A Loving Scoundrel: A Malory Novel (7)

Malory-Anderson Families #7

by Johanna Lindsey

This “delightfully engaging” (RT Book Reviews) entry in New York Times bestselling author Johanna Lindsey’s Malory-Anderson Family series follows the son of a gentleman pirate as he falls in love with the streetwise young woman he hires as his maid.

When Danny, a young woman from the streets of London with no memory of her real family, helps handsome rakehell Jeremy Malory steal back the jewels his friend lost in a card game, she is kicked out of her gang. She demands Jeremy give her a legitimate job so she can become respectable. Intrigued by her beauty and spunk, Jeremy hires Danny as his upstairs maid, although he really wants her to be his mistress.

Under the tutelage of Jeremy and his cousin Regina, Danny blossoms into a lady. Although she is drawn to Jeremy by a passion she has never experienced before, she refuses to be anything more than a servant to him. But when she undergoes a Cinderella-like transformation and poses as Jeremy’s new love interest in an attempt to help him avert a scandal, his aristocratic peers can’t help but notice how familiar Danny looks. Now tongues are wagging, raising the question of her true identity, which threatens not only Danny’s chances of capturing Jeremy’s heart but also her very life.

Filled with Johanna Lindsey’s “signature blend of witty writing [and] charmingly unique characters” (Booklist), A Loving Scoundrel is a sparkling romance classic that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Regency Romance

448 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 27, 2004

About the author

Johanna Helen Howard was born on March 10, 1952 in Germany, where her father, Edwin Dennis Howard, a soldier in the U.S. Army was stationed. The family moved about a great deal when she was young. Her father always dreamed of retiring to Hawaii, and after he passed away in 1964 Johanna and her mother settled there to honor him.

In 1970, when she was still in school, she married Ralph Lindsey, becoming a young housewife. The marriage had three children; Alfred, Joseph and Garret, who already have made her a grandmother. After her husband's death, Johanna moved to Maine, New England, to stay near her family.

Johanna Lindsey wrote her first book, Captive Bride in 1977 "on a whim", and the book was a success. By 2006, with over 58 Million copies of her books have been sold worldwide, with translations appearing in 12 languages, Johanna Lindsey is one of the world's most popular authors of historical romance.

Johanna's books span the various eras of history, including books set in the Middle Ages, the American "Old West" and the popular Regency England-Scotland. She has even written a few sci-fi romances. By far the most popular among her books are the stories about the Malory-Anderson Family, a Regency England saga.

Johanna Lindsey died on Oct. 27, 2019 in Nashua, N.H. She was 67.

Reviews

[NiCoLeTa E. {Addicted To Books} · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another one lovely and adventurous story from the Mallory family!!!


This family had managed to climb upon my heart and i don't get enough of their adventures!!!!
I'm having such a wonderful time with their company...

This time was Jeremy's turn who in this book is 25 years old... God, he grew up very well!!!
We had met him on the second book and he was just 16, so i'm feeling exciting for his turn!!!
And in the equation of this crazy bunch was added Danny...


Jeremy Mallory had an adventurous life since he was a child... He had tasted life in every form and at this point, he is one noble young man who's living his life reckless...

He adores the female company very much and he is determined to live like a bachelor for a very long time...
But everything are changing when he is deciding to go to the worst part of the city to find someone to steal something for him... and then, he is meeting Danny.


Danny is a young woman who is pretending the boy for almost 15years now... When she was very young, she found herself in a strange situation and her memory was lost...
Now, she is living as a boy and she is stealing for living... But she has other plans for her life...

And then one day, two noble young men are forcing her to do something that she doesn't want and everything is changing...
Her whole life is changing, since she was forced to leave behind the life that she knew and she turned toward Jeremy to help her by offering her a job as a maid in his house... And a new chapter is starting for her!!!


Jeremy from the first moment was charmed by Danny and he wanted to make her his, but Danny was resisting, even though that she was feeling the same...

But she had some goals and a woman like her needed to stay focused...
But Jeremy doesn't give up and he is determined to win her heart... and as Danny is revealing her true nature, it's very hard from Jeremy to keep his hands away from her...


Will Danny resist to Jeremy's charm??? And for how long???
Will Jeremy start to rethink his ways in life because of her???
Do they have a chance to be together???

What Danny can't remember??? And who is after her???
And what about the young debitant that wants to earn Jeremy from herself???

I liked very much Jeremy and Danny...

Jeremy was cute and charming... He was an interesting man with high sense of humor and lovely ways... How could you resist to this guy???
Danny had captivate his interest from the first moment and she managed to crept upon his heart...

As for Danny... She was tough and lovely at the same time!!! She was acting as a boy for such a long time that she forgot how to be a woman, but near to Jeremy her sensuality and beauty bloom and she transformed to a gorgeous and wonderful woman...
But she still had her doubts about Jeremy... and she was afraid of her feelings!!!


