What do you think?
Rate this book
Proper Scoundrels
Eight hundred pages of historical romance from five best-selling authors.
Shattered Dreams by Laura Landon
Brentan Montgomery, Earl of Charfield has one love - his stable of Arabian horses. When he’s offered breeding rights to the Marquess of Fellingsdown’s prize Arabian if he acts as companion to Fellingsdown’s sister, he doesn’t care if the reclusive Lady Elyssa has three chins and a dozen hairy moles. The prize is worth anything he has to endure. But when he meets the elusive Lady Elyssa Prescott, all thoughts of gaining a prize Arabian colt disappear. He realizes he’s met the woman of his dreams - if he can keep her from discovering his deceit and convince her that her imperfections don’t matter to him.
Lady Elyssa Prescott knows what it’s like to be ridiculed and shunned. But when Brent Montgomery lets her glimpse a world where her limitations aren’t important, she believes it’s possible for her dreams to become a reality. Until she discovers the man with whom she’s fallen in love was ‘hired’ to offer her everything she’s dreamed of having.
The cruel reality of a love built on deceit shatters both their dreams and threatens to destroy their lives forever.
Wagers Gone Awry by Collette Cameron
Brooke Culpepper resigned herself to spinsterhood when she turned down the only marriage proposal she'd likely ever receive to care for her family. After her father dies, a distant cousin inherits the estate and becomes their guardian but permits Brooke to act in his stead.
Heath, Earl of Ravensdale is none-too-pleased to discover five young women call the dairy farm he won and intends to sell, their home. Desperate, pauper poor, and with nowhere to go, Brooke proposes a wager. His stakes? The farm. Hers? Her virtue.
Brooke loses, and her devastation is compounded when the cousin arrives, intending to haul the Culpepper misses off to London. Heath astounds himself and proposes in order to apply for guardianship of the other girls. Does Brooke dare marry the handsome stranger who'd been bent on compromising her? Will Heath regret his impulsive gesture, or will unexpected love flourish?
Lord Ruthven's Bride by Tarah Scott
Love is always sweetest the first time around…
A harmless attraction leads to a friendship that forces Lady Annabelle to choose between the two men who love her. One saved her from a killer. The other is her future husband.
James Waterson, newly titled Viscount Ruthven, is hunting a killer. When Lady Annabelle steps into the killer’s sights, James will do everything in his power to protect her. Even if that means letting her go.
The Most Unlikely Lady by Barbara Devlin
Book Three in the Brethren of the Coast Series.
Woo a young lady with a fishing rod and a bucket of worms? Oh-so dashing--but untitled--Everett Markham seeks a bride, and he has charged the field of Miss Sabrina Douglas, a woman who prefers trout to truffles.
Unabashed and unapologetic, Sabrina sets her cap for a second son, one who will smile patiently when he comes home to find she's misplaced their children. But marriage changes her in ways she never imagined, as the awkward debutante surrenders to a very real, very womanly, all-consuming love.
An irresistibly handsome English rogue, Everett plots his future with ruthless detail, but his future wife is anything but predictable, resulting in the zaniest courtship London society has ever seen. When a family tragedy upends his life on his wedding day, he must chart a slippery course with his most unlikely lady--as the new Earl and Countess of Woverton.
Loving the Hawke by Lana Williams
Two wounded souls, a wallflower and a war hero, stumble upon each other time and again in slums and ballrooms, realizing they fight a common cause and share an unbridled passion. Will the curse they fight be their downfall? Or will love win the day?
Shattered Dreams by Laura Landon
Brentan Montgomery, Earl of Charfield has one love - his stable of Arabian horses. When he’s offered breeding rights to the Marquess of Fellingsdown’s prize Arabian if he acts as companion to Fellingsdown’s sister, he doesn’t care if the reclusive Lady Elyssa has three chins and a dozen hairy moles. The prize is worth anything he has to endure. But when he meets the elusive Lady Elyssa Prescott, all thoughts of gaining a prize Arabian colt disappear. He realizes he’s met the woman of his dreams - if he can keep her from discovering his deceit and convince her that her imperfections don’t matter to him.
