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Unexpected Lords #2

The Playboy Peer (Unexpected Lords 2)

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Lady Isolde "Izzy" Collingwood glaubte, ihr Glück sei perfekt, bis der Mann ihrer Träume sie für eine andere verließ. Entschlossen, die feine Gesellschaft Londons aufzumischen, stürzt sie sich in das aufregende Treiben eines rauschenden Balls – und gerät prompt in einen Skandal mit dem gefürchteten und zugleich faszinierenden Grafen Zachary Barlowe. Um den Ruf ihrer Schwestern zu retten, bleibt Isolde keine Sie muss den berüchtigten Grafen heiraten ...

Graf Zachary Barlowe hat sein Leben stets nach seinen eigenen Regeln gelebt und an eine Ehe nie gedacht. Der Vorfall auf dem Greymoor Ball zwingt ihn allerdings dazu, die unschuldige Lady Isolde zu seiner Frau zu machen.

Doch je mehr Zeit er mit ihr verbringt, desto mehr erkennt er, dass sie nicht nur eine Pflicht ist – sie könnte sein größtes Abenteuer werden ...

378 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 15, 2022

935 people are currently reading
539 people want to read

About the author

Scarlett Scott

121 books1,549 followers
USA TODAY bestselling author Scarlett Scott writes steamy Victorian and Regency historical romances with strong, intelligent heroines and sexy alpha heroes. She lives in Pennsylvania and Maryland with her Canadian husband, their adorable identical twins, a demanding diva dog, and one zany cat.

For Scarlett's latest releases, exclusive excerpts, contests and more, visit her website, http://www.scarlettscottauthor.com

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5 stars
1,588 (50%)
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457 (14%)
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34 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
Profile Image for Vashti.
1,233 reviews29 followers
June 3, 2022
This was a delightful read on a rainy day as is today with some comedic moments featuring the very old, hard of hearing family butler and the new Earl.The heroine was no slouch either in her interactions with the hero,the Earl.
A drunken meeting in a secluded parlor leds this couple to a hasty marriage resulting in an HEA after a few mishaps such as the hero's bitter ex attempting to kill the heroine and dealing with a rundown family estate.
Lovely epilogue,I am such a sucker for a good epilogue.
Profile Image for Christy Hall.
367 reviews93 followers
June 21, 2023
I enjoyed the first Unexpected Lords book: The Detective Duke. The Playboy Peer finds two of the earlier secondary characters as the leads. This one is very much a standard romance. A jilted fiancée throws herself at a well-known rake at a ball in hopes of making her ex-fiancé jealous. It doesn’t work and she finds herself forced to marry the playboy earl. They have a push and pull relationship as they get to know each other. There’s a strong attraction. Added into the relationship drama, there is a cloud of intrigue as they must figure out the secret affairs concerning the estate. There is a slight mystery (not as good as the last book) and it is solved mostly off page which was too bad. Again, it was an easy read and not bad for an afternoon or two of reading.
Profile Image for Janet.
5,137 reviews64 followers
March 13, 2022
Lady Isolde Collingwood’s future was happily secured until the man she intended to marry Arthur Penhurst threw her over for an American heiress. Heartbroken and betrayed, she drowns her sorrows but when she becomes embroiled in a scandal with a wicked earl, there’s only one way to solve her latest dilemma if she wants to protect her sisters: marriage. As an unnecessary third son, Zachary Barlowe thoroughly enjoyed living his life on his own terms, amassing a fortune, travelling the world, and doing whatever he pleased. Although the untimely deaths of his brothers left him the new Earl of Anglesey, he is determined to allow the line to die with him. After he unintentionally ruins the innocent Lady Isolde, however, he has no choice but to make her his wife.
The second book in the series & it’s easily read on its own even though Izzy is Ellie's sister from book one & Zachary is one of Hudson’s closest friends. This book was an absolute delight from a drunken Izzy fallen onto Zachary to the lovely epilogue. A delicious story of heartbreak & healing, the chemistry between Zachary & Izzy is HOT but they’ve both been hurt in the past so trust takes longer to build. The characters are well portrayed & have lovely depth, I loved both Zachary & Izzy, he’s the rake who falls hard, she's a fashion disaster but also a highly intelligent is sometimes clumsy, their verbal banter is witty & SOO entertaining. I loved their road to a HEA, which had plenty of obstacles but made for an engrossing, enthralling read which I devoured in two sittings & because I started it early in the day I got to sleep at a reasonable hour. I loved it & highly recommend it
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Profile Image for Missy.
1,098 reviews
July 14, 2024
I’m beginning to tire of couples forced into a marriage because they were caught in compromising position. I didn’t enjoy the main conflict, which is a misunderstanding involving the woman the hero once loved. The hero explained what happened but the heroine is too hurt to believe him. I think Scarlett Scott’s couples fall in love too fast with little to no development. They engage in several intimacies together and boom! They’re in love with each other. I rarely see them getting to know each other.

That being said, yes, the intimate scenes are spicy!

🌶️ fingering, cunnilingus, and fellatio in the library
🌶️ intercourse outdoors near a waterfall (clothes mostly on)
🌶️ sex in a carriage, her on top
🌶️ sex in a bed (finally)
🌶️ passionate kissing in a bath tub that leads to sex on the bed
🌶️ sex on the dining table (brief scene)

There could have been some scenes that I’ve missed.
Profile Image for Aou .
2,038 reviews215 followers
September 5, 2022
Saccharine sweetness should be at least a hundred pages less!
Profile Image for Debbie DiFiore.
2,670 reviews308 followers
April 5, 2022
Hero said Mine

I love that when a Hero says mine! I also love Scarlett Scott! But I only liked this book. I can't put my finger on why because the hero fell in love with her at the 58% Mark and he was faithful. His manho past was a little distasteful but at least it was in the past. The heroine threw herself at him the first time she meets him and they are caught. They end up marrying but not until the 60% Mark. They do have sex before they are married and then the heroine sees something that breaks her heart. They eventually marry and from them on it was pretty much sex scene after sex scene. The last part of it was all about them procreating on every surface they could find. And yes there is also someone stealing from the hero and out to kill the heroine. We all knew who it was though and they are dispensed with quite quickly. The epilogue is sweet with her pregnant and another sex scene and in really did like it. I just didn't love it as much as I was hoping to. The first few intimate scenes were scorching hot but I did stop reading them towards the end and just skimming them. It was too much of the same. But I still love Scarlett Scott and can't wait to read her next book.
Profile Image for Nicole.
904 reviews15 followers
March 17, 2022
An amazing love story with laughter and so much deliciousness.

One drunken night leads to marriage. He wanted to remain the town rake but after a beautiful intelligent drunken Miss literally falls on him he has no choice but to get married, however he was only going to marry her to make her former betrothed jealous and go about his life. However one kiss one touch is all it took from her for him to determine he was going to be a renowned rake.


I received this as a gift from the Author in exchange for an honest review and these are purely my thoughts and no one else's views.
115 reviews2 followers
March 10, 2022
Oh my!! How do you mend a broken heart???well, if you're Lady Isolde, you may drink too much and kiss a handsome rake😜 but if you're Lord Zachary, you may decide to marry the drunken lady...can these two broken souls help each other find a happy ever after...I sure hope so... beautifully written story, with wonderful characters, I laughed , I cried, I enjoyed!! This book has very hot steamy scenes between MC's...so grab a copy and spend the day getting to know, Izzy and Zachary 💗💗
I received an Arc of this wonderful story, for a honest review
3 reviews1 follower
March 10, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. It was a sweet love story- and you can tell the author’s style is cementing. The characters were funny. The “steamy-ness” was perfect. The plot was fast paced with no unnecessary fillers to increase page count. I will definitely wait for the next in the series. In the meantime- great job Scarlett! Can’t wait to see what’s next.

- I received a copy as an ARC -

Profile Image for Gloria Pastorino.
Author 82 books56 followers
March 13, 2022
Lady Isolde is heartbroken: she’s been jilted by her fiancé a few weeks before their wedding. One night at a ball, having drunk too much and with revenge in mind, she’s caught in a very compromising position with an handsome rogue. Marriage is inevitable, but she’s determined not to let her heart be broken again…
Zachary has lived his life as he pleased until he unexpectedly inherited the earldom by his dead brother. Now he’s struggling with his new life and being compromised by a bold, beautiful and very drunk woman is not helping matters at all…
Surprisingly since I follow her everywhere and I enjoy her wit on social media, I had never read a book by Scarlett Scott before. And now I regret it bitterly, because I’m besotted with her writing! It’s witty, it’s emotional, it’s romantic, it’s everything I could have hoped for. And in this case with the added bonus of my favorite trope, marriage of convenience, even if with a clever twist to it. I loved both characters, but I fell in love with Zachary from the very beginning. He’s the type of hero I adore, a charming rake who thinks he can never love again because of a bad experience in his past. It’s always a pleasure to see them change their minds! And the author developed both tropes masterfully. I’m definitely going to read a lot more of her in the future!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for My Own Bookshelves.
714 reviews135 followers
March 25, 2022
OKAY THIS IS MY FAVORITE SCARLETT BOOK!

Yes, I know. This is getting rather predictable. But serious. Hands down. My favorite.

Recently I had come to be throwing a certain book 2 at other readers saying "Read this I beg of you." And to my delight, I now have another.

I can go into the hilarity of Zachary and Isolde and why they shouldn't be together. Heck, the entire secondary characters will tell you this marriage that they insist on carrying forth should not happen to quell any scandal. I can wax on about how Zachary really should think before he speaks because 'ouch'. Or how Isolde should just - well, spoiler - she just should.

Very often we find favorite authors whose storytelling is attractive to us. The way they weave a tale and spellbind us. We run to the next release without hesitation. Then to get a book where the characters are so fleshed out, deeply developed, and rich. The story while gripping really focused on the emotional growth of each one of the MCs. I didn't think Scarlett Scott's storytelling could get any better, and it has.

We get the playboy, the wallflower, everyone sees it but them, opposites attract, love them to heal them, - I mean trope heaven for a romance reader. And all wrapped up in these incredible dimples.

Do not delay. Pick up the book, and you can jump in here, plan to be entertained.
375 reviews9 followers
October 15, 2023
This is the hottest book by the author I've ever read, and this is the second series I've read. I really enjoyed how hot it was because it was the first book I'd read with a rake who really kept his freaky ways despite falling in love with an innocent virgin. Usually what happens is that the rake falls in love and easily accepts celibacy in order to respect the FMC. In this book, Zachary keeps his passion under his skin and ends up corrupting Izzy easily.

Despite having some mystery that was solved instantly, I found the characters and the book as a whole rather bland. What really stands out are the spicy scenes; there are plenty of them, and they're good.
Profile Image for Lori D.
4,077 reviews125 followers
March 16, 2022
A romantic escape into pure delight as two heartbroken people find out that they never knew true love until they met!

She had been jilted, and her way to deal with it was to get into a drunken state and fall into the lap of one rogish rake. Oh it was by accident, but how was she to know she would end up being compromised?

He did not want to get married but he had to do the honorable thing and marry her. But he would not fall in love again.