For once again, i over-enjoyed the presence of the rest of the Mallorys...

They are always so crazy and wonderful!!! And if they weren't in this book, i would be very disappointed, but thank God, they were inside and that was delightful!!!

And now, I'm curious for the next story, even though that it will have to do with the Andersons!!!

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 brilliant stars!



I adore Pygmalion themed romances and I adored this one! The Malory family is the best family in historical romances ever!

When Danny is five, she wakes up in an alley, bleeding with no memory. Her companion dies short thereafter and she is adopted by Lucy who teaches her to dress like a boy and talk like a street urchin. Danny pretends for fifteen years, until she walks into a trap set by Jeremy Mallory to find a thief to do their bidding. He immediately realize that she is a woman - and the attraction is instant!



This book had absolutely everything! It is smart, funny, charming, well written, engaging, heartwarming, clever and absolutely wonderful. All the side characters from the previous books are absolutely adorable. The transition from Danny on the street to Danny who plays a lady to help Jeremy escape a husband-hunting wench is wonderful. Reggie is as adorable as ever. Danny is a wonderful, sane heroine. Jeremy is crazy over-the-top hot and I've loved him from the first sight of him in book 3. And the mystery is well executed and the ending perfectly sweet.

If you haven't discovered this wonderful series, then you are seriously missing out. Go, go, start from the beginning. You will fall in love with the Mallory family as well!

[Samantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. I'm not sure why I keep reading Lindsey, other that the fact that I know that the declarations of love alone won't make me gag. I consistently find her plots formulaic, and her constant repetition of the same tropes in each of her successive Malory novels wore thin for me after the first one.

The idea of Danny, a pickpocket girl who pretends to be a boy to attract less notice and avoid prostitution, was interesting, I suppose, but I am SO TIRED of the smug, domineering male deciding to tame the hoydenish woman and succeeding. Not only are the men always right and always in control, when the women try to take control, they are either regarded fondly as harmless but pretty eccentrics allowed to run to the end of a suspiciously short leash held by the husband, or they are reined in and made to realize that their rebellion is merely an outlet for all their pent-up sexual energy. Yuck.

If I come across another available Lindsey novel, I will remember to rein myself in to avoid a nauseating perpetuation of gender roles and hackneyed stereotypes.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

In A Loving Scoundrel we have a young woman, Danny, who grew up on the streets, learning how to pick pockets and steal to survive. She has no memory of her life before she was found and integrated into a gang of pickpockets and thieves. Having no choice but to pose as a boy, in order to protect herself, so that she doesn't have to work at a whorehouse, she has cultivated a excellent talent in thievery and pickpocketing, however deep inside she aches for a stable future and a husband and children. Then Jeremy Malory interrupts her life, and turns her reality up side down. After a certain chain of events occur, where she is then kicked out of the gang she has lived most of her life in, she knows her only recourse is to go to Jeremy and demand compensation for what his actions has done to her life. She knows that in this process she will have to learn to act like who she really is, a woman both beautiful and courageous inside and out. Jeremy Malory, a lover of woman abroad, has certainly met his match in Danny who is truly unlike any other woman he has ever met. Despite the fact that she has such a unique beauty that takes his breath away, he knows that he must go about to seduce her into his bed, despite the fact that she thinks like a man and throws punches like one, but that only encourages him in his effort. When Danny goes through a transformation to help Jeremy avoid scandal, she is turned into a Cinderella and both Jeremy and Danny are shown the pathway of true love that will change their lives in ways neither of them expected.

A Loving Scoundrel is by far one of my favorites of this series, Jeremy is definitely a rascal and rake just like his rakehell of a father, however he also has a gentleness side of him that the reader gets to see. There is a intensity about the relationship between Jeremy and Danny. Danny has had to learn to survive on the streets of London, but now she is grown up and wants more from her life than thievery to survive. When she starts working for Jeremy as a maid hoping to have a respectable life, and starts thinking about goals which include marriage and children, then never expecting trying to find someone that takes her breath away and steals his way into her heart, which she has kept closed off until she meets Jeremy, but what she never expects is that her life is put in danger when she raises question about her past that she has no memory of, but with Jeremy on her side, they will both be tested of their feeling that they have for one another. I truly loved this story, it sweeps the reader off their feet and into a romantic world of passion, adventure of intrigue that is portrayed in a way that will leave you with a smile at the end. So if you love historical romance and Johanna Lindsey you will fall in love with Jeremy's story, GUARANTEED!!!

[Estara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, I quite used to like the Mallory books and I still have a lot of them on my shelves. I especially liked Jeremy in the various supporting roles he had in the previous books - but this time I read about 150 pages and it's all family reunion when there is talk.

The most exciting bits are the early childhood of Danny and the heist that she, Jeremy and Percy pull off. And then Jeremy falls into instant lust with her. And Danny when thrown out of the gang, doesn't want money from Jeremy as a recompense for getting her into hot water - oh no, she wants a JOB! She still wants a job even when it's clear Jeremy couldn't care less for her aspirations as long as he gets her into bed.

And so, after a lovely Cinderella evening with lots of glasses of champagne, even though Danny says no and is inebriated - he does a little bit of date rape.

And Danny thinks: oh well, he told me he lusted after me so I can't blame him. And I also can't blame the champagne because I lusted after him a bit, too - so it's alright he took me without consent, after all he's so sexy and I enjoyed it at the end. I'll just put my dreams of a real job, a real husband and children on hold for a month.

WTF!!

And then she comes up with an idea of derailing a lying reigning beauty who absolutely wants to marry Jeremy with a trick of having three strangers claiming she slept with them, yay!!!!! And because they can't find three willing liars who would keep their mouth shut within the ton - Danny has the idea of using actors ... because OF COURSE the ton will believe three strange men when they accuse a well-known beauty of having slept with them...

And that's where I decided not to finish this book.

[Emma Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gentle Rogue is one of my favorite historical romances. Scoundrel is the story of James' son, Jeremy. Although, it was not as sharp and witty as its predecessor, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read! It's certainly not emotional rocket science, but Lindsey's Malory Series is always good for a sexy, quick, fun time read.

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found A Loving Scoundrel at the library and quickly proceeded to check this one out too. I started this one Sunday morning and finished it late, and I do mean late, Sunday night (say around 3 am). This reminded me of many a time in my past where I stayed up far too late reading and re-reading the latest Johanna Lindsey novel. Jeremy Malory continues the tradition of thoroughly, mild-numbingly hot heroes. He would definitely be hard to resist if I was Danny, his amazing, enjoyable heroine. This book did have the rakish element that I don't always enjoy but the thing that made the book sing for me was that Danny played the game by her own rules. Sure Jeremy wanted an affair with her, and after resisting his advances at first and failing, she decides to enjoy their time together and move on. And she refuses to be his mistress. That saved the book for me because I really really don't like mistress books. Danny is probably one of the best, most interesting heroines I have encountered in my years of romance novel reading. She is very philosophical about life, doesn't shed unnecessary tears, and does what has to be done. She is a survivor with the character that hardship brings to a person. And the icing on the cake is that she doesn't take crap from her hero. When he deserves a punch in the face she gives him one. Jeremy fell hard for her and I must say that I did too. She's up there with Cristabel Gaines from Lawless in my book. Jeremy continues the tradition of rakish Malory males very well, and I found it interesting how his rakish ways were tolerated and condoned by his family. On a philosophical level, I felt like there was perhaps a commentary made by JL about women and their status in society. A woman with the protection of a man is respected and her innocence is preserved and cherished. But Danny doesn't have family and no protection so she is considered fair game by the Malories (as Jeremy's mistress). As a matter of fact, she is forced to dress as a boy for fifteen years to avoid becoming a prostitute in her live on the streets of London. I wasn't terribly happy about that attitude but I suppose it's realistic for the time period and even today in some ways. I felt that despite the fact that she was a maid in his household she shouldn't have been thought of as a "prime piece" who could be used and thrown away. The Malory men seem to have very sexist attitudes towards women: those which can be used and those who should be protected. It was interesting and somewhat annoying to me but nevertheless it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book, probably because when Jeremy came to fall in love with Danny he was willing to do everything and anything for her protection and her love. I would say that Jeremy was probably my favorite Malory easily. As far as favorite Malory books, I'm still a fan of Love Only Once with Regina and Nicholas and The Magic of You with Warren and Amy, but this one's up there too. Which brings up a good point: I also enjoyed the appearance of the members of the Malory clan. It was a joy to reacquaint myself with them after so many years, and I haven't read those books in some time.

[Marilena ⚓ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Μην επαναλαμβάνομαι καθε φορά που διαβάζω βιβλίο των Μάλορι.
Απλά τους αγαπώ ❤

[Wendy, Lady Evelyn Quince · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once upon a time there was this romance author, Johanna Lindsey.

She began publishing in the late 70’s and from the 80’s through mid-90’s she was one of the Avon queens of historical romance. Sure you had Wooodiwss, who published one book every four years, and Rosemary Rogers, whose tawdry bodice ripping plots weren’t for the faint of heart. Then there was Johanna Lindsey. You could always guarantee a virgin heroine, a loyal, overbearing hero and a story that would have you either rolling your eyes at its stupidity or jumping in and enjoying the fun.

Now onto “A Loving Scoundrel.” What an awful disappointment this book was. Long time Lindsey readers know of her long-running Malory series, and that Jeremy is the son of James Malory, hero of “Gentle Rogue” I love James, his arrogance, his dry-wit, his perverse sense of humor and his refined British manners (especially when I imagine him as Sean Bean [sigh]). But that has nothing to do with this atrocity of a book.

Oh...the Malory magic is definitely gone. This is a 2 1/2 star only for James Malory and out of sentimental feelings for Johanna Lindsey. A long time ago she was my favorite romance writer. Malory novels “Gentle Rogue” and “The Magic of You” remain two of my favorite romances. But this book...it wasn't the most awful Lindsey, but it wasn't good by any means.

Jeremy was so interesting, so charming in the previous books; as a Lindsey lover, I anxiously awaited Jeremy's own story. And what a mess it is. Here he is: dull, has no personality, no charm, and all there is between him and Danny, the heroine, is lust (and a rather boring lust at that).

What an immature, needy little boy Jeremy was, always depending on his daddy to bail him out of trouble. Danny had no wit or spunk like Georgina, the heroine of “Gentle Rogue.” And as for that stupid twist at the end…uggh!

Hey JH, I know you looooove James Malory. If you want to write your next three books just about him & George, I'm fine with that. But since “The Magic of You” all of your Malory novels have been major disappointments. No alpha heroes, no witty heroines, just wimpy, omega males and dumb heroines who need rescuing (except for Gabby in “Captive of My Desires” who deserved a much better book than she got).

Ms. Lindsey, it's way past time to end the series. In fact, I hate to say this, but all your books for the past fifteen years have been terrible!

Sad, considering Lindsey's former catch phrase was "America Loves a Lindsey." Yes, her stories were simplistic, short, predictable, but they were fun! You could count on a great alpha hero, and a heroine who fought him when he was being a pig yet could make him reveal his tender side, and that wonderful love story that unfolded. I miss that Lindsey.

2 ½ very generous stars/ D+

[Sabrina Jeffries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I'm cheating here, and I don't like them all equally, but I do love the Mallory's. They're all funny. I especially liked Love Only Once (the first book), Gentle Rogue (my favorite), and The Magic of You (where the heroine chases the hero shamelessly).

[Ilze · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mixed feelings about this strange book. Very entertaining, certainly, and the character of the heroine Danny is unique and priceless, but ... Too many details and too much speech that are completely inappropriate for the supposed setting (post-Regency but pre-Victorian England). Too many parts of the plot that make very little sense (e.g. the girl who was so desperate to marry the hero that she started a rumour about being pregnant with his child???) and add very little to the book. Too many coincidences and too many pat happy endings. Too many annoying Malorys (my enjoyment of the book decreased as the number of Malorys that entered the plot increased).

My biggest gripe about the book, though, was the hero's tricking of the heroine into having sex with him. In many jurisdictions this would be a rape, pure and simple - the girl had said multiple times that she was not going to have sex with him, she was drunk, she was in his power, and he took advantage of the fact that she was very attracted to him. I couldn't recommend this book to a young and impressionable girl as an example of how sex and love work, because it is so very wrong about it.

[Seffra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

I haven't read a Johanna Lindsey book in a whileeeeee! I was so happy to jump into this one because I always said that I'd do just that only for something else to read and then Jeremy kept getting pushed back!

I loved Danny right off the bat and Jeremy was a charmer. I did not like how he kept trying to push Danny to sleep with him when she wanted to stay true to herself who just wanted to earn a living. I didn't appreciate that of Jeremy and his belittling of her and her dreams. And the drama was...well, just that, drama. I was curious about Danny's identity but I felt that it shrouded everything else.

I did love the writing because come on, Lindsey is so so so talented with her words.

[La Bruja Lectora (Tata) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reseña Completa https://labrujalectora1.blogspot.com/...

Este libro me ha encantado, es el segundo de la autora que leo y no tengo quejas, Danny es una niña sin recuerdos que creció en los suburbios de la ciudad de Londres , lo único que recuerda es que su niñera herida de muerte la metió en una caja para esconderla de su perseguidor, a lo días es por Lucy una joven prostituta perteneciente a una banda de niños de la calle, esta se hace cargo de la pequeña ocultándola de los ojos de todos vistiéndola como niño, asi Danny crece bajo la apariencia de un jovencito ratero de las calles de la ciudad, hasta que una noche se enfrenta a Jeremy Malory un noble quien la captura para perpetuar un robo especial.

Pero dicho robo sabe mal ya que ambos son descubiertos por la servidumbre del Lord, a duras penas logran escapar, pero como consecuencia Danny es rechazada por el jefe de la banda y echada a la calle por su aventura nocturna, sin tener donde quedarse y decidida hacer pagar al Jeremy por sus desgracias

[Raine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about the illegitimate son of James Malory, Jeremy, and a pickpocket, Danny, who for most of her life pretended to be a boy. Really good historical story. I really enjoyed seeing other Malorys from the previous books. The end made me cry a bit.

[Sera · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Malory family and have been waiting for Jeremy's story for a long time. I'm happy to say.......... I loved it! While not particularly earth shattering regarding plot, it made up for that in charm. I'm glad that Johanna kept the irrepressible spirit that earned Jeremy the title, "Scamp." She pairs him with an equally charming and equally irrepressible young lady by the name of Danny. Her introduction is funny and starts the ball rolling into what turns out to be a delightful story.

Danny and Jeremy are immediately attracted to each other, but Danny insists that she wants a, "respectable husband." Quite a change of a tune for a lady who has been masquerading as a man for the better part of her life. Jeremy installs her at his new home not as his mistress as he would wish, but as his maid. He is also going to teach her to talk 'correctly' without any of her street cant. Those who remember Jeremy and his own struggles with cant will find that funny. The sparks fly between our hero and heroine with Jeremy doing quite a bit of chasing and Danny doing quite a bit of evading, but really, what else do we expect from the son of James Malory? Who makes an appearance in the book, along with a few other Malorys. They all engage in the subplot where one of Jeremy's fangirls decides she's going to be the one who gets him and sets up the rumor mill that will force him to marry her. The ever resourceful Regan devises a way to show up the girl by introducing Danny as Jeremy's betrothed at a ball. This allows Danny to dress up and for Jeremy to show her off. He also uses the moment to get her drunk. *grins*

There is the standard plot of someone trying to kill the heroine and noone knows who or why. It turns out Danny has quite a past and her inability to remember is danger to her and everyone around her.

This is however, all second to the romance of Jeremy and Danny. A secret past, dead bodies, vengeful debutantes, silent would be assassins in the night, who cares?! It's the love, humor and charm that I was looking for when I picked up this book and it's here in spades. Johanna delivers in a delightful romp about that scoundrel Jeremy and she gives us a woman who is more than his equal in every way, who can stand up to him (literally) toe to toe. It's rare that I love the heroine of a hero I've been adoring for so long. Usually, they never quite measure up, but Danny exceeds expectations. She's neither bitter, TSTL, or annoying. She's charming, gracious, and good spirited, and quite frankly that's a relief. She could certainly be forgiven for any negatives, considering her life, but in a way it makes sense. Jeremy also had a rotten beginning and is good cheer personified. It's as if two kindred spirits found each other and realized how well they fit together. *sigh* I applaud Johanna Lindsey in writing a good book and delivering on a hero she's teased us with for a long time. Brava!

[Γιώτα Παπαδημακοπούλου · Rating 4 out of 5]

Έχοντας πηδήξει -προς το παρόν τουλάχιστον- το 6ο βιβλίο της σειράς, οι εκδόσεις Elxis μας προσφέρουν την 7η συνέχεια των ερωτικών περιπετειών της οικογένειας Μάλορι, με την προσοχή μας να στρέφεται αυτή τη φορά στον Τζέρεμι και την Ντάνι. Η δεύτερη, είναι ένα αγοροκόριτσο, ένα από τα πολλά χαμίνια του Λονδίνου, το οποίο ο πρώτος μαζεύει στο σπίτι του. Πρόθεσή του, να την κάνει υπηρέτριά του μα πάνω απ' όλα, να την κάνει ερωμένη του. Όμως η Ντάνι είναι κάτι περισσότερο από ένα αλητάκι. Είναι μια γυναίκα που ονειρεύεται με πάθος να γίνει σύζυγος κάποιοι και να ζήσει μια καθόλα αριστοκρατική ζωή. Και σταδιακά, αρχίζει να μετατρέπεται σε μια γοητευτική και θελκτική γυναίκα, μέρα με τη μέρα, πράγμα που δεν αφήνει τον Τζέρεμι ασυγκίνητο αλλά και τους γύρω τους, χωρίς ίχνος περιέργειας ν' ανακαλύψουν την πραγματική της ταυτότητα. Έχω την αίσθηση πως ο Τζέρεμι υπηρετεί πιο πιστά το προφίλ της οικογένειας Μάλορι, σε σχέση με άλλους χαρακτήρες, ενώ παράλληλα έχει όλα εκείνα τα στοιχεία που μπορούν να γοητεύσουν μια γυναίκα. Είναι λίγο μούτρο και λαμόγιο, έχει χιούμορ και ίσως αστειεύεται ακόμα και σε μη κατάλληλες στιγμές, ενώ, κατά βάθος, έχει μια καρδιά μάλαμα που είναι δύσκολο να σε αφήσει ασυγκίνητη. Από την άλλη, η Ντάνι δεν είναι από τα κλασσικά πρότυπα γυναίκας που συναντάμε σε τέτοιου είδους βιβλία, αποδεικνύοντας πως μια γυναίκα μπορεί να κρύβει την θηλυκότητα μέσα της και να την αξιοποιεί, όταν πρέπει και χρειάζεται, χωρίς όμως αυτό να αναιρεί πως μπορεί να έχει και μια πιο άγρια πλευρά. Ειδικά όταν τα έχεις δει και τα έχεις ζήσει όλα, ακόμα κι αν η ζωή σου αλλάξει, το παρελθόν σου δεν το ξεχνάς, όπως δεν ξεχνάς και τα βιώματα με τα οποία γαλουχήθηκες. Ωραία χημεία μεταξύ των πρωταγωνιστών, ίσως λίγη περισσότερη κωμικότητα στην αφήγηση απ' όσο θα ήθελα αλλά, κατά τ' άλλα, πρόκειται για ένα βιβλίο που σε χαλαρώνει και σε διασκεδάζει.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my most favorite books in the Malory series. Jeremy Malory has finally grown up and is living as a bachelor, following in the footsteps of his father and uncle who, before settling down, once held the reputations of being the most notorious rakes in London. Jeremy is gorgeous and the most desirable man in all of London, all debutantes want to shackle him as their husband. He steers clear of all the hungry ladies because he has no intention of marrying, ever, that is until he meets Danny.

Danny grew up living on the streets, disguised as a boy, and working as a thief since the age of 5 when she was found in a dumpster with a bruise on her head and no memory of who she was. One night Jeremy is out looking for a thief to do some work for him when he runs into Danny. It’s obvious to him that Danny is a lady and he is so captivated by her beauty. Danny ends up in need of a job and Jeremy hires her as his maid but he just can’t keep is hands and eyes off of her. He is determined to get Danny in his bed and make her his mistress.

Danny has plans of her own to turn her life around, find a husband and start a family so she'll never agree to be anyone's mistress. She knows very well Jeremy Malory would never be the man for her but it doesn’t stop her from enjoying her intimate affair with him. When Danny falls in love with Jeremy she leaves him because she knows he’d never marry her. In the end Jeremy realizes he can’t live without Danny and he no longer wants to live his life as a bachelor. Not only does Danny’s dream of finding love and having a family come true but she also finds out who she really is and finds the mother, who though all these years that Danny was dead.

Such a great story!

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the first of the Malory series that I read and it will likely be the last. I doubt I'll read anything else by this writer either. I liked the premise, but it was so poorly written & researched that I found myself frequently irritated by what I was reading. The historical period was, at best, only vaguely defined. The characters used phrases that were not current before the 20th century, and I lost count of all the anachronistic Americanisms in their speech. They also behaved in ways that didn't ring true for even the most unconventional people of the Regency period. I liked Danny at first, but then I found her & her oft-repeated "goals" annoying, and thought Jeremy was a jerk and a harrasser, and did not find his frat-boy "you know you want me" schtick remotely charming. It's probably only worth one star, but I'm giving it that second star because, despite my annoyance, I remained interested enough in the story to stick with it all the way to the end to find out what happened to Danny's family when she was a child and why.

[🐝 Shaz 🐝 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable story.
This couple were a good match. Having both grown up in the poorer areas of the country they were born in.
Jeremy Mallory and Danny meet while he is helping his friend get his rings back.
Danny is the thief who he gets to steal them back.
Old murder, and mystery.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. Jeremy Malory and Danny are such dynamic and vivid characters both beautiful but flawed with so much zeal for life. I love all the Malory and Anderson family and how they are always in the background watching this special couple. I purchased this book at a used book sale this year and it is one I’d read again.

Review I liked: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Malory Anderson Family Reading List

Book 1- Love Only Once ( Nicholas Eden and Regina Ashton)
Book 2-Tender Rebel (Anthony Malory and Roslynn Chadwick)
Book 3-Gentle Rogue (James Malory and Georgina Anderson)
Book 4-The Magic Of You (Amy Malory and Warren Anderson)
Book 5- Say You Love Me (Derek Malory and Kelsey Langton)
Book 6- The Present (Christopher Malory and Anastasia Stephanoff)
Book 7- A Loving Scoundrel (Jeremy Malory and Danette “Danny” Hilary)
Book 8-Captive Of My Desires (Drew Anderson and Gabrielle Brooks)
Book 9-No Choice But Seduction (Boyd Anderson and Katey Tyler)
Book 10-That Perfect Someone (Richard Allen and Julia Miller)
Book 11-Stormy Persuasion (Judith Malory and Nathan Tremayne)
Book 12-Beautiful Tempest (Jacqueline Malory)

Characters
Jason Malory
First appearance in Love Only Once
Head of the Malory Family. Age 45 and married (Marriage of convenience for the sake of his son).
Became responsible for the responsibilities of his title and family at age 16 when his and his siblings parents were killed.
Kept tabs on all his family members, so he was always aware of what they were getting into. Trouble or not.
A man of rigid principles and not to be trifled with
Known as the Third Marquis of Haverston

Derek Malory
Son of Jason Malory, the Marquis of Haverston.
First appearance in Love Only Once
Best friends with Jeremy Malory, Nicholas Eden and Percy.
Very charming and charismatic
His book is Say You Love Me
Refused to marry young, wanted to wait until he was at least thirty (Until he fell in love with his wife Kelsey)

Kelsey Langton
First appearance in Say You Love Me
Went to live with her Aunt and Uncle after “The Tragedy” (Parents died with a scandal)
Suffered from Insomnia after her parents were killed
Close to her sister Jean and very protective and was willing to sell herself as a mistress, to save her sister and her chances at a good future.
Innocent and tended to blush often

Jean Langton
Sister to Kelsey Langton

Elizabeth Langton
Aunt to Kelsey Langton
Sweet and kind, welcomed her nieces into her home with open arms, and treated her nieces like her own children.
Frowned on drinking especially restricting the amount of alcohol her husband could consume in her home.
Married for love, but never was given the chance to have children of her own.

Elliot Langton (Uncle)
Uncle to Kelsey Langton
Tended to gamble and had high debts
Worked in Trade
Considered to be homely, but lucky enough to marry a woman who was beautiful and loved him.
Lost his job when Kelsey and Jean came to live with them, and compelled his niece to save their finances in a less than respectable way by selling herself as a mistress.

[daemyra, the realm's delight · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Loving Scoundrel, the 7th instalment of Johanna Lindsey’s Malory-Anderson Families, is a very cute read.

You might be surprised (I was) because the first chapter is dark and bloody but A Loving Scoundrel quickly turns into a caper. Jeremy sets up a trap for a thief so that he can help his friend recover his lost family jewels that was lost under shady pretexts while gambling with Lord Heddings.

Danny, orphaned at a young age and dressed up as a boy to avoid going into prostitution, walks into the trap. While she succeeds in recovering the jewels, she is, however, booted out of her den of thieves and orphans, when she returns from her unplanned heist. She decides to seek out Jeremy for reparations.

From there, the story is a bit of a romp. Jeremy hires her as part of his household. Jeremy tries to sleep with her. We take a pause in the scheduled programming for Jeremy to be extricated from the clutches of a smart but conniving debutante.

I think the title should have been A Lovable Scoundrel because Jeremy Malory constantly pawed at Danny but he wasn't very suave or dangerous about it. He was just a rascal and a scamp. He generally tried to get into her pants with about as much finesse as a fratboy - he actually pretended to be drunk in order to instigate a scene where Danny would have to carry him to his room.

Danny is also meant to be endearing. If you can't tell by the number of times she says the word "mate." She doesn’t want to be his mistress and is quite determined that whatever romantic entanglements they have end before she gets too involved since she has goals to have her own family.

I don’t know too much about the Malory-Anderson Families series but it appears this is a series too cute for its own good, with its ensemble cast that make frequent guest appearances. Not what I was expecting but twas an enjoyable read by Lindsey.

[yoli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ho boy, this is a GREAT example of how men and women are just different, ya know? Because she's all dressed as a boy but he just KNOWS by looking at her because of how she walks, because of her beauty, and because, well, when you've a giant manslut you know these things. And then there are other gender stereotypes turned into character traits here that make me want to smack this woman. Danny spends 15 years pretending to be a boy so that she won't be forced to prostitute--and we find out her big goal in life is to marry someone "respectable" and have lots of babies? Never mind the Jeremy is all "sleep with me, it'll be fun!" and she knows it's bad, resists, and then when they do and she gets upset he instantly knows how to make her feel better, to the point that she sets aside her goal temporarily because, well, tarnation he was right! That whole sex thing was a hoot! And really, that was the most redeeming thing about this novel: the sex. Oh, and the minor characters and the background mystery. But I was still twitching about the magic KNOWING thing from page 5 so you'll forgive me if those stars don't come back.

[Merce · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok. I was really annoyed with this book. Danny spends 15 years to avoid being a prostitute and has a goal to marry a respectable man and have a family. But then she throws it all out the window to roll in the hay with Jeremy because OMG, he is so fine. Really? I couldn't understand why she wasn't worried about not being a virgin anymore (for her respectable husband, you know) or getting pregnant. And he was a selfish, horny, creep because all he wanted to do was make her is mistress knowing she wanted more and once he took her no repsectable man would want her (according the times, of course).

It got two stars. Once for me staring the book and one for me finishing it. Blah!!!

[Atousa Karimi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I seriously don't get it why in most of the historical romances the heroine is so daft in front of the hero in an erotic encounter that she can't even think or move or decide for herself. This kind of lustful stupor is bloody damn annoying and it vehemently belittles and insults the heroine's non-existence character. I don't understand how a woman can have no regard what so ever for her self-esteem and self-respect and quite easily let a man do whatever he want with her and simultaneously humiliate her. 

[Janja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fresh and good...Danny is the best!

[Χρύσα Βασιλείου · Rating 4 out of 5]

Πραγματικά,αν υπάρχει ένα πράγμα για το οποίο δεν μπορείς να κατηγορήσεις την Lindsey,είναι πως επαναλαμβάνεται στα στόρυ της.

Για την "Καρδιά του πειρατή" η αλήθεια είναι πως θα έβαζα 3,5 αστεράκια αν είχα την επιλογή,κι όχι 4,αλλά πιστεύω πως πραγματικά τα αξίζει. Ο Τζέρεμι δεν ήταν ποτέ από τους πολύ αγαπημένους μου χαρακτήρες,περισσότερο τον θεωρούσα δευτεράντζα :Ρ και ήμουν επιφυλακτική ως προς το δικό του love story. Τελικά αναγκάστηκα να παραδεχτώ πως το διάβασα με πολύ ενδιαφέρον. Επίσης,παρόλο που εδώ δεν αναπτύχθηκαν παράλληλες "Μαλορικές" ιστορίες,μπορώ να πως πως η συγκεκριμένη πλοκή με κράτησε. Ιντριγκαδόρικη από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος της και με αρκετές δόσεις χημείας ανάμεσα στο ζευγάρι - δύο χαρακτήρες εκρηκτικοί,με διαφορετικές προσωπικότητες αλλά που τελικά ταίριαξαν σαν δύο μισά ενός όλου.

Πλέον πιστεύω πως η νεότερη γενιά των Μάλορι (ειδικά από το 5ο βιβλίο και μετά,μιας και το 4ο είναι μια κατηγορία από μόνο του #καρδούλες #Γουόρεν) δεν θα έχει ποτέ τη χημεία που είχαν οι 'μεγάλοι' στα πρώτα βιβλία. Νομίζω πως θα έχουμε την ευκαιρία να διαβάσουμε ξανά κάτι τόσο δυνατό,όσο η ιστορία του Άντονι και της Ρόσλιν,του Τζέιμς και της Τζορτζίνα ή ακόμα και της Ρετζίνα και του Νίκολας. Το σημαντικό όμως για μένα είναι να συνεχίσει η συγγραφέας να μας προσφέρει ποικιλία στα στόρυ της,κάτι διαφορετικό σε κάθε βιβλίο,κι ας μην είναι τόσο εξαιρετικό και "ουάου" όσο τα πρώτα της. Όσο λοιπόν η εκάστοτε ιστορία με κρατάει και με κάνει να...ξεζουμίζω το κάθε βιβλίο κι όχι να θέλω να το παρατήσω για απροσδιόριστο χρονικό διάστημα,όσο γελάω και παρασύρομαι από τις περιπέτειες της λατρεμένης οικογένειας και νιώθω να είμαι κομμάτι της κάθε φορά,θα συνεχίσω να χαρίζω 4αστερα και 5αστερα στα βιβλία της υπέροχης αυτής σειράς,που πραγματικά αξίζει το χρόνο και την αναγνωστική σας προσοχή. :)

[Bona Caballero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Estas enaguas resultan bastante entretenidas, a pesar de lo poco plausible que es lo que te cuentan. Eso sí, hay que dejar de lado la conciencia social, porque en algunas cosas suenan muy old skool, aunque se publicara en 2004.
Danny, una ladrona disfrazada de pilluelo, entra a trabajar como criada para Jeremy Malory. Ella solo quiere una vida decente y casarse con un tipo normal. Él es el típico aristócrata que no desea casarse y para quien toda mujer que no sea de su clase social es presa legítima.
Tópicos, aparte del cross-dressing, son: amnesia (Danny no se acuerda de quien era antes de entrar en la pandilla) y algo de make over (o cómo Danny se va refinando).
Crítica más amplia, en mi blog.

[Elia · Rating 4 out of 5]

¡Qué bonito! Sabía que Jeremy iba a ser un gran protagonista pero Danny lo ha superado. Hacen una pareja estupenda. Los dos son divertidos y apasionado. La trama, aunque es predecible, es entretenida, está bien estructurada y te pega a las páginas desde el primer momento. El final me resultó un poco soso para una historia desarrollada como esta, pero aún así se merece cuatro estrellas.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listen to the audiobook then bought the book-I really enjoyed this. Another classic by the Wonderful Johanna Lindsey.

From the beginning to the end, I always pictured Carole Lombard and Clark Gable as Jeremy and Dani...I mean, how could I not?




Carole Lombard as Dani




Dani is meant to have short hair that was short enough to be a boys yet long enough to be a girls and Blue/violet piercing eyes. I don't know if it's my obsession with Carole Lombard or what but she was the first person I thought of to be Dani.
Then Jeremy, who we've known for basically all the books finally had a face...Clark Gable, of course. And Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn if you don't like it ;D I know Jeremy doesn't have a mustache but we'll let that one slide, yeah?




Our Loving Scoundrel: Jeremy