Title: Sweetest Scoundrel (Maiden Lane #9)

Author: Elizabeth Hoyt

Publisher: Grand Central 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 368

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Romance; Unread Shelf

SHE'S TAKING CHARGE
Prim, proper, and thrifty, Eve Dinwoody is all business when it comes to protecting her brother's investment. But when she agrees to control the purse strings of London's premier pleasure garden, Harte's Folly, she finds herself butting heads with an infuriating scoundrel who can't be controlled.

HE'S RUNNING THE SHOW
Bawdy and bold, Asa Makepeace doesn't have time for a penny-pinching prude like Eve. As the garden's larger-than-life owner, he's already dealing with self-centered sopranos and temperamental tenors. He's not about to let an aristocratic woman boss him around . . . no matter how enticing she is.

BUT LOVE CONQUERS ALL
In spite of her lack of theatrical experience-and her fiery clashes with Asa-Eve is determined to turn Harte's Folly into a smashing success. But the harder she tries to manage the stubborn rake, the harder it is to ignore his seductive charm and raw magnetism. There's no denying the smoldering fire between them-and trying to put it out would be the greatest folly of all . . .

Another very enjoyable volume in the Maiden Lane series. We finally, finally get to see more of Asa Makepeace. What we saw was enjoyable but not to the level of my favorite male leads from the series. Beyond Asa, I was pretty lukewarm on Eve. She just didn’t have enough to her to make me really love her. I would have like to have seen more discussions between her and Asa, but alas, we get a lot of weird sexual encounters. I wasn’t really here for their steamy scenes. They didn’t feel all that steamy to me. I enjoyed the book, but this isn’t going into my Top 3 for the series. I was intrigued with the parts involving Bridget Crumb and the Duke of Montgomery’s house. I cannot wait to read their story next!

Maiden Lane

• #1 Wicked Intentions

• #2 Notorious Pleasures

• #3 Scandalous Desires

• #4 Thief of Shadows

• #5 Lord of Darkness

• #6 Duke of Midnight

• #7 Darling Beast

• #8 Dearest Rogue

• #9 Sweetest Scoundrel

• #10 Duke of Sin

• #10.5 Once Upon a Moonlit Night

• #10.7 Once Upon a Christmas Eve

• #11 Duke of Pleasure

• #12 Duke of Desire

• #12.5 Once Upon a Maiden Lane

Next up on the TBR pile: