Scandalous Brides, Book 3
Third son. The spare’s spare. That is the whole of it, where Jasper Sweet is concerned, disregarded by his late father and overlooked by his elder brothers. Everything and everyone he’s ever cared for inevitably going to someone else. There’s little point to putting his heart on the line, so a rake is all he’ll ever be. A disgruntled one, at the moment—forced to put his family’s financial struggles before his own and endure a summer at their country estate with naught but his brother’s young sons for company.
And the boys’ governess. An uptight, argumentative spinster who’s vexed him at every turn from the moment she entered his brother’s employ. A servant who is hardly worthy of his notice.
Until he discovers Sophie Radcliffe is not at all what she seems.
Getting closer to the woman isn’t wise, but when she deigns to help him with a scandalous scheme to refill his coffers, he can scarcely resist. And in fact, he doesn’t. In Sophie, he’s found a woman of similar mind, similar ambition…similar passion.
As summer at Ravenswood Estate rolls on, and Sophie and Jasper grow ever closer, the formerly unrepentant rake begins to glimpse a future for himself he’d previously never considered. But he should have known better.
For yet again, what once was briefly his, is soon coveted by another.
Love and Other Disasters, book 3 in the Scandalous Brides series, is a steamy regency romance novel.
- Enemies to Lovers
- Stranded Together
- Friends with Benefits
Read an Excerpt
The duke led the way into the drawing room, throwing open the doors and catching the occupants by surprise. The ladies—Lady Win Sweet and Mrs. Amity Crawford—were not alone anymore. Stratford Sweet, their younger and newly married brother, was draped over his wife’s shoulder, though Win did not seem to mind him doing so. Roman Crawford, husband of their cousin Amity, was acting with slightly more dignity. He was merely holding his wife’s hand.
“I thought you’d gone out,” Jasper said to them.
“We’re just returned,” Crawford promised. “Fetched that half barrel of rum Uncle Henry had hidden under his old bed quicker than expected. I shall offer him a replacement when we see him. He left a few other things behind of value that I cannot in good conscience keep about and plan to return.”
Crawford was a good man and unfailingly honest. But Jasper was glad Crawford and his wife would quit their newly purchased estate, and the district, to visit his family soon. He wouldn’t be much of a companion during the summer anyway as he had a wife to amuse these days.Jasper looked about the room and then breathed a sigh of relief. The governess Nash had hired, who kept turning up for every family dinner lately, must have scurried off to bed. Probably for the best. Mrs. Sophie Radcliffe was deficient in good humor. He’d never met a woman who irritated him as much. Radcliffe’s disapproving expression whenever they met spoke volumes of her true feelings about his presence. With her gone from the drawing room, Jasper could at least spend the night drinking rum in peace. This was to be his last evening amid family for quite a while, after all. The duke and Nash would go to secure a wealthy duchess and Stratford and his bride were leaving too. By tomorrow’s luncheon, he’d be all alone.
What the devil was he going to do to amuse himself here for so many months?
Jasper collected a glass of rum, downed it, refilled the glass, and backed straight toward his favorite chair to sip the rest and think.
He heard a woman’s squeak of protest as he dropped blindly into the chair and landed where he ought never want to be—on the governess’ lap.
“Bloody hell!” Jasper cursed as he scrambled up and spun to face Radcliffe. “What the devil are you doing sitting in my chair?”
“I was here first.” The governess fanned herself vigorously. “Minding my own business until you came to squash me.”
Mrs. Sophie Radcliffe, a plain woman in an even plainer gown, who spent her time ordering other people’s children about, always spoke to him in a way that suggested it was beneath her dignity. She was prickly, disagreeable, and as prim as they come. Traits that instantly repelled Jasper and yet challenged him to needle her.
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English Edition – Book Info
Publish Date: July, 2023
Digital ISBN: 978-1-922733-32-0
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-922733-33-7
Genre: Regency Historical Romance
Translations
Related Books
Scandalous Brides Series
1. Wicked with Him – Amity and Roman
2. Desperately Seeking Seduction – Stratford and Win
3. Love and Other Disasters – Jasper and Sophie
4. Surrender Becomes Her – Nash and Laura
5. No Duke of Mine – Algernon and Maggie