Guess what? You just never know how unexpectedly ending up together may just be the best thing that happened to either one of them. Simply scrumptious!
Profile Image for Melanie Moreland.
Author 76 books5,469 followers
March 15, 2022
From unrepentant rake to besotted, loving husband, I adored reading Zachary's transformation. His confusion with the feelings Izzy stirred within him.The passion he discovered in her. She went from broken-hearted and confused to witty and an equal partner. I loved it all. Their first meeting. Their banter, The cheekiness of his remarks. His growing acceptance. Her finding herself and loving him back.
And the dimple. Let's not forget the dimple.
Loved their story.
Profile Image for Brenda.
3,430 reviews45 followers
March 20, 2022
A roguish earl accidentally compromises a jilted lady in this deliciously wicked tale of love lost and found again...
Lady Isolde Collingwood’s future was happily secured until the man she intended to marry threw her over for another woman. Heartbroken and betrayed, she has every intention of running wild across London and setting polite society on its ear. But when she becomes embroiled in a scandal with a wicked earl, there’s only one way to solve her latest dilemma if she wants to protect her sisters: marriage.
As an unnecessary third son, Zachary Barlowe thoroughly enjoyed living his life on his own terms, amassing a fortune, traveling the world, and doing whatever he bloody well pleased. Although the untimely deaths of his brothers left him the new Earl of Anglesey, he is determined to allow the line to die with him. After he unintentionally ruins the innocent Lady Isolde, however, he has no choice but to make her his wife.
A dazzling rake like Anglesey is the last man Izzy would have chosen to wed. Still, as he offers her a bargain she can’t refuse, she finds herself torn between old desires and new. And the more time Zachary spends aiding his unexpected wife in her quest for revenge, the more he realizes he wants her for himself. Not just for one night, but for forever.
This is a good book which is sexy and sweet.
Zachary and Isolde make a good couple.
I borrowed this book from Kindle Unlimited. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
Profile Image for Cristina.
1,541 reviews276 followers
Read
March 20, 2023
I should’ve known better.
The h is in love with someone who ended their engagement for someone else.
The H is rather bitter the woman he loved chose his dead brother and now he wants revenge.
I thought I could do it. But, honestly, the H bothered me more than the h. When the scandal happened, he was happy because it would bother his dead’s brother wife.
Don’t get me wrong, if I was saddled with someone, I probably wouldn’t think of them in a romantic way either. But, this notion of both MCs loving other people is not my favorite.
So I’m putting this away.
Profile Image for Edwina " I LoveBooks" "Deb".
1,440 reviews17 followers
March 27, 2022
Lady Isolde Collingwood has been Jilted by her betroth Mr. Arthur Penhurst. She has decided to scandalize herself.

Zachary Barlowe has gained his families Earldom after his two brothers die in a boating accident. He is now the Earl of Anglesey.

After too much champagne Isolde throws herself on top of Zachary and starts kissing him. Of course they are caught in what looks like a compromising positions. They must marry.

Somone tries to kill Isolde and there is something strange going on with the family seat. It is run down with overgrown gardens and a leaky roof. The Earldom is a rich prosperous one, so Zach is unsettled at the state of his families home.

