The Lady's Bargain with the Rogue

by Melissa Oliver

"Oliver begins her 'Disreputable Marsden Brothers' series with this intriguing opposites-attract Victorian romance. The steamy story pairs passion with adventure to create an altogether engaging read." - Library Journal

The rogue she loves to hate

Or her greatest temptation?

Lady Elisabeth Bawden-Trebarr’s determined to reclaim the Cornish ancestral home her good-for-nothing late husband gambled away, and unearth her family’s long-lost riches. As the new owner is Sebastian Marsden—a notorious rogue she would rather avoid—she’ll ensure he cannot dismiss her by storming his gaming hell!

Sebastian wants nothing more to do with the ton after a bitter family scandal. But when Lady Eliza refuses to give up without a fight, he entertains her treasure hunt—if only to stop her pressing on his every nerve! Yet he reluctantly admires her tenacity, and a sizzling attraction begins to stir…

From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.

The Disreputable Marsden Brothers

Book 1: The Lady's Bargain with the Rogue

Genres: Historical Romance

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published January 21, 2025

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.

For the Romance author, see Melissa Oliver

Reviews

[Julie - One Book More · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lady’s Bargain with the Rogue is the first in Melissa Oliver’s new Victorian romance series, and it’s filled with tension, adventure, amazing banter, and a fantastic romance. The story follows Lady Elisabeth Bawden-Trebarr, a widow determined to reclaim her family’s Cornish castle, which was lost due to her late husband’s reckless debts. Her only chance lies in negotiating with Sebastian Marsden, a brooding gaming hell owner with a reputation for ruthlessness. When Sebastian reluctantly agrees to her request for three weeks to repay the debt, an unexpected partnership and a quest to uncover a long-lost family treasure begins.

Eliza and Sebastian are dynamically developed characters with compelling arcs. Eliza is resilient and clever and so determined as she works to uncover her family’s hidden fortune. She’s independent and intelligent and not one to underestimate, as Sebastian soon learns. Sebastian is fabulous too! Intially, he’s guarded and pretty cynical, but this isn’t surprising considering his tumultuous past and the family scandal that left him and his brothers with nothing but each other. I like how we see Sebastian soften and open up as he grows closer with Eliza. She definitely challenges him in ways he never anticipated, and it’s lovely to see him slowly let his guard down.

I’m also curious about some of the secondary characters, especially Sebastian’s brothers. They’re all so different, and there’s an unshakable bond between them that I’m eager to see explored in the next book. Each brother sounds swoon-worthy in their own way, and I’m a sucker for a swoon-worthy love story.

Speaking of swoon-worthy, the romance between Eliza and Sebastian definitely made my heart melt, and it’s filled with some of my favorite tropes – opposites attract, enemies to lovers, and only-one-bed. From the moment Eliza and Sebastian meet, the chemistry between them is electric. Their fiery banter and constant sparring are so much fun to read, especially as it becomes clear that beneath all the bickering, there’s a deep and growing attraction they can’t ignore.

The plot’s blend of romance, mystery, and adventure makes for an engrossing and entertaining read. The treasure hunt is an exciting backdrop to the story, and I like how their physical journey often parallels their emotional ones as they discover more about themselves and each other. This is Melissa Oliver’s first venture into Victorian romance, and I’m excited to see what comes next!

[Jo Reads Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

An opposites attract treasure (hunt)
5 Stars

I have read and enjoyed many of Melissa Oliver’s medieval romances - so I was excited and intrigued when she said she was bringing out her first Victorian romance. But fear not, she’s not leaving her medieval roots behind completely, as our heroine in this story, Eliza Bawden-Trebarr, is the descendant of Elowen Bawden and Simon Trebarr from Stranded With Her Forbidden Knight. (You don’t have to have read that story to understand and enjoy this book - but you should, just because it’s awesome!)

We meet Eliza when she is storming into Sebastian Marsden’s gaming hell - determined to bargain with the devil and get back her ancestral property. From the beginning to the end of our story, she remains that feisty, fun and a little kooky character that knows what she wants and is determined to go out and get it. And I loved her for it. As a woman in a time where things were changing - but not quickly enough - I felt Eliza’s frustrations but how she always stayed true to herself - and she was very easy to root for.

Sebastian is Eliza’s opposite in every way. Branded illegitimate, he’s built himself up to be a mogul of the gambling world. He’s feared, grumpy and has no time for silly schemes or unusual widows. But there’s something about Eliza that peaks his interest which is how he finds himself involved in something of a treasure hunt. Which is so ridiculously out of character for him. But it works. He starts off grumpy but he mellows and changes as he spends more time with Eliza and it’s a delight. I love it when a big, bad grump gets felled by a little bitty women!

Individually, Eliza and Sebastian are wonderful but it’s as a couple where they shine. They absolutely infuriate each other and bicker and banter with the best of them. It warmed my enemies-to-lovers loving heart. Even as they grow closer, and their relationship changes - they still infuriate each other and tease and bicker. It was great. It really showed their relationship and their characters. They just sparked so well together.

And there is a little bit of heat to the book, too. It’s not gratuitous and fits perfectly with the feeling of the book and the character and couple development. But it was still sexy and I am always a fan of grabby kisses.

Melissa Oliver can always build a world and it’s no different now we’ve changed the medieval world for the Victorian one. She writes so well that you don’t even realise a world is being built around your characters - but you feel it and it feels real. There’s also some laughs in the book - and a few times where I got a bit teary.

If I had one note it would be that I really wanted an epilogue for our pairing. The ending was so sweet and wonderful that I just wanted the book to continue in any way I could get. I get over it by telling myself that this is the first in a new series called the Disreputable Marsden Brothers - so we’re bound to get updates on Sebastian and Eliza’s future life when we get the stories of the other brothers - Tristan and Dominic. I already can’t wait. And as a starter to the series, easily 5 stars.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Award-winning author Melissa Oliver delighted readers and critics with her sweeping Medieval romances and she adds another feather to her accomplished hat with her first Victorian tale, The Lady’s Bargain with the Rogue.

Lady Elisabeth Bawden-Trebarr will not let anyone stop her from reclaiming the Cornish ancestral home that had been gambled away by her recklessly impudent husband – especially not the new owner Sebastian Marsden. Elisabeth wants to get her home back in order to find her family’s long-lost riches and she is determined to do whatever it takes to accomplish her goal – even if it means butting heads with the dangerously attractive Sebastian…

A bitter family scandal had convinced Sebastian that the ton was not for him! Keen to keep society at bay and his heart firmly under lock and key, Sebastian is flabbergasted when Elisabeth comes storming through his gaming hell demanding that he gives her back what she believes is rightfully hers – and she won’t budge until he surrenders!

Elisabeth has stirred something deep within Sebastian that he thought long buried. Her nerve, tenacity and drive quickly get under Sebastian’s skin and as the two embark on a treasure hunt, it quickly becomes clear that the greatest prize of all for the pair of them might just be everlasting love…

Melissa Oliver’s The Lady’s Bargain with the Rogue is a spellbinding Victorian romance where the pages will just turn themselves. Full of wonderful period detail, exquisite characters, red-hot chemistry and heart-melting romance, The Lady’s Bargain with the Rogue sparkles with emotion, intrigue and heart that will leave readers on the edge of their seats wholly immersed and invested in Elisabeth and Sebastian’s love story.

Whether she’s writing Medieval or Victorian romances, Melissa Oliver’s name on a book cover guarantees an unforgettable romantic adventure readers will struggle to put down.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Bea Tea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incredibly sweet and fun, but I was driven to distraction because the two main characters say each other's names EXCESSIVELY. I mean during a brief conversation she will say 'Sebastian' about five to six times and he will say 'Eliza' about sixteen times in a single breath. It became so rage inducing I ended up skipping the last two chapters. I wanted to love this book, but this infuriating writer's tick is off-putting in the extreme.

[Harlequin Books]

Historical Fiction, Regency Romance, Historical Romance, Victorian Historical Fiction
Miniseries
The Disreputable Marsden Brothers (Book #1)