Lady Loretta's father, the well-respected Lord Lieutenant of the County, is doing his best to force her into marriage with the Marquis of Sauerdun, the son of a good friend. Whilst her father thinks he is making a good match for his beloved daughter, she is aghast at the thought of an arranged marriage and vows she will only marry for love.
Searching her mind for a way to stay free to pursue the kind of love she has always dreamt of, she happens upon a good plan. What if she could prove to her straight-laced father that the man he means for her is not only an unsuitable husband, but a philandering rake too? With the Marquis’s reputation for love affairs with beautiful, seductive and preferably married women well known in Society, surely this would not prove too difficult?
Seizing upon this last ditch attempt to stay unmarried, Lady Loretta devises a scheme to prove to her father that her intended is an unrepentant heartbreaker.
Throwing herself upon the charity and good nature of her notorious cousin Ingrid, whose scandalous love affair has already rocked polite English Society, she heads for Paris alone. Delighted at how quickly she has escaped and enjoying the freedom of her adventure, Loretta determines to find out more about the Marquis and wastes no time in seeking him out.
But Fate has its own plans for this spirited English beauty and before too long she is caught up in a web of deceit that threatens to change her life forever. ( )

Classic Barbara Cartland - super-innocent heroine tames incorrigible rake while attempting to avoid an arranged marriage to that rake. This one was a little better than most because the heroine showed a fair amount of backbone and initiative.

Loretta was horrified when her father told her that he and his friend had arranged for her to marry his son. She's never even met the man, plus her father had promised her a Season. She wants a chance to find a man she can love. Nothing she says dissuades her father from his plan. When he leaves their estate for a week, Loretta knows what she has to do. Years earlier, Loretta's married cousin scandalized Society when she ran off with a married man. The couple lives in Paris, and Loretta sneaks off to stay with them, hoping to meet her proposed fiancé without him knowing who she is.

I thought that Loretta was brave but also very naïve to undertake such a journey without knowing if she would be welcome at the other end. She was fortunate that Ingrid was willing to help her. Her description of Fabian and his reputation made him sound just as bad as Loretta feared. Ingrid was prepared to introduce Loretta to Fabian but warned her of Fabian's "Pied Piper" effect on women.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Loretta and Fabian. It was easy to see the connection they felt from the beginning. Loretta was fascinated by Fabian and the world he showed her. She tried to keep him at a distance, but he broke through her walls every time. Fabian was equally intrigued by Loretta. Though introduced to him as the married Lady Brompton, there was an air of innocence about her that he couldn't resist.

As they spent time together, Loretta saw a different side of Fabian than the rake she was warned about. He always treated her with kindness and respect. He took her places he thought she would enjoy and put her before his own desires. Fabian was also very protective of her. There was a very intense scene when one of his rivals abducted Loretta. I thought that Loretta handled herself quite well, and Fabian's arrival was the finishing touch. But though they declare their love for each other, Loretta panics at Fabian's plans for their future. She's overwhelmed with guilt at her deception and flees back home, heartbroken at leaving him behind.

I enjoyed the ending. Fabian, of course, chases after her, still unaware of her true identity. Their conversation was eye-opening for both of them. I especially enjoyed Fabian's shock at their fathers' plans for them, which made him more sympathetic to what Loretta did. I had to laugh at what they decided to do and would love to have seen their fathers' reactions.

This book reminded me somewhat of Cartland's Desire ofthe Heart, one of my favorite books by this author. ( )