You know who the villains are. The story had potential. But the story is about 50% erotic sex and 50% storyline. I don't mine reading erotic sex scenes but they should not overtake the story. Also Izzy constantly compared Zach to the good for nothing Authur Penhurst. He took up most of the 50% storyline.
Profile Image for Andriana.
51 reviews4 followers
March 15, 2022
What a wonderful , witty and steamy love story. Zachary and Izzy were really lovable characters, the story was full of funny moments that made me laugh. And when it comes to steam, Scarlett Scott is one of the best. Her love scenes are explosive and this book is definitely one of her steamiest ones. Not to mention Zachary, whose filthy mouth can make you melt.
364 reviews9 followers
March 17, 2022
“One touch of his mouth to hers,and he was lost, falling headlong into the abyss.”
Historical romance has my heart at the moment! One of my favorite authors of this genre is Scarlett Scott. I was lucky enough to snag an advanced copy of her newest book The Playboy Peer which is the second of the Unexpected Lords series. First of all, I LOVE this book! Lady Isolde is jilted and heartbroken when she decides to throw herself at the devastatingly charming rake Zachary Barlowe. They end up betrothed to thwart scandal and because they each have someone they’d like to make jealous. They’re both determined to keep their hearts closed off and never be hurt by love again. I love the chemistry and passion between Izzy and Zachary. I love Zachary’s tenderness towards Izzy! *swoon* This book checks all my romance boxes. If you love reformed rakes, steamy sex scenes, and maybe a few decorative artichokes…read this book!
Profile Image for BookishMya.
1,073 reviews14 followers
March 14, 2022
Daring, bold and brazen. The three best descriptors for Isolde Collingwood. After her betrothed leaves her for an American heiress, she is left heartbroken. She turns to one too many glasses of champagne at a ball, and finds herself in a salon with a renowned rake. What’s a girl to do, but kiss him. The next thing she knows, she is seemingly compromised and now engaged to the Earl of Anglesey. Their passion and attraction becomes obvious from an early start, but the road to matrimony is a treacherous, rocky trail. This story is wrought with angst, leaving you shouting at the page to move past their own pride and misconceptions. Having been heartbroken himself in the past, Zachary is just as reluctant to believe his heart as Izzy is. This tale is a wild ride with many wonderful ups & downs and surprising twists & turns. But on the end, love wins out!
2,402 reviews21 followers
March 11, 2022
Can we say compromised…and it was all Izzy’s doing. Zachary is definitely a “playa” but he does have lines he won’t cross. Enter Izzy. This is really a feelgood story of two people who thought they lost the loves of their lives only to realize they did not. Scarlett writes characters that you will love. I laughed and I did tear up (just a little). I love when the man realizes he loves the woman way before she admits that she loves him also. Those are ahhh moments.

I received a complimentary copy from the author.
Profile Image for Midniteillusion.
627 reviews42 followers
July 8, 2025
I liked both characters in the beginning, and I liked the initial meet cute. The premise really was good and I enjoyed that they both had a past. But part way through the book Izzy got too annoying.
It wasn’t even like a third act break up but more like a second act break up, and it drug on forever.
Then about halfway through there is this mysterious evil villain plot that is just plopped down in the middle of the book then mostly ignored until the end of the book.
Too many unneeded side plots that didn’t add to the story just made it seem like Scott couldn’t decide what she wanted the book to be.
There were also some big story lines or plot points, like why the hero’s older brothers never liked him, even as a kid. It’s just kind of dropped.
All of that is why it’s 2.5-3 stars instead of 4 stars.

I really enjoyed Zachary though. He’s book boyfriend material.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
5 reviews12 followers
March 12, 2022
I absolutely loved the Playboy Peer, Zachary and Izzy (oh sigh) what a couple. A story of heartbreak and healing and a whole lot of steam. One of my favorite things about Scarlett Scott books is her characters dialogue, and the way she's able to pull at heartstrings, and of course the very steamy love scenes. The Playboy Peer has ALL of those factors plus more. Cannot wait to read more in this series. Happy reading.

I was kindly given an advanced copy for my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Lana Birky.
1,685 reviews22 followers
March 16, 2022
Lady Isolde Collingwood’s heart is broken after her betrothed wrote to her & ended the engagement as he was going to marry an American heiress. She has moped, cried over & over but now she must face society but this this more difficult than she imagined as her ex & his fiancé are the attention of everyone; so she imbibes in too much champagne, finds herself in the middle of a scandal with the renown ladies' man & her brother-in-law's best friend, the Earl of Anglesey & the solution is not a pleasant one but marriage is the only way to save her sisters' reputations.

Zachary Barlowe, the newly titled Earl of Anglesey, is a third son & never wanted or even thought of his two elder brothers had drowned. He had spent the last years living his life the way he pleased - womanizing, also making wise investment with his money & becoming very wealthy, he had spent time travelling. Zachary is perfectly happy to continue with his life the way it is now, but then Lady Isolde kisses him in her drunken state & they are caught by witnesses. The honorable Zachary appears & even though the scandal was unintentional, he offers marriage to Isolde.

Zachary & Isolde's journey begins here with a planned marriage of convenience, so much humor, their newfound attraction, the romance & love. Zachary had such a wicked sense of humor, he was a rake but a noble rake, & he made me smile more than once. Isolde was innocent but sometimes she was so bold which was hilarious & her clothing choices were her own eclectic statement, she tended to stumble a lot & she was very intelligent. I loved this engaging couple with their banter & the steamy love scenes lit the pages on fire. I voluntarily read & reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts & opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Judith Miguel.
Author 4 books35 followers
March 17, 2022
This is the second book of a new series and it’s really good!
Lady Isolde Collingwood’s future was happily secured until the man she intended to marry threw her over for another woman. Heartbroken and betrayed, she becomes embroiled in a scandal with a wicked earl, and there’s only one way to solve her latest dilemma if she wants to protect her sisters: marriage. After the deaths of his brothers, Zachary Barlowe is the new Earl of Anglesey. After he unintentionally ruins the innocent Lady Isolde, however, he has no choice but to make her his wife. A dazzling rake like Anglesey is the last man Izzy would have chosen to wed. Still, as he offers her a bargain she can’t refuse, she finds herself torn between old desires and new. And the more time Zachary spends with his unexpected wife, the more he realizes he wants her for himself. Not just for one night, but for forever.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I loved Zachary. He’s hot as hell but also selfless and sweet. Isolde is a bit too headstrong for my taste, but brave and resilient.
I always say that Scarlett Scott writes some of the best sex scenes in historical romance and every one of her books is different and sexy. This book is no exception. So many sexy times! The dialogs are funny and witty but also emotional and deep, like the main characters. As usual, there are many interesting side characters.
I highly recommend this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for EstelaReadsRomance .
334 reviews
March 16, 2022
Starring Lady Isolde “Izzy” Collingwood and Zachary Barlowe, Earl of Anglesey

Tropes: Jilted, Comprised, Married in Haste, a little intrigue

Two people who’ve had their hearts trampled… unexpectedly find love with each other. I mean… totally sigh worthy, amiright?!

I have so much love for Izzy and Zachary. The way they got compromised had me laughing. Their journey to HEA took a lot of turns… some made me giggle, some broke my heart, at times I wanted to shake them, and then I was fanning myself over the naughty bits. Izzy and Zachary’s love story was a roller coaster ride of emotions… and I enjoyed every second of it!!

Another 5 star masterpiece from Scarlett Scott!! I am totally enjoying the Unexpected Lords series… and I cannot wait to read about the Earl of Greymoor and Mrs Beasley’s story!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily review it and the comments are 100% my own.

My Star Rating: 5 stars
Ugly cried AF. Major book hangover. Characters and storyline were freaken amazeballs. Made me wanna hug the author for writing a book that gave me all the feels!! Will definitely be reading this story over and over and over again!!
Profile Image for Deana  Jackson.
35 reviews
March 17, 2022
I. Loved. It.!!!!!!!
Admittedly I am a Scarlett Scott fan. However this book took things to a new level.
Heartbreak, witty characters, mystery, can love be found and conquer all?
Lady Izzy has been jilted by her childhood love. Talked into attending a ball her former betrothed is attending with his new fiancé she finds herself in quite the predicament.
A dashing rake who does as he pleases and is now an reluctant Earl, Zachary now finds himself needing to make a decision that will change the path of both their futures.
Book 2 in the Unexpected Lord series this story had me from the first page.
I loved the wittiness of the characters. The twist and turns the story takes and who doesn’t want handsome sexy talking Earl whispering in their ear?!!
An instant favorite for me!
You will enjoy the steamy romance, the spunk of the characters and the mystery that unfolds along the way. A definite buy!!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews

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