Lady Elyssa Prescott knows what it’s like to be ridiculed and shunned. But when Brent Montgomery lets her glimpse a world where her limitations aren’t important, she believes it’s possible for her dreams to become a reality. Until she discovers the man with whom she’s fallen in love was ‘hired’ to offer her everything she’s dreamed of having.
The cruel reality of a love built on deceit shatters both their dreams and threatens to destroy their lives forever.
Wagers Gone Awry by Collette Cameron
Brooke Culpepper resigned herself to spinsterhood when she turned down the only marriage proposal she'd likely ever receive to care for her family. After her father dies, a distant cousin inherits the estate and becomes their guardian but permits Brooke to act in his stead.
Heath, Earl of Ravensdale is none-too-pleased to discover five young women call the dairy farm he won and intends to sell, their home. Desperate, pauper poor, and with nowhere to go, Brooke proposes a wager. His stakes? The farm. Hers? Her virtue.
Brooke loses, and her devastation is compounded when the cousin arrives, intending to haul the Culpepper misses off to London. Heath astounds himself and proposes in order to apply for guardianship of the other girls. Does Brooke dare marry the handsome stranger who'd been bent on compromising her? Will Heath regret his impulsive gesture, or will unexpected love flourish?
Lord Ruthven's Bride by Tarah Scott
Love is always sweetest the first time around…
A harmless attraction leads to a friendship that forces Lady Annabelle to choose between the two men who love her. One saved her from a killer. The other is her future husband.
James Waterson, newly titled Viscount Ruthven, is hunting a killer. When Lady Annabelle steps into the killer’s sights, James will do everything in his power to protect her. Even if that means letting her go.
The Most Unlikely Lady by Barbara Devlin
Book Three in the Brethren of the Coast Series.
Woo a young lady with a fishing rod and a bucket of worms? Oh-so dashing--but untitled--Everett Markham seeks a bride, and he has charged the field of Miss Sabrina Douglas, a woman who prefers trout to truffles.
Unabashed and unapologetic, Sabrina sets her cap for a second son, one who will smile patiently when he comes home to find she's misplaced their children. But marriage changes her in ways she never imagined, as the awkward debutante surrenders to a very real, very womanly, all-consuming love.
An irresistibly handsome English rogue, Everett plots his future with ruthless detail, but his future wife is anything but predictable, resulting in the zaniest courtship London society has ever seen. When a family tragedy upends his life on his wedding day, he must chart a slippery course with his most unlikely lady--as the new Earl and Countess of Woverton.
Loving the Hawke by Lana Williams
Two wounded souls, a wallflower and a war hero, stumble upon each other time and again in slums and ballrooms, realizing they fight a common cause and share an unbridled passion. Will the curse they fight be their downfall? Or will love win the day?
1119 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 11, 2016
66 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Laura Landon
67 books368 followersLaura Landon taught high school for ten years before leaving the classroom to open her own ice-cream shop. As much as she loved serving up sundaes and malts from behind the counter, she closed up shop after penning her first novel. Now she spends nearly every waking minute writing, guiding her heroes and heroines to find their happily ever afters.
She is the author of more than a dozen historical novels, including SILENT REVENGE, INTIMATE DECEPTION, and her newest Montlake Romance release, INTIMATE SURRENDER.
Her books are enjoyed by readers around the world and you can find out more about her by visiting her website at www.lauralandon.com
She is the author of more than a dozen historical novels, including SILENT REVENGE, INTIMATE DECEPTION, and her newest Montlake Romance release, INTIMATE SURRENDER.
Her books are enjoyed by readers around the world and you can find out more about her by visiting her website at www.lauralandon.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 29, 2016
I love all of Lana Williams' books, and Loving the Hawke was no exception. We met Nathaniel at the end of Trusting the Wolfe and in this story he's recently left the military and doing his best to adjust to life back home. But the wounded hero meets his match in Lettie. Great sexual tension, a page turning mystery, a terrible bad guy, and wounded characters--this story has it all. I can't wait for more books in The Seven Curses of London series. Getting to read other books by 4 amazing historical romance authors who are new to me is a major bonus and I can't wait to dig in to the rest of them.
February 23, 2017
Shattered dreams: 5 stars. Laura Landon is one of my favorite regency romance author. In this story, the heroine had an accident and residual problems with her leg which gives her a strong limp. The hero does not care and just sees a beautiful and courageous woman who shares his passion about horses. Great story with heart.
Wagers gone awry: 4.5 stars. common theme of dirt poor heroine who takes care of her sister and cousins. Hero is powerful and rich but had an unhappy childhood that leaves him not believing in love. Very nice story. I will read the follow up book about Blythe.
The most unlikely lady: 2 stars. Silly book with a hero and heroine who lack self confidence and think they are not worth the love of the other: from one miss understanding to the next. They are also not true to character many times, with a supposedly spunky heroine swooning for example. Dragged on for me.
Lord Ruthven's Bride: 4 stars. Short but sweet story of an engaged woman who falls in love with another, more humble man. Her fiancé is a very nice, proper man who loves her and she also thought that she loved him until she met this impoverished, young new lord. There is some danger and secret plot along the way. A short read but enjoyable.
Loving the Hawke: 4.5 stars. Nice story of a wallflower basically on the shelf who is being taken advantage of by her family to help with everything. The hero is a war hero who limps from an injury in the army that got him discharged. He is a second son and has been brought up by his father making him believe that being the spare makes him worthless. Both are trying to make a difference for the poor of London. They fall in love but each has to learn their worth before fully loving each other.
Wagers gone awry: 4.5 stars. common theme of dirt poor heroine who takes care of her sister and cousins. Hero is powerful and rich but had an unhappy childhood that leaves him not believing in love. Very nice story. I will read the follow up book about Blythe.
The most unlikely lady: 2 stars. Silly book with a hero and heroine who lack self confidence and think they are not worth the love of the other: from one miss understanding to the next. They are also not true to character many times, with a supposedly spunky heroine swooning for example. Dragged on for me.
Lord Ruthven's Bride: 4 stars. Short but sweet story of an engaged woman who falls in love with another, more humble man. Her fiancé is a very nice, proper man who loves her and she also thought that she loved him until she met this impoverished, young new lord. There is some danger and secret plot along the way. A short read but enjoyable.
Loving the Hawke: 4.5 stars. Nice story of a wallflower basically on the shelf who is being taken advantage of by her family to help with everything. The hero is a war hero who limps from an injury in the army that got him discharged. He is a second son and has been brought up by his father making him believe that being the spare makes him worthless. Both are trying to make a difference for the poor of London. They fall in love but each has to learn their worth before fully loving each other.
August 11, 2016
Great reading
This is a collection of full length books of historical romance and a little mystery. I enjoyed reading them and will look for other books by these authors. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical romance. Although there were some editing issues, there was only one in which it was overly noticeable, but the stories made it worth enduring.
This is a collection of full length books of historical romance and a little mystery. I enjoyed reading them and will look for other books by these authors. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical romance. Although there were some editing issues, there was only one in which it was overly noticeable, but the stories made it worth enduring.
