Nine years later he is now the Earl of Wynwood and she returns to his life as an unexpected guest of his uncle. Can they deal with the anger between them and can Viviana continue to hide the secret she kept all those years ago.
This is the second book in a series which began with One Little Sin. Thankfully this book was much better than the first, and I am glad I decided to continue the series. You don’t need to have read the first book to enjoy this however, as the first hundred pages or so basically go over the events at the end of book one. As I had read One Little Sin, I found this a bit unnecessary and it meant that getting to the new story took a while. There were some explanations needed about Quin’s behaviour from book one, but it didn’t need to be as lengthy as it was.
Once I did get into the story though I enjoyed it, the passion and emotion in the characters came through very well in the writing. In the prologue we see both of the characters as their much younger selves and I have to say Quin was extremely hard to like. I feared this book was going to follow the same path as book one with me disliking the hero for most of it. Fortunately, thirty year old Quin soon won me over once he’d accepted his responsibilities as Earl of Wynwood. I suspect that in the prologue of book three, the hero will also come across as unlikeable, as this seems to be a theme!
I liked the fiery passionate Viviana and especially loved the way she kept bursting into Italian – particularly when cursing Quin. Sometimes she did go off the deep end a bit quickly, although this seemed to be the only defense mechanism she could use against Quin.
The children – both Quin’s nephews and nieces and Viviana’s three added another dimension to the story and were quite adorable, particularly Cerelia who also had my heart breaking for her at one point.
Overall a good story with passion, emotion and of course a happy ending.
Rating: 
- Author: Liz Carlyle
- Series: MacLachlan Family (2)
He was a scoundrel, a scamp, and a hopeless skirt-chaser. So it shouldn’t have been so surprising when Sir Alasdair awoke after a night of debauchery to see a young lass on his doorstep… with a baby in her arms.
Gowan Stoughton, Duke of Kinross is used to having everything he wants, and after meeting Lady Edith Gilchrist, he wants her as his duchess. As with everything else in his life it is sorted quickly and efficiently. While they are very compatible outside the bedroom, inside it just isn’t working, cracks start to appear and communications break down culminating in a locked tower and a stormy night.
Lady Katherine Redgrave has one mission – to find her deceased father’s journals, which may hold the key to a traitorous conspiracy that puts Kate’s family in danger. Kate vows to let no obstacle stand in her way . . . but when she meets Simon Ravenbill, Marquis of Singleton, her attention is diverted as the sinfully handsome nobleman tempts her beyond reason. 
This is the fifth book in the Maiden Lane series, set in mid 18th Century London. I have really enjoyed all the books so far but cannot stress enough how important it is to read them in order. If you don’t, you may well be wondering what the hell is going on. I have to confess to being slightly confused myself at times and I have read all of them! There are now so many characters I find myself struggling to remember what part they played in previous books and how they relate to the current story.
Henrietta Cynster is known throughout the ton as ‘The Matchbreaker’ for her uncanny ability to advise women on whether or not potential suitors are truly in love with them.
Lady Philippa Marbury is odd. The bespectacled brilliant daughter of a Marquess cares more for books than balls, flora than fashion and science than the season. Engaged to Lord Castleton, before she marries she wants to explore the scandalous parts of London she has never seen. And she knows just who to ask: the tall, charming quick-witted bookkeeper of the Fallen Angel, London’s most notorious and coveted gaming hell, known only as Cross.
Charlotte Arkendale needed a new ‘man of affairs’ and a bodyguard. Into her life comes Baxter St Ives, the bastard son of an Earl, who is investigating Charlotte as a possible blackmailer and murderer. After all no one really knows where her income comes from. Baxter is a chemist not a fighter and believes everything can be worked through by remaining in control and with logic, what he doesn’t anticipate is his loss of control when it comes to Charlotte.
A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (Wheel of Time Book #14)
Lover at Last by J.R. Ward (Black Dagger Brotherhood #11)
Abaddon’s Gate by James S.A. Corey (Expanse #3)
My Notorious Gentleman by Gaelen Foley (Inferno Club #6)
Chosen by Benedict Jacka (Alex Verus #4)
“It’s Christmas time and Rafe Bowman, an uncivilised American rake, has come to London for an arranged marriage with the perfect aristocratic bride, the very proper and beautiful Natalie Blandford. But before the courtship can begin, Rafe needs to learn the rules of London society. When four former wallflowers try their hand at matchmaking, no one knows what will happen.”