mistakes in his youth still haunt him!
He starts off with a kiss and his life is forever changed! The two agree because of all the Lords wanting her huge dowry that a fake courtship will be what is best! Marcus because of his secrets and Lady Phaedra Sharp needs it!
There is a rollercoaster of mistakes and challenges that this two face!
Phaedra aka a Sharp woman acts just like that! She even cuts off her nose to spite her face!
She is haughty at times, fearful and unforgiving even when she is very wrong!
She thinks she is empowering other women but it would have better been served in private I think to attempt to humiliate men!
Alls well that ends well and Marcus definitely fought hard for his happiness! He proves himself over and over and Phaedra was not perfect either! Bravo! Love this series!

[Tasha's Book Journey · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚: Almost a Scoundrel
✒️: Tanya Wilde
⭐ Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️: Spice Rating: 🌶️
POV: Dual: MMC & FMC

Personal Review:

Lady Phaedra and Earl Deerhurst, what a combination of characters!

Lady Phaedra is a strong, quirky and fierce FMC! She chooses a life as a spinster with her cat, Puck, once she realizes marriage is just a front for getting your heart broken, or so she thought thanks to her Aunt's experience.

Deerhurst however, who happens to be Lady Phaedra' neighbor, is a very private Earl who happens to know everyone's business.

When a drunken night results in dowry Wagers and Lady Phaedra being extremely sought after. Deerhurst agrees to have a Fake Courtship to ease the pack of wolves after her.

Deerhurst has some dark secrets he cannot let anyone find out about though, how will he do this?

That's Until Lady Phaedra comes into his life. That changes the whole plan. Fake or Not.

The ending is exactly what my heart needed 🩵

There is excitement, twists, turns and many *Gasp* moments.

If you are not sure about Historical Romance, read this. This will convince you 🩷

[SH · Rating 4 out of 5]

What starts with a kiss between neighbours turns into so much more. Phaedra Sharp is an heiress who is determined to avoid the scheming entanglements of men, but her plans goes awry when she is suddenly thrust into passionate encounters with the earl-next-door. Marcus Lawson, Earl of Deerhurst is determined to keep his past secrets safe from society. However, after he shares a kiss with Phaedra, he finds himself thinking of nothing else. He is determined to keep her away from the rogues wanting to court her, even if it means a fake courtship.
I must admit that the first chapter and the stolen kiss had my attention, but it did seem to stall after that. Most of the first half of the book was about both Phaedra and Marcus thinking about their second kiss. Whilst I enjoyed this story, I did think the first part a bit slow and at times repetitive. I did so like both characters and found their romance enjoyable and believable.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phaedra Sharp is an heiress with a mind of her own and she is set on becoming a cat-loving spinster. But her plan goes awry when she is suddenly thrust into a whirlwind of wagers, fortune-hunters, and indecent encounters with the earl-next-door. Marcus Lawson, Earl of Deerhurst, is a man with secrets. He is also a man of many, many mistakes, and his latest include kissing Phaedra and letting her take sanctuary in his home. But the biggest mistake of all: entering into a fake courtship to foil the very rogues he accidentally set on her trail.
The first book I’ve read by the author & I really enjoyed it. The story starts with a kiss & things progress from there. I really liked both Marcus & Phaedra, I loved the banter & Chemistry between them. The pace was overall good but it did lag at times & then picked up again. An interesting series starter & I look forward to more
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started a little slow but grew on me. Nice series starter for the stolen Whites betting book listing heiresses. Phaedra has no intention of marrying after her aunt’s terrible experience with a fortune hunter she’d thought was a love match. After an encounter with Deerhurst, the earl next door, while looking for her escaped cat, Phaedra finds herself curious about her neighbor. Deerhurst feels bad that the list of heiresses his friends drew up has been lost and then posted in the betting book- spurring an avalanche of nefarious interest in the women on the list. Deerhurst feels responsible to protect Phaedra and they decide to enact a fake courtship to discourage other would-be suitors. The fake courtship starts feeling real, but Deerhurst worries about the secrets he’s been hiding- a daughter from an ill-advised affair in his younger days, and his knowledge of the betting book, which he knows will anger Phaedra. Will finish the series.

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was lots of fun to read. Parts of it were quite humorous. The conversations in the Sharp household made me giggle. Phaedra, her parents and Aunt Portia were a real bunch of characters. I can't forget to mention Puck the cat because he made the entire story of Marcus and Phaedra possible. I adored Marcus. Phaedra, who wished to become a spinster, was lucky to have encountered him. This could have been a perfectly light and fluffy story, but Phaedra's unwillingness to forgive Marcus for things that were not entirely in his control, went much too far in my opinion. Her stubbornness almost ruined everything. Luckily, the couple eventually made amends and got the happy ending that they deserved.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

[Petula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wealthy heiress Paedra Sharp has decided, with her family's blessings, to never marry. Men are untrustworthy,  scoundrels and fortune hunters. Unfortunately just because she doesn't want them, doesn't mean they will leave her alone. 

Marcus Lawson, Earl of Deerhurst has made some long lasting mistakes in his life that he is desperately hiding.  This latest mistake could unravel everything.  

This historical romance is the first of a new series. It is a wonderfully witty story filled with mischief and daring.  Our heroine is completely confident that she is correct in everything she does. Our hero seems to spend his time trying to stop disaster from hitting anyone he loves. 

I am thoroughly looking forward to reading the rest of the series.  

Great fun. 

[Wanda Compton · Rating 5 out of 5]

willLady Phaedra change her Mind about staying single

Lady Phaedra Sharp has never met her neighbor the Earl of deer hurst until she enters his garden late at night in search of her cat. The man she meets is not what she expected. She has vowed never to marry and has come creative ways of discouraging over eager suitors. The Earl has a secret that keeps him for ever marrying. I loved how strong Phaedra was and that her father indulged her, to a limit. When trouble comes between the Deerhurst uses any means to win her back. I particularly liked the part where Phaedra and her friends exact revenge on the men who have disrespected them. Seeing them have such an about face and changing their minds about marriage touched my heart.

[HfbR · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Phaedra Sharp & Marcus Lawson, The Earl of Deerhurst. Phaedra and Marcus are neighbours, and when her name appears on a list of heiresses in the betting book at Whites, he steps up as her knight to save her from the vultures ……

This is the first book in the excellent Ladies Who Dare series. It’s well written with great characters and plenty of witty banter which keeps the story bouncing along. The plot revolves around the betting book in all the early books in the series, so you get to meet a lot of good characters with their own stories as the series progresses. The author’s writing style is a perfect mix of fun and detail and I recommend all the books in this series. 🐈‍⬛

[Márcia Brilhante · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a historical romance and is the first of a new series called Ladies Who Dare. It was such a cute read with delightful characters and a bit of mischief. I adored this book since the beginning until the very end and was the perfect start for the series.

We follow the story of Phaedra, an independent woman with no intention to marry, and Marcus, her next-door neighbor and member of a secret society that soon comes to light. It’s an easy read with a touch of intrigue and humor, and I wish I still had more pages to read.

Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher, for approving me to read this arc and write this review.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lay Phaedra is a wealthy heiress is a strong minded woman who has vowed never to marry - until she meets the dashing Marcus, the Earl of Deerhurst, her next door neighbour. He may be hiding a secret though....will this cat-loving spinster fall for his charms?
This was a fun and light hearted historical romance, with some really fun side characters and a very cute cat. The pacing slowed a little too much after their first encounter, but really picked up towards the end. Phaedra was very likeable as a main character, and I always enjoy an independent spinster!
Thanks to Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the advance copy.
4 stars

[Anabella Shay Xo(RomanceBookWormXoXo) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Historical Romances just as much as the other romances I read. This one was no exception! Phaedra and Deerhurst start out with a bang! That I loved. Instantly I wanted them together and became obsessed with them. Deerhurst is so protective of Phaedra and they become entangled in a fake courtship to deter the other men who are chasing after Phaedra for her money. Deerhurst does have a couple of secrets. But those are revealed early on in the book only Phaedra doesn't know these things until later. I would read more books by Tanya Wilde. This book releases publicly on December 1st 2023.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in a new series and it's a smash hit. Phaedra is a woman determined not to marry. Marcus is an earl with secrets. This sounds like the same plot as many others but what's different is how it begins on the very first page and how it continues throughout. There is chemistry, humor, great banter and wit. Creativity abounds in this story and the characters are both lovable, loyal and exceptionally well matched. Don't miss out on this exciting experience.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pride and Secrets

Phaedra has an excess of pride. She has no desire to marry, and instead, wants to live on her own terms. Except her cat has a habit of wandering off. Marcus, who lives next door is considered reclusive, but he has some secrets he can't let anyone find out. The two begin a push/pull that passion ignites. A fun story with lots of heat and emotions that are exposed so the characters can choose how to proceed in their lives.

[Valerie Grissom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ambiguous thoughts

This is a new author for me. I enjoyed many things about this novel. The characters were original, the plot was amusing and there was a villain. The damsel also found herself in distress a few times, which I love. On the other hand there are some weak plot holes and the deliberation towards the end was highly annoying. She waffled for at least 5 chapters- massive 🙄. The offense did not credit that much mistrust. But altogether it was a good story telling.

[Frances Birkey · Rating 3 out of 5]

loved the story but

The author takes Jesus Christ name in vain. My understanding of gentleman-Earls, Dukes and such is that they would not curse or take God’s name in vain in front of women especially ladies.
I don’t like reading this kind of garbage but most definitely do not like inaccuracies of time period and character.

[Sharon Moenich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great characters, great and fun read

Loved this delightful book. I smiled so much throughout the book, especially when the "drawing room" was mentioned. Really wanted an extended epilogue!