August 27, 2016
Proper Scoundrels
I thoroughly enjoyed this book which contains 5 different stories by Regency authors. I am going to review each one on its own. The stories are: Shattered Dreams by Laura Landon; Wagers Gone Awry by Collette Cameron; The Most Unlikely Lady by Barbara Devlin; Lord Ruthven's Bride by Tarah Scott; and Loving the Hawke by Lana Williams.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book which contains 5 different stories by Regency authors. I am going to review each one on its own. The stories are: Shattered Dreams by Laura Landon; Wagers Gone Awry by Collette Cameron; The Most Unlikely Lady by Barbara Devlin; Lord Ruthven's Bride by Tarah Scott; and Loving the Hawke by Lana Williams.
October 30, 2016
Gripping stories, hard to put down
It's one of the best set of stories I have read, with twist and turns has you gripped from first story to the last, very good read
It's one of the best set of stories I have read, with twist and turns has you gripped from first story to the last, very good read
Read
September 9, 2016Wagers Gone Awry by Collette Cameron
The Misses Culpepper...sisters & cousins who live on the dairy farm that was owned by the father of the oldest Miss Culpepper & her sister. Upon the father's death the farm is inherited by a distant relative who becomes their guardian. This guardian has no use for the girls or the farm & "allows" them to live there with Brooke, the oldest, in charge & their only allowance being half of what the dairy brings in (which isn't much).
Brooke Culpepper, the oldest of the Culpepper misses, loves running the household & the farm. She doesn't like the fact that females cannot inherit property & she is at the mercy of a distant relative. Thankfully, he doesn't want anything to do with the farm or the girls which allows them to live somewhat in peace. Well, except for the fact that they barely have enough money to live on. Each of the girls does something to supplement their income, sewing, music lessons, etc and their loyal servants continue to work for them without pay.
Heath, the Earl of Ravensdale, a confirmed rogue wins a dairy farm in a game of cards. Not something a man about town has any real interest in so he decides he will check the property out & put it up for sale. After traveling to the farm in horrendous weather he is none to happy when he arrives & finds 5 women living there.
An old dog, undeniable attraction & a series of loyal servants "trying" to help, an improper proposal & wagers going the wrong way can this couple find a happily ever after? Will the winner of the bet hold true to their end of the bargain?
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review....I absolutely LOVED this book!!! Collette Cameron has the unique ability to put you in the characters shoes. She makes excellent use of first person...especially with the little "thoughts" each character has (these cracked me up!). Along with the wager between Brooke & Heath that involves Freddy, the dog, had me laughing & yelling out loud. She also sets up the next story with the some of the secondary characters & it's going to be explosive. Anxiously waiting for the next story!
Shattered Dreams by Laura Landon
A terrible accident has left Lady Elyssa Prescott knowing what she can and cannot do. That knowledge has also shown her that she will forever be a spinster; a fact she is now content with. If only her family would believe her. When good intentions go wrong Elyssa is forced to participate in select party functions; something she dreads doing for fear of being made fun of. When a handsome rake pays particular attention to her, with showing her pity, she gets a look into what she is missing her in life. Taking full advantage to make memories once the party is over she vows not to lose her heart in the process.
On one hand, Brentan Montgomery, Earl of Charfield, can obtain a coveted Arabian foal from the Marquess of Fellingsdown; on the other – he must pay particular to Fellingsdown’s unattached sister. His desire for the colt outweighs the possibility that Fellingsdown’s sister is a horrendous looking, foul tempered female. What he’s not prepared for is the feisty, determined and beautiful woman he encounters.
From the moment of their first meeting to the moment when Brent realizes exactly who he is to pay court to you can feel the fireworks building. As the days pass and they spend more time in each other’s company one fights to keep from falling in love while enjoying their time together and the other soon realizes exactly what they covet. Can they survive when the truth comes out?
Laura Landon writes a beautiful and exciting tale of how greed can turn into something different and what a family will do for one they love.
At the onset Ms. Landon does something I’ve never seen done before – she introduces a secondary storm (hero and heroine) that proves to be just as exciting as the main characters. All WITHOUT taking away from Brent and Elly. This was one story that had me bawling throughout and at the end with a feeling of “ahhh”.
