Pledged to the Lyon

by Terri Mackenzie

A scarred duke. His bluestocking bride. Love that changes everything.

After a devastating fire burned half his body, the reclusive Hugh Westfield, the Duke of Somerset, has dedicated himself to raising his young sister. But he must have a wife to sponsor her in Society, so he approaches the infamous widow proprietress of the Lyon’s Den to find him a bride.

Miss Christiana Nightingale wants nothing more than to dedicate herself to her education, but when Mrs. Dove-Lyon calls in her father’s debts, she finds she is the one expected to pay them—with her hand in marriage. Furious, she vows to free herself from the arrangement, until she meets the mysterious, masked duke who promises her freedom.

Hugh knows his scars make him undesirable, and Christiana was her socialite mother’s greatest disappointment. Their plan is to separate once his sister married—but faced with scheming servants, a matchmaking sister, and unexpected desire, they discover marriage is not as merely convenient as they once thought.

To find happiness, they must accept they are worthy of love… But for Hugh and Christiana, nothing has ever felt more out of reach.

Tropes you'll Scarred heroBeauty and the beastPlain heroineMarriage of convenienceBluestocking heroineArranged marriageSlow burn
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Genres: Historical Romance, Slow Burn, Marriage Of Convenience

297 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 29, 2026

About the author

A long-time lover of historical romance, Terri Mackenzie knew from an early age that she wanted to write romance, and from a slighter older age that she wanted them spicy. Now she’s a ghostwriter and author of steamy historical romances, and has never once looked back.

In her books, you will find witty, often wilful heroines, and emotionally complex heroes*. Love always wins out—though sometimes it’s a rocky journey to get there.

*That or an emotionally stunted rake with commitment issues. Take your pick.

Reviews

[SelinaW · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love a good “beauty and the beast” trope as much as I do, this story is an enjoyable escape.

Our MMC is Hugh, who was scarred years prior during a fire, where he was attempting to unsuccessfully rescue his parents. FMC, Chris, has been bartered in exchange for debt settlement by her unscrupulous gambling father and this sets the basis for their marriage of convenience. Hugh needs an escort for his sister during his London season and Chris really has not much choice, but recognizes this as a way out of her unfortunate situation.

Of course they fall in love and help each other overcome their insecurities. The slow burn is wonderful and their getting together feels thoughtful and mature. There is passion but it feels earned, and the author really takes time to let their feelings develop. Chris is a very intelligent FMC and it’s heartening to see how proud and supportive Hugh is of his wife.

The only part that seemed like it could have been developed more is Hugh’s character as it relates to his injuries - both physical and psychological. The author repeatedly mentions that his pain is significant and separately that he continuously hears the flames in his head. Yet, we do not see him struggle with that at all. In fact, he starts the fire for FMC without any visible effort. I felt like it would have added to the depth of his character to represent his struggles in a deeper way.

I loved the playful and fun banter throughout. My first
book by the author, and I found her prose immensely enjoyable, so will look for more of her books.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pledged to the Lyon by Terri MacKenzie is a story about a disfigured man who sees himself as beyond redemption, despite the fact he that he acquired the burns trying to rescue his parents from the fire. Hugh was now the Duke of Somerset and feeling the need for a wife, a wife who could chaperone his sister through the season as he obviously could not. Mrs. Dove-Lyon seemed to have found an appropriate candidate so he was off to London, telling his sister he had business. Miss Christiana Nightingale had been a skivvy for her father for years. He was ill and penniless. Penniless because of gambling and drinking. Now, in order to pay his debts he was sending Chris to Mrs Dove-Lyon in lieu of payment. Chris was less than happy. When the duke made it clear it was to be a marriage of convenience, she reluctantly agreed and they were married; his sister was thrilled; some of the servants were not.

Chris was not a beauty, but she was intelligent. Amongst her first chores was to review the household expenses. There she discovered discrepancies. Eventually they added up to quite a bit and she dismissed the housekeeper and the butler. Hugh was becoming more and more impressed. Chris had never thought she would be in love and so was surprised when she discovered she was. Hugh thought he was so badly disfigured that no one would ever be interesting in him. He was surprised to discover that to be not the case. Through some trials, they came together as a couple, with the assistance of Hugh’s sister. All thre excellent charcters. Good read.

