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Hiatt Regency Classics #4
Daring Deception
Alternate cover edition can be found here
He won a wife in a game of cards!
Dashing Major Gavin Alexander, recently elevated to sixth Earl of Seabrooke, needs a fortune—fast! His new title came with a mountain of debt, and it is only a matter of time before he's denied entrance to the clubs where he's eking out a living by gaming. When Sir Thomas Chesterton cannot pay his losses at the table and offers his sister—and her inheritance—instead, Gavin jumps at the seemingly perfect solution to his troubles and agrees to wed Miss Chesterton sight unseen.
No biddable spinster
Frederica Chesterton is appalled to learn what her brother has done without her consent. Determined to undo the bargain, she wrests a promise from Sir Thomas that if she can find proof Lord Seabrook is a rogue, he will release her from the betrothal. Without her brother's knowledge, Frederica infiltrates Lord Seabrooke's household as a servant to ferret out the man's secrets—and finds more of them than she bargained for! But even as she gathers her evidence against the handsome Earl, she finds herself perilously close to losing her heart. Will revealing her true identity lead to disaster, or to a happy ending neither she nor Lord Seabrooke ever expected?
He won a wife in a game of cards!
Dashing Major Gavin Alexander, recently elevated to sixth Earl of Seabrooke, needs a fortune—fast! His new title came with a mountain of debt, and it is only a matter of time before he's denied entrance to the clubs where he's eking out a living by gaming. When Sir Thomas Chesterton cannot pay his losses at the table and offers his sister—and her inheritance—instead, Gavin jumps at the seemingly perfect solution to his troubles and agrees to wed Miss Chesterton sight unseen.
No biddable spinster
Frederica Chesterton is appalled to learn what her brother has done without her consent. Determined to undo the bargain, she wrests a promise from Sir Thomas that if she can find proof Lord Seabrook is a rogue, he will release her from the betrothal. Without her brother's knowledge, Frederica infiltrates Lord Seabrooke's household as a servant to ferret out the man's secrets—and finds more of them than she bargained for! But even as she gathers her evidence against the handsome Earl, she finds herself perilously close to losing her heart. Will revealing her true identity lead to disaster, or to a happy ending neither she nor Lord Seabrooke ever expected?
256 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1993
124 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Hiatt
99 books517 followersBrenda Hiatt is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sparkling romantic adventure. She's written twenty-five novels (so far), including sweet and spicy historical romance, time travel romance, humorous mystery, and her young adult science fiction STARSTRUCK series. Brenda began in traditional publishing with Harlequin, HarperCollins and Avon Books and later made a transition to indie publishing as she began getting rights back to her older books. So far, she hasn't been sorry! She is an active member of Romance Writers of America and Novelists, Inc, where she has served as president. In addition to writing, Brenda is passionate about embracing life to the fullest, to include scuba diving (she has over 60 dives to her credit), Taekwondo (where she is working toward her 4th degree black belt), hiking, traveling…and reading, of course!
Learn more at http://brendahiatt.com
Learn more at http://brendahiatt.com
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 25, 2016
3.5 stars
Hey, I like books with deception and mistaken identity.
Hey, I like books with deception and mistaken identity.
December 3, 2014
Seriously??? All the deception she did and the best they could come up with is some "Love conquers all" bullshit.... lickety split he forgives her for PRETENDING TO BE SOMEONE ELSE!!!
November 15, 2018
Daring Deception (Hiatt Regency Classics, #4) - PG13
Violence: no, but assault threatened
Language: fewer than 10
Sex: descriptive kissing, roaming hands
The last eight percent is an excerpt from the next Hiatt Regency Classic. This writer is new to me and reminds me of an author, Carla Kelly, that I read before. Everything in the story was going along nicely when I was broadsided by a little paragraph of "spice" and then the story proceeded. It was very odd. The story is clever and the heroine is smart as a whip.
Violence: no, but assault threatened
Language: fewer than 10
Sex: descriptive kissing, roaming hands
The last eight percent is an excerpt from the next Hiatt Regency Classic. This writer is new to me and reminds me of an author, Carla Kelly, that I read before. Everything in the story was going along nicely when I was broadsided by a little paragraph of "spice" and then the story proceeded. It was very odd. The story is clever and the heroine is smart as a whip.
May 20, 2019
Very good
I enjoyed the book a great deal. The author put a twist on a relatively common plot.
However, I have given it 4 stars because the last 10 to 15% didn't live up to the rest of the book. The heroine got herself into a mess but the author didn't seem to know how to get her out of it in a way that was very interesting. And there really was no HEA.
I enjoyed the book a great deal. The author put a twist on a relatively common plot.
However, I have given it 4 stars because the last 10 to 15% didn't live up to the rest of the book. The heroine got herself into a mess but the author didn't seem to know how to get her out of it in a way that was very interesting. And there really was no HEA.
August 7, 2019
Daring Deception.
Loved this book with it's humorous deceptions, burgeoning love and the delightful addition of a motherless child. Lots of twists in this masquerade of a couple, betrothed without meeting, who try to lead separate lives whilst under the same roof, both holding back their true feelings-- but, love conquers all!
Loved this book with it's humorous deceptions, burgeoning love and the delightful addition of a motherless child. Lots of twists in this masquerade of a couple, betrothed without meeting, who try to lead separate lives whilst under the same roof, both holding back their true feelings-- but, love conquers all!
Read
November 6, 2021Brenda Hiatt writes such beautiful love stories. This one involves a Young lady who finds herself engaged to a man she has never met, and only heard bad stories about. She decides she will go check him out, but doing it in disguise. What she finds surprises her, and she finds herself falling in love with the Earl, until she can't figure out a way out of the mess she's made.
June 19, 2018
Couldn't put it down
A young man loses a lot of money in a card game so he betrothed his sister to the winner. So she decided to spy on the new Earl to see if she can stop the wedding.
A young man loses a lot of money in a card game so he betrothed his sister to the winner. So she decided to spy on the new Earl to see if she can stop the wedding.
June 26, 2020
A cute read
I loved the story about forgiving a debt with the marriage to a sister. A slight deception on her part to find a way to break the bretrothel. In the end it all worked out for a HEA!😀👍👍❤
I loved the story about forgiving a debt with the marriage to a sister. A slight deception on her part to find a way to break the bretrothel. In the end it all worked out for a HEA!😀👍👍❤
June 19, 2018
Memorable characters
Love the humor of some of the situations. Thought Freddie/Cherry was stubborn enough to get into tight corners and smart enough to get herself out.
Love the humor of some of the situations. Thought Freddie/Cherry was stubborn enough to get into tight corners and smart enough to get herself out.
August 22, 2019
3 e mezzo
May 28, 2021
Another Old book friend
I love getting reacquainted with old book friends. I loved "Cherry", Gavin, & little Christabel. The plan to spy worked
I love getting reacquainted with old book friends. I loved "Cherry", Gavin, & little Christabel. The plan to spy worked
February 1, 2023
4.5 stars ✨
Not bad at all! I love stories with disguising 😏
Not bad at all! I love stories with disguising 😏
January 20, 2025
"Gavin osservò il volto zelante che aveva di fronte e avvertì una strana emozione. C’era qualcosa, in quella ragazza, che lo toccava nel profondo. Certo, non era bella, non con quelle lentiggini, quei capelli color topo o quegli occhiali… anche se i suoi profondi occhi verdi esercitavano su di lui uno strano fascino. Ad attirarlo verso di lei era qualcosa di molto meno superficiale: una bellezza interiore che univa forza di carattere e convinzioni profonde, intelligenza e gentilezza. Si ritrovò a voler esplorare più a fondo quel sentimento."
Ammetto che questa serie è finita nei meandri del kobo e quindi della mia memoria per ANNI ç_ç Ma ora l'ho rispolverata e devo dire che rispetto al precedente della serie, ho trovato questo quarto volume decisamente più piacevole, grazie anche alla presenza della piccola Christabel, che porta una ventata di dolcezza e vivacità e un obiettivo comune per i nostri eroi, che cercano di trovarle un posto legittimo nella società. Inutile dire che il nostro eroe, a dispetto della prima impressione, in realtà non è un farabutto, ma un uomo tormentato dai rimorsi ma deciso a fare la cosa giusta, che si ritrova decisamente ossessionato dalla sua nuova dipendente XD Sono molto curiosa a questo punto di continuare la serie, sperando non passino altri anni XD
Ammetto che questa serie è finita nei meandri del kobo e quindi della mia memoria per ANNI ç_ç Ma ora l'ho rispolverata e devo dire che rispetto al precedente della serie, ho trovato questo quarto volume decisamente più piacevole, grazie anche alla presenza della piccola Christabel, che porta una ventata di dolcezza e vivacità e un obiettivo comune per i nostri eroi, che cercano di trovarle un posto legittimo nella società. Inutile dire che il nostro eroe, a dispetto della prima impressione, in realtà non è un farabutto, ma un uomo tormentato dai rimorsi ma deciso a fare la cosa giusta, che si ritrova decisamente ossessionato dalla sua nuova dipendente XD Sono molto curiosa a questo punto di continuare la serie, sperando non passino altri anni XD
April 5, 2019
Thomas has gambling debts he cannot pay to Lord Seabrook who is also gambling to save his inheritance as he appeared to have inherited nothing but gambling debts on his ascendancy as Earl. As Thomas' inheritance is tied up in a trust until he is 25 with as yet 4 years to wait or when his sister marries... Frederica has to be arbitrarily sacrificed, and a betrothal contract with Lord Seabrook was drawn to which she vehemently objected and then she bolted to her former governess' home to plan on a strategy to extricate herself from said unwanted betrothal hence her deception (disguised with brown scratchy wig, drawn freckles and clear glass spectacles) as a successful applicant for assistant housekeeper to Lord Seabrook's household. As to why the Earl needs an assistant housekeeper with perfect aristocratic diction and elucidation is a mystery to both both Frederica and Miss Milliken. A Good, Entertaining and Fun read.
May 19, 2020
Love in disguise
An intriguing tale of two people who don't know what they really want and them finding out it's each other. Cross purposes are again at play as the two characters are lead around by circumstances, but eventually find love. Very romantic book.
An intriguing tale of two people who don't know what they really want and them finding out it's each other. Cross purposes are again at play as the two characters are lead around by circumstances, but eventually find love. Very romantic book.
September 25, 2009
Regency
November 8, 2014
love Brenda Hiatt!!!
November 12, 2014
Bought in one of those sets that cost .99 for 6 books. A good book for reading on the phone. An interesting Heroine and a mistaken identity story, which I don't always like.
July 27, 2015
Good
I have to say the story was well written but it was truly a live story and lacked any real steam
I have to say the story was well written but it was truly a live story and lacked any real steam
June 3, 2016
This is a fun read. I love when crazy schemes go awry, but everything works out in the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to more.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews