I usually like Jo Beverley, but this book was a bit of a disappointment. Slow for most of the story with a somewhat fantastical (not in a good way) ending. Lucy and David were fine, but there was a lot of waffling done by their characters, too much for my tastes. We see some of the Company of Rogues but all in all, this was just okay. ( )

Great fun, touching story.

Lucy Porter has nowhere to go, her father wants her out of the house, he's taking a new wife. Her mother died a year ago.

The Earl of Wyvern needs a rich bride, she needs a home, it all looks perfect.

But Wyvern has a secret, can Lucy be trusted? Or is she too clever?

Excellent characters with plenty of depth and backstory. The shadow of the previous Earl of Wyvern adds a touch of gloom to the novel. Wyvern's background is deliciously tangled as is his personality.

All's well that ends well.
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You can't go wrong with Jo Beverley. ( )

Good book. It is an opposites attract, city girl/country boy story. The book opens with Lucy's period of mourning for her mother at an end. She is ready to go back to helping her father with his business as a merchant, and dealing with everything that entails. Except her father drops the bombshell that he is about to remarry and wants Lucy to have a chance to find a husband of her own. Her mother was a member of the aristocracy and he wants Lucy to have a taste of that world. So off she goes to her aunt's home, to have a London Season with her cousin. She doesn't want a husband, but she'll try to have fun. Unfortunately, her aunt reminds her that intelligent, forthright women are not exactly appreciated (at least in her opinion) and reminds Lucy to tone down her personality.

David, who was introduced in The Dragon's Bride, is the new Earl of Wyvern. He didn't want the title, but he's stuck with it. The estate is essentially broke, and to do the things he needs to, he must find a wealthy bride. He pragmatically does the research and discovers that Miss Lucy Potter will fit the bill. Unfortunately, he will have to take the time and go to London to woo her. Complicating matters, he is also the head of the local smugglers, also unwillingly, and needs to keep that information under wraps. He's hoping Miss Potter is a typically empty-headed society miss.

I loved the way the two met by accident, not knowing who the other was. Their encounter takes place in a bookshop. David is looking for books on modern estate management. Lucy is looking at novels that will help her with her image of "silly Lucinda" while she is stuck dealing with society. When she also picks up a book on smuggling, they fall into a conversation about it. Lucy is pointed in her opinion that smuggling is wrong and must be stopped. David, of course, knows that things are not quite so simple. There are sparks of attraction under the surface, and each leaves the shop still thinking about the other.

When David meets Lucy officially, in his guise of Earl in pursuit of a wife, he is stunned to discover his woman of choice is the same as his bookshop acquaintance. Despite her illusion of empty-headedness, he knows she's not the oblivious woman he needs to marry. He tries to put her out of his mind, but finds it impossible. Lucy is equally drawn to him, but has no desire to marry at all, much less to an avowed fortune hunter. Their relationship grows slowly, with a few meetings in the park and at various society functions. Lucy is having trouble with overzealous suitors and David offers to pay his attentions to her, thereby discouraging the others. It doesn't take long for Lucy to realize that David is the one for her. But just as she does, he pushes her away and leaves London.

David has realized that his feelings for Lucy are too strong to put her in the position of having to deal with his secret life. Though he still needs money for his estate, he doesn't want anyone but her. An encounter with Lucy's father emphasizes the point. But Lucy isn't one to refuse a challenge and follows David to his home. David's stunned surprise is fun to see, and his efforts to scare her off were pretty blunt. But Lucy knows what she wants and isn't going to be discouraged by anything he shows her. It doesn't take her too long to figure out his secret and deals with it surprisingly well. She also keeps her head during a crisis and saves the day from unexpected trouble. This cements their determination to be together. I loved seeing them talk about their expectations and work out their future together.

I enjoyed seeing the changes that both David and Lucy go through. Each started the book hiding their true selves from others, but when they are together the masks slip. Lucy seemed a bit selfish and determined to have everything her way at the beginning, but as her feelings for David grew, so did her willingness to change. I really enjoyed her reactions to Crag Wyvern. David's determination to find a rich bride was logical in his circumstances. It was fun to see him realize that the one he wants is nothing like he expected. I liked the way that he appreciated Lucy's intelligence and treated her accordingly. I loved seeing him finally accept that he really could have it all.

I liked seeing the various Rogues who made brief appearances in the book. I especially liked seeing Nicholas take a hand in getting David and Lucy together. I also enjoyed seeing Susan and Con again. ( )

A SHOCKING DELIGHT by Jo Beverley is an exciting Regency Historical Romance set in 1817 London. #15 in "Company of Rogues" series, but can be read as a stand alone. Visit the author's website for a list of titles. I have not read the whole series, and had no trouble keeping up with the storyline.

Meet Lucy Potter, a wealthy merchant's daughter and David Kerslake-Somerford, is the reluctant 7th Earl of Wyvern, aka Captain Drake.

Lucy is complex, intelligent, charming, a bit shy, rich and she has her own ideas of trade. David, is charming to say the least, a notorious rake, had his title thrust upon him by unforeseen events, which you learn in The Dragon's Bride.

*A SHOCKING DELIGHT follows the 2001 novel, The Dragon's Bride, the sixth book in the series.*

Lucy leaves her family estate when she learns her father is to re-marry, after, her mother's death of only a year ago. She is forced to endure a London season. Captain Drake, is looking for ,yes, a rich, bride....enter Lucy.

Filled with passion, romance, a bit of mystery, secrets, and a grand adventure to happiness. Can opposites attract? A SHOCKING DELIGHT proves they just might after all. What a deliciously delightful tale of how opposites attract, proving love crosses boundaries of class, society, and ideas. A delight to read and one I would recommend to Romance readers everywhere. Well done! Received for an honest review.

RATING: 4

HEAT RATING: MILD

REVIEWED BY: AprilR, courtesy of My Book Addiction and More ( )