I was invited to read Pledged to the Lyon by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #TerriMackenzie #PledgedByTheLyon

[Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers

Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: a touch
Perspective: third person from the hero and heroine and a bit from the hero’s little sister
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow
When mains are first on page together: takes just a bit – chapter 3 (of 39), or about 8% in
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after for the mains
Epilogue: Yes, six months later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in e-book form (that I’m late on!)
Why I chose this book: I LOVED Mackenzie’s To Marry the Devil so I will read all of her books!
Mains: Hugh Westfield (Earl of Carlisle / Duke of Somerset) and Miss Christiana Nightingale – This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Audiobook available (as of posting)? No
(Descriptions found at end of my review)

Should I read in order?
This felt fine alone.

Basic plot:
Christiana must pay her father’s debts – and it includes marriage to a scarred, mysterious duke.

Give this a try if you want:
- historical romance – Regency – 1817
- reclusive, scarred Duke hero
- bookish, ‘plain’ heroine (and the daughter of a Viscount)
- heroine wears spectacles
- some ‘sold’ heroine vibes – her father owes a debt, and when she goes to fulfill it she finds out it’s marriage
- arranged marriage
- hero has a younger sister that he wants to launch in society with the help of a wife
- celibate hero – it’s been 6-7 years for him
- medium steam – 3 full scenes but a slower burn

Ages:
- he’s 32 and she’s 24

First line:
Smoke clogged the air.

My thoughts:
I did like this one overall – it had a lot of tropes I generally like and I liked the characters. Chris and Hugh were both perfect for each other - the things they had gone through in life I think made them really appreciate each other.

But some things just held it back from a perfect read for me – I think it felt slow to me and maybe I wasn’t in the mood for that pace? I just seemed to feel every time Hugh and Chris weren’t interacting or on page together.

I did really enjoy Hugh’s younger series, especially her wanting her brother to be happy in his marriage and the matchmaking vibes she provided.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 4
Average rating from me: 4.5 stars
Favorite book: To Marry the Devil

Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.

- hero experienced a fire that killed his parents and scarred him
- some scenes of the heroine caring for an abusive ill father
- the heroine is arranged in a marriage with some ‘sold’ vibes because her father owed the debt and she finds out it’s marriage but she does agree to the marriage after talking with the hero
- there’s a brief mention of a ‘tame bear’ at a carnival but no scenes of animal cruelty or anything during the actual carnival so we can imagine it’s treated wonderfully
- heroine finds out she’s a bastard and who she thought was her father isn’t her real father
- miscarriage remembered in the epilogue

Author content warnings? Didn’t catch any (I always encourage you to check author’s websites, since Amazon penalizes authors for certain content warning words in their novels)


Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

Safe sex: No
How’s the consent? Overall it’s good – the initial marriage is kind of pushed on the heroine due to her father’s debts and agreement with Miss Dove-Lyon but she agrees to the marriage
Pregnancy/children in story? The hero has a younger sister that is ready to enter society (she’s 18 I think) and in the epilogue it’s mentioned that the heroine miscarried and they are waiting to try again for children
Chapter 20 – kiss
Chapter 28 – 🔥 fingering for her, touches for him, missionary
Chapter 30 – 🔥 bj for him resulting in a facial
Chapter 38 – 🔥 kisses, oral for her, spooning towards each other sex
Epilogue – implied sex in the observatory