I’m definitely adding more of her books to my “to be read” list and look forward to reading another.
The Misses Culpepper...sisters & cousins who live on the dairy farm that was owned by the father of the oldest Miss Culpepper & her sister. Upon the father's death the farm is inherited by a distant relative who becomes their guardian. This guardian has no use for the girls or the farm & "allows" them to live there with Brooke, the oldest, in charge & their only allowance being half of what the dairy brings in (which isn't much).
Brooke Culpepper, the oldest of the Culpepper misses, loves running the household & the farm. She doesn't like the fact that females cannot inherit property & she is at the mercy of a distant relative. Thankfully, he doesn't want anything to do with the farm or the girls which allows them to live somewhat in peace. Well, except for the fact that they barely have enough money to live on. Each of the girls does something to supplement their income, sewing, music lessons, etc and their loyal servants continue to work for them without pay.
Heath, the Earl of Ravensdale, a confirmed rogue wins a dairy farm in a game of cards. Not something a man about town has any real interest in so he decides he will check the property out & put it up for sale. After traveling to the farm in horrendous weather he is none to happy when he arrives & finds 5 women living there.
An old dog, undeniable attraction & a series of loyal servants "trying" to help, an improper proposal & wagers going the wrong way can this couple find a happily ever after? Will the winner of the bet hold true to their end of the bargain?
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review....I absolutely LOVED this book!!! Collette Cameron has the unique ability to put you in the characters shoes. She makes excellent use of first person...especially with the little "thoughts" each character has (these cracked me up!). Along with the wager between Brooke & Heath that involves Freddy, the dog, had me laughing & yelling out loud. She also sets up the next story with the some of the secondary characters & it's going to be explosive. Anxiously waiting for the next story!
Shattered Dreams by Laura Landon
A terrible accident has left Lady Elyssa Prescott knowing what she can and cannot do. That knowledge has also shown her that she will forever be a spinster; a fact she is now content with. If only her family would believe her. When good intentions go wrong Elyssa is forced to participate in select party functions; something she dreads doing for fear of being made fun of. When a handsome rake pays particular attention to her, with showing her pity, she gets a look into what she is missing her in life. Taking full advantage to make memories once the party is over she vows not to lose her heart in the process.
On one hand, Brentan Montgomery, Earl of Charfield, can obtain a coveted Arabian foal from the Marquess of Fellingsdown; on the other – he must pay particular to Fellingsdown’s unattached sister. His desire for the colt outweighs the possibility that Fellingsdown’s sister is a horrendous looking, foul tempered female. What he’s not prepared for is the feisty, determined and beautiful woman he encounters.
From the moment of their first meeting to the moment when Brent realizes exactly who he is to pay court to you can feel the fireworks building. As the days pass and they spend more time in each other’s company one fights to keep from falling in love while enjoying their time together and the other soon realizes exactly what they covet. Can they survive when the truth comes out?
Laura Landon writes a beautiful and exciting tale of how greed can turn into something different and what a family will do for one they love.
At the onset Ms. Landon does something I’ve never seen done before – she introduces a secondary storm (hero and heroine) that proves to be just as exciting as the main characters. All WITHOUT taking away from Brent and Elly. This was one story that had me bawling throughout and at the end with a feeling of “ahhh”.
I’m definitely adding more of her books to my “to be read” list and look forward to reading another.
Read
September 15, 2016Shattered Dreams by Laura Landon
This is a predictable Historical Romance but truly delightful. Besides the angsty romance of Elly and Brent we also get to see Harrison, the Duke of Fellingsdown, rekindle his romance with Cassie. But the main romance goes to Brent who is a known rake and Elly who has a severe limp from a childhood accident. Their initial courtship is sweet, heartwarming and totally romantic until Elly finds out about Brent being hired to pay attention to her. There is violent danger that erupts and causes injury to a main character.
I totally enjoyed reading this novel. It was a sweet escape into a world of the Victorian house party. I turned pages to find out what would become of Elly and Brent and the horrific violence that nearly killed one.
Review appers on my blog:
http://ladeetdareads.wordpress.com
Brooke: Wagers Gone Awry by Colette Cameron
This being my first read of a novel by Colette Cameron I was pleasantly surprised to find another author to enjoy with a strong back list. The story is outlined above so I won’t go into a repeat. Heath is a true hero with a caring heart and Brooke is a feisty woman who will do whatever it takes to protect and care for her family. I enjoyed both of these characters and the side characters of Brooke’s sister and cousins are well realized, as well as Heath’s friends Tristan and Hawke. I look forward to reading more in this series with book #2, Blythe now available.
review also found on my blog:
http://ladeetdareads.wordpress.com
This is a predictable Historical Romance but truly delightful. Besides the angsty romance of Elly and Brent we also get to see Harrison, the Duke of Fellingsdown, rekindle his romance with Cassie. But the main romance goes to Brent who is a known rake and Elly who has a severe limp from a childhood accident. Their initial courtship is sweet, heartwarming and totally romantic until Elly finds out about Brent being hired to pay attention to her. There is violent danger that erupts and causes injury to a main character.
I totally enjoyed reading this novel. It was a sweet escape into a world of the Victorian house party. I turned pages to find out what would become of Elly and Brent and the horrific violence that nearly killed one.
Review appers on my blog:
http://ladeetdareads.wordpress.com
Brooke: Wagers Gone Awry by Colette Cameron
This being my first read of a novel by Colette Cameron I was pleasantly surprised to find another author to enjoy with a strong back list. The story is outlined above so I won’t go into a repeat. Heath is a true hero with a caring heart and Brooke is a feisty woman who will do whatever it takes to protect and care for her family. I enjoyed both of these characters and the side characters of Brooke’s sister and cousins are well realized, as well as Heath’s friends Tristan and Hawke. I look forward to reading more in this series with book #2, Blythe now available.
review also found on my blog:
http://ladeetdareads.wordpress.com
September 26, 2021
Shattered Dreams by Laura Landon
I re-read this story in January but am reading it again because I adore it so much! A disabled heroine, some good angst, and , which is a favorite plot device! (4 stars)
Wagers Gone Awry by Collette Cameron
Lord Ruthven's Bride by Tarah Scott
The Most Unlikely Lady by Barbara Devlin
Loving the Hawke by Lana Williams
A sweet, insecure spinster who occasionally acts TSTL. A dashing veteran hero with secrets and a painful family upbringing that makes him ridiculously insecure for pretty absurd reasons. A bit of mystery and action. Overall, played to my favored tropes well enough - I might check out more from the series. (3 stars)
I re-read this story in January but am reading it again because I adore it so much! A disabled heroine, some good angst, and , which is a favorite plot device! (4 stars)
Wagers Gone Awry by Collette Cameron
Lord Ruthven's Bride by Tarah Scott
The Most Unlikely Lady by Barbara Devlin
Loving the Hawke by Lana Williams
A sweet, insecure spinster who occasionally acts TSTL. A dashing veteran hero with secrets and a painful family upbringing that makes him ridiculously insecure for pretty absurd reasons. A bit of mystery and action. Overall, played to my favored tropes well enough - I might check out more from the series. (3 stars)
August 28, 2016
I enjoyed a few of the books and there were a few I thought were OK. I did review them as separate books. But it was good to have them all in one collection instead of trying to add them one by one to read.
December 5, 2016
These are great stories. I found a couple new authors. And devoured my favorite authors, like Collette Cameron. I highly recommend this book !
January 15, 2017
Mediocre
Felt like some parts were after thoughts while other parts were meaningless filler busters. While the end was rushed and lacked a finale.
Felt like some parts were after thoughts while other parts were meaningless filler busters. While the end was rushed and lacked a finale.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews