Unwrapping: Review of SIN WITH A SCOUNDREL by Sara Bennett

Even as my time as an Avon Addict for Avon Romance has passed and I am a mere Alum now, I was asked to read and review one last eARC in my capacity as an Avon Addict. This one is SIN WITH A SCOUNDREL by Sara Bennett - the last in the Husband Hunter Club series. Hot cover too!

***eARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for SIN WITH A SCOUNDREL:

The final installment in popular author Sara Bennett's wonderful series about the Husband Hunters Club-where the girls at Miss Debenham's Finishing School believe the only husband worth having is a husband you have hunted yourself!

Clementina Smythe is in love with Lord Horace Gilfoyle or rather, she is certain she could learn to love him. Tina simply cannot admit to her fellow Husband Hunters Club members that the only reason she has set her cap on the old family friend is because her family is in desperate straits. Now only to convince Horace that she is a woman to be loved.

When the devilish chit approaches Richard Eversham about schooling her in the art of seduction, he is more than a little intrigued. But when he learns her intended target, he can't refuse. For behind Richard's rakish mask is a government agent after a villain who calls himself "the captain," and Richard has reason to believe that man is Gilfoyle.

As the tutoring sessions give way to so much more, Tina knows she can no longer settle for anyone other than Richard. But "the captain" is moving against them and soon Richard will have to reveal his true identity, if he is to save the woman he loves.

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Tina Smythe is desperate to gain the attention and the love of Horace Gilfoyle. She's known him all her life for he's best friends with her brother, Charles. She also has discovered that her family is on the verge of bankruptcy and a fortunate marriage to someone like Horace would save them from the humiliation of the all of society finding out. Setting out to do whatever it takes to gain Horace's notice, she takes a chance and seeks out the assistance of a notorious rake to school her in the art of seduction.

Richard Eversham leads two lives. In one, he is a notorious rake who schools wayward gentlemen in catching themselves the wives they desire by teaching them the means to seduce their prey into accepting their marriage proposal. In another, he's a government agent, a Guardian, who is determined to discover the identity of the Captain and bring him to justice either legally or by force. He promised himself he'd not quit until he discovered this man who killed his brother.

Richard is surprised and intrigued when a lovely young woman elicits his services to teach her the ways of seduction in order to coerce a man into marrying her. Already aware of Lord Horace Gilfoyle and his way with women, Richard takes her on as a pupil but for more than the reasons of assisting her or rather sabotaging her, or learning more about Horace - he finds himself overly fond of this delightful woman to leave her to the wolves. He is determined to find a more worthy partner for her. The last thing he expects is to find himself falling in love with her and actually thinking of a future with her.

SIN WITH A SCOUNDREL by Sara Bennett is a wonderful historical romance featuring lovely characters and a mystery that drives this final book in the Husband Hunters Club straight to the end.

This delightful historical romance started out a little slow but after a few chapters, I was captured completely by Tina and her blossoming attraction for Richard. The secondary characters helped stir the mystery that is the true star of this story. Sara Bennett creates characters that you quickly connect with and eventually fall in love with - even if they're bad guys. The romance that inevitably develops between Tina and Richard is wonderfully steamy and oh so, romantic.

I recommend SIN WITH A SCOUNDREL by Sara Bennett to anyone who loves to solve mysteries for Sara teases and conjoles your investigative instincts until you think, "I've got it, I know who it is" but still keeps you guessing right up to the happily-ever-after.

Happy Reading Everyone!

SIN WITH A SCOUNDREL, book 4 in the Husband Hunters Club series by Sara Bennett, Avon Romance, available now in print and ebook formats.