Total Chapters: 38 and an epilogue


Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs


Full break down on what my ratings above mean here:
Overall: How I felt about it everything considered!
Readability: How ‘readable’ was the book? Did I fly through it? Did I have to tell myself to pick it back up repeatedly? Were any passages confusing? (I will probably score like (1) is literally unreadable due to formatting/typing errors, etc (2) There were lots of errors that made it difficult to read OR It was extremely confusing and I had to reread passages to make sense of it OR I disliked it so much I had to bribe myself to keep reading (3) I didn’t really want to keep reading and would have preferred to abandon the read and start something else OR some minor continuity issues/confusion (4) I liked it fine, maybe a minor error or 2. I was happy to pick it up when I had time. (5) I never wanted to put this down. I thought about it when I wasn’t reading it. I hid in the bathroom from my kids to read. I threw inappropriate food at my children for dinner so I could read instead.)
Feels: Totally subjective to each person but did the book give me any tingles? Any butterflies? Did it rip my heart out (in a good way?)
Emotional depth: How well do I feel I know the characters at the end? How much did I feel their emotions throughout the story?
Sexual tension: Again, subjective, but how strong was the wanting and longing to me between the characters? A book might have strong sexual tension without a single touch.
Romance: Was there romance? Did romantic things happen? This can be actions/words/thoughts of the characters and again is subjective.
Sensuality: This is how the intimate scenes are written. Kisses and sexual scenes – how sensual were they? Were they on the mechanical side? Was there emotional pull tied in? Were the details explicit or flowery? These are subjective but generally (1) too short to get a good judgment (2) not all what I'm looking for - very vague or flowery prose (3) either not explicit enough or not enough emotional pull (too mechanical/physically descriptive without the emotions) (4) what I love in a scene (5) absolute perfection - perfect balance of emotional longing and explicit descriptions
Sex Scene Length: How long the bedroom scenes are (generally (1) is 1-3 sentences (2) is a few paragraphs to a page-ish (3) is about average, a few pages (4) more well developed scenes, quite a few pages with descriptions (5) the majority of the book takes place in the bedroom. This is always hard to tell for me on audio!
Steam Scale: Generally, each flame is a scene. If scenes are super close together I sometimes combine them. If a scene is super short or so vague I don’t know what’s happening, I don’t count it. There’s some levels of grey but generally the number of flames is how many sex scenes there are (I max out at 5 so I’ll put a + after if there’s more than that)


Find me
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Book Clubs
The Ton and the Tartans (Historical Romance)
Upturned Petticoats and Undone Cravats (Historical Romance with Steam Requirements)
A Love Less Ordinary (Science Fiction, Paranormal, Monster, Fantasy)
Modern Manuscripts (Contemporary Romance)
Words for the Wicked (Contemporary Romance with Steam Requirements)
Vintage Romance (Old School Romance – published 2000 and prior)

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've seen the Lyons series all over NetGalley and never felt a compulsion to read them. Until now, that is. I love a mask-wearing MMC, especially when they're hiding a big sexy scar under there. Pledged to the Lyon is the marriage of convenience between a woman who agrees to marry a scarred duke to pay off her father's gambling debts. Those darn deadbeat dads are always losing the family fortune but at least that means no shortage of MOCs for me to read. Christiana was a lil’ spectacled bluestocking, but a bit too mouthy for me. I love both glasses girlies and marked men, but something didn't quite click for me in this book. I was expecting more as it took a long while for them to get closer. I can't say I'm fully sold on the Lyon series, but hey it takes all kinds. I'm grateful for this opportunity as I've never met a historical face covering I didn't like.

[Pam Bereznak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terri Mackenzie is a fairly new author for me. This is only my 8th book by her. She was recommended from one of steamy FB groups. I have really been loving her writing.

I really liked this book a lot. I loved Christiana and Hugh and their personalities. As much as Hugh went through he had such a great soul. Yes he was angry at times. Who wouldn't be but maybe because of the fire, it made him who he was. I loved that Christiana "Chris" was just herself and that's the way she was and wasn't changing. I loved how she did what she had to do and always had Hugh's support no matter how difficult for him. Really, really good read. She is becoming a quick favorite author for me. I have loved all her books so far. I would definitely recommend.

[Lyn D Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book in the Lyon's Den Connected World series was an engaging slowburn marriage of convenience historical romance with a nod to beauty and the beast. A horrendous accident and a despicable circumstance lead to a heartfelt love story. The characters were exceptional with great depth. I enjoyed how beautifully their complex relationship evolved through respect and trust over time. The ending was heartwarming. Another successful match made by Mrs. Dove-Lyon. I highly recommend reading!

[Alexandra G · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ugly duckling and her disfigured duke

Christiana is a proud plain country bluestocking emotionally abused and manipulated by both her parents for years. So, when her father sells her off to cover his debts, is it any wonder she rebels? But the Widow of Whitehall won’t budge.
Once a dashing rake, Hugh’s life dramatically changed after a devastating fire left him a severely scarred monster. In the 7 years he hid away his little sister Amilia became a Lady ready to make her debut – and for that he needs a wife.
They both agree to an amicable marriage of convenience with a few demands and low expectations, certainly not love. Luckily Amilia happily takes over where the widow left off...

This was an emotional slow burn, beautifully written and just perfect for these two wounded souls – and Amilia added just the right dose of levity (and mischief) for a bit of action.
He is a supportive husband from the get-go which takes her off-guard. He admires her hunger for knowledge, her lack of artifice and her no-nonsense approach to his household.
She in return (with a little nudge from Amilia) is intrigued by not-so-monstrous husband, and challenges herself to draw him out of his lair.
Neither she nor he sees themselves clearly, but they do see the best in each other – and put in the work to bring that out. It’s a bumpy process, but it also means gorgeous growth for the both of them.

While captivating, their story sort of ambles along without real highs or lows. All in all, it was a satisfying, relaxing read. Not great, but really really good! The biggest surprises for me were Christiana’s “scientific curiosity” – didn’t know she had it in her, and neither did she I’m guessing – and the way Amilia stands up to her brother – she’s a little spitfire and I would love to attend her Season in London!

[Winnifred D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tropes: scarred MMC/bluestocking MFC; marriage of convenience
Steam level: 3
Part of a long-running series and meant as a standalone

3.25 stars. This is a decent addition to the series and solidly written, but if you're like me and have read a lot of HR's focusing on scarred MMCs, it's middling. Maybe also because I've come across a few really good additions to this series recently, I've gotten pickier.

While this follows all the usual beats involving this trope, I wanted a bit more. MFC Chris and her friend come across as fairly shallow at the beginning when they discuss the duke, and I didn't feel as if Chris had genuine depth of feeling toward him until the last quarter or so of the storyline. Tbh I really had a hard time buying that this duke, from a powerful family, would have been so shunned by Society because he re-entered a burning residence while trying to rescue his parents. This trope usually works best for me if the shunning is more self-hate than social hate; otherwise it just doesn't seem fully realistic (if anything, people were probably more accepting during Regency times than in this modern day of filters and plastic surgery).

There were other aspects that didn't read as realistic as well. For example, there isn't a full character arc involving the physical and mental trauma the duke experienced. And I felt as if the set-up itself had a plothole (if MFC's father is broke and infirm and she's had to take care of him, how is getting rid of her helping him, unless he can afford a nurse, and how is he going to continue to gamble if he can barely get around?)

I did enjoy the final chapters, and the open-door scene at the end. I wish the book had contained more of that emotion.

[Nwabueze FearGod · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of Pledged to the Lyon by Terri Mackenzie
Audited by Nwabueze FearGod
The narrative arc of Pledged to the Lyon delivers a strong and logical conclusion that justifies the high stakes set in the opening chapters. As a Narrative Auditor, I paid close attention to how the author resolved the financial and emotional debts that drove Miss Christiana Nightingale to the Lyon’s Den in the first place.
The growth in Christiana is impressive. She remains a capable and intelligent protagonist until the very last page. Seeing her move from the desperation of her father’s gambling debts to a position of genuine authority and love at the Somerset estate is satisfying. The Duke of Somerset also has a meaningful transformation. His journey from hiding in the shadows to accepting a future with Christiana is handled with a grounded and realistic touch.
The pacing across the full story remains consistent. The resolution of the family's financial crisis feels earned rather than forced, and the chemistry between the leads stays central to the plot. It is a well-constructed story that rewards the reader for following the intricate details of the initial marriage contract.
For those who enjoy historical fiction with smart characters and a plot built on resilience, this is a highly recommended read. The structural logic holds up from the first meeting at the Den to the final resolution of their shared future.

[Stacie Irwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautiful and moving book. I like that both Hugh and Christiana were not perfect. They had both been shunned by society (for different reasons,) and they were thrust together by our notorious Mrs. Dove Lyon. Hugh held many scars from being burned in a fire, He also carried many emotional scars from all the fallout from how he got those burns and the aftermath - being labeled a Beast. Christiana wasn’t scarred physically, but she was just plain and a blue stocking. She had spent her childhood shunned by both her mother and father. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed a book with two non-beauties finding love. Most books are filled with stunning people, but this one gives hope and credence to normal and/or scarred people finding lasting love together. Seeing their story unfold and these two find love, acceptance, and peace was just moving.

It was certainly a slow burn, but it was worth it. This was such a book of natural revelation and trust building instead of flash lust and insta love. Is appreciate these types of stories.

This is one of my favorite authors. She knows how to write with depth and feeling. Her stories are always engaging and anything but surface level. This book is another example of her wonderful talent.

[Georgina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, Dragonblade, and NetGalley for the ARC.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pledged to the Lyon by Terri Mackenzie was such a satisfying read and exactly the kind of Regency romance I love to sink into. I hadn’t read this author before, but after this, I’ll absolutely be picking up more of her work.

This story has all the elements I look for in a Regency romance- a gentle slow burn, emotional tension, a marriage of convenience, and characters who quietly work their way into your heart. The pacing felt comfortable and immersive, with enough longing and chemistry to keep me completely invested without ever feeling overly dramatic or high stakes.

The MMC is a scarred, reclusive duke carrying far more than just physical wounds, while the FMC is a wonderfully intelligent bluestocking who may not fit society’s standards of beauty but has such incredible self-worth and inner strength. I loved her so much.

Watching these two “forgotten” souls slowly find comfort, understanding, and love in each other was genuinely lovely to read. Their connection felt tender, believable, and deeply rewarding by the end.

If you love character-driven Regency romance with slow-burn tension, emotional warmth, and marriage-of-convenience tropes done well, this is definitely worth picking up.

[Luz T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pledged to the Lyon
Series: The Lyon's Den Connected World
Rating: 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC provided for review. All opinions are my own.

I've always been a huge fan of historical romance and lately the ones I've read for the past year have not been a 5 star read for me, but this one hit all the right spots in what I like to read in HR.

This story was amazing!! I loved it from start to finish. It had many of my favorite tropes: marriage of convenience, slow burn, yearning and angst. I especially loved the slow burn because Chris and Hugh really started off with a mutual agreement of their marriage not really aiming to be romantic one, but of course once they got to know one another things changed.

I really liked that Chris never backed down in standing up to Hugh and protecting what was theirs. She was a force to be reckoned with.
Hugh had suffered a horrible accident that left him like a lion with a thorn in his paw, but Chris slowly removed it and they both learned that they were both allowed to fall in love.

I really look forward to reading more from this author.

[Pat Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very poignant and heart wrenching story of two people dragged down by life and yet found the light of love in each other. Christiana has a father who has been nothing but a nasty tyrant. She has no idea what love really is as even her mother turned her back. Hugh’s whole life went up in smoke, literally, and he is left with painful memories and a sister to care for. My emotions were well “played” throughout the story-tears, joy, laughter, pain, angst and love. The author weaves a wonderful story that will stay with me. The love scenes were tastefully done, the ‘angry’ scenes very believable , the climax was very endearing and even the epilogue left me the sense of real life . I would LOVE to see a story about Hugh’s sister and to get to revisit with Hugh and Chris. A beautiful story, with no crass language (thank you Author!) and a sense of real life where even the HEA has some reality built in. Lovely read!

I received this story for free and these are my own views.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a devastating fire burned half his body, the reclusive Hugh Westfield, the Duke of Somerset, has dedicated himself to raising his young sister. But he must have a wife to sponsor her in Society, so he approaches Bessie Dove-Lyon to find him a bride. Miss Christiana Nightingale wants nothing more than to dedicate herself to her education, but when Mrs. Dove-Lyon calls in her father’s debts, she finds she is the one expected to pay them—with her hand in marriage.
Another very good addition to the connected world. I really like both Hugh & Christiana, their chemistry sizzled & their banter was a delight. I thoroughly enjoyed their journey to a HEA & was left feeling satisfied as to how things worked out
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

[Bridget Love to read Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have Hugh Westfield, Duke of Somerset horribly burned in a fire trying to save his parents. I originally thought it was going have sinister implications but it does not!
Hugh has a sister Amelia who will need assistance with her London debut!
So he travels to London to secure a bride at the famous/infamous Lyons Den. He encounters one very angry Miss Christina Nightingale. Her father owes a huge debt to the Lyons den and is literally dying and using her as collateral!
Christina aka Chris options are few! Reluctantly she marries Hugh but he is so much more than his appearance!
They are both starved for affection! Hugh finds something that he thinks is horrible but Chris’s explanation will have to wait until after another crisis! These two need to get out of their own way long enough to have a HEA!
I received an ARC copy for my unbiased opinion from Netgalley.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hugh and Chris enter into marriage for reasons of their own, with little expectation that it will become anything meaningful. But as they begin to share their lives, they discover unexpected common ground. Both have been shaped by a society that hasn’t treated them kindly, leaving them isolated and guarded. In each other, they find not just companionship, but a chance at something deeper.

What makes their story compelling is how real they feel—flawed, imperfect, and human. Their connection doesn’t spark instantly; instead, it grows, built on understanding and quiet moments, making their eventual love all the more genuine and satisfying.

[Cherie S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chattel, Duty, Deal of a Lifetime
This is a marvelous love story from beginning to the very surprising end.
What a journey this story took me on. I couldn't put it down.
Very in-depth characters that Mrs. Dove Lyon brings together through her match making skills once more.
Hugh a scared man with issues and Chris the lady that helps him discover what love is all about.
I truly enjoyed this extremely emotional love story.
Mature Advisory:2/5
Favorite Character> Laura whose advice got this story moving
Cover⭐

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley. Hugh tried to save his parents from a fire but was not successful. He has burns down one side of his body. He goes to Mrs Dove-Lyon needing a bride to take his sister for her first season. Chris has been called to the Lyon's Den to over her father's debt by getting married, They came to an agreement for getting married. Chris and Hugh find they get along better as time goes by. She gets him to go out in public. She is not afraid of him or put out by looking at him with his burns. They eventually become a real family.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hugh the Duke of Somerset was injured in a fire that killed his parents but is,looking for a wife who will accept his scars but who is able to chaperone his sister during the social season so approaches Mrs Dove Lyon. Christina has run her reprobate of a fathers household for years and discovers he has used her as payment for debts to the Lyons Club.
This is a story of two damaged people finding love.
It was a lovely cozy read..
Of course Mrs Dove-Lyon Lyons match was successful
Thanks to Netgalley and Dragonblade publishing for my arc copy

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet romance between two characters forced into a marriage of convenience. The story flowed nicely, I enjoyed the writing style, and I found the characters to both be likable. My one complaint would be that the intimate scenes were a bit too modern with language and descriptions, and the long drawn out activity of two adults that acted like randy teenagers had me skipping pages. If you’re in the mood for a HEA with a strong heroine, a MMC in need of love and some spice I definitely recommend this book.

[Gloria Pastorino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marriage of convenience is my favorite trope EVER, so of course I love the Lyon's Den books in general. In this case the book was written by one of my favorite authors, so it was a double treat! I loved how the heroine was able to gently coax the hero to come out of his shell and how, in return, he was very supportive of her and her scientific curiosity and studies. The meddling sister was a great addition to the story and I was happy that the third act breakup was very short and useful to provide the right dose of angst and give the hero the final "kick" in the right direction. A great book!

[Lynds · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC recieved from Dragonblade Publishing through Netgalley for honest review. No monetary gain.

I quite enjoyed this one. It is a little beauty and the beast /phantom of the opera but softer. The MMC is not as harsh as previous stories told. I enjoyed Hugh and Christiana's interactions from the beginning and how they evolved. I think they complemented each other very well before they even knew. I really liked Amelia! She was just the perfect sister for Hugh. Definitely recommend this one!

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sold to Bessie Dove-Lyon in lieu of her father’s gambling debts, Christiana finds herself wed to a badly scarred Duke who needs a wife to launch his sister in the marriage mart next season. Neither expect to start having feelings for the other, though there are some bumps along the way to their HEA.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

A scarred duke needing a wife to sponsor his sister during her season and a plain lady bluestocking, are joined together by Mrs. Dove-Lyon. Christina is just the lady to bring Hugh, the Duke of Somerset, into the light. Some humor and tears.
Descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from Netgalley.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the story. Mrs Dove-Lyon made a match between Christiana and Hugh that allowed each of them to obtain what they presently wanted and in the end they got more than either had dreamed. I loved Amelia and her take no prisoner attitude. It’s a good story that was well written and entertaining.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley and are voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable book to read. I liked the slow burn of their relationship. Christiana has a lot of courage even though she has a horrible father. Hugh struggles with his self worth while over compensating with his prideful spirit. Their relationship is complex and slowly builds to something deep. It is a great addition to the series!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great slow burn romance between a lady who has to repay her father's debts and a scarred duke. I loved how their relationship evolved over time and with some help from some meddlers. This was a lovely and charming regency romance. I enjoyed reading this story and it was a great addition to this series.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two of my favorite tropes (marriage of convenience and scarred hero). I am a sucker for a scarred hero. This slow burn romance was so sweet and touching and heart breaking and I enjoyed every minute of reading it.

[AmazingJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wonderful, Entertaining & Romantic Story.

This Story was  Wonderful & Entertaining. A hero who

Marcia (Marsh) & Maxwell (Hawk) were wonderful & Delightful characters.

I am looking forward to reading "Her Tempting Traitor" in the next book in this series.

[Rebekah Carulli Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome!

This is the first book I’ve read by Terri and I can honestly say that I will look forward to reading more by her!
What an affirmation of love when two imperfectly perfect people find each other!