How to Catch a Wicked Viscount (Disreputable Debutantes #1)

Launching the Disreputable Debutantes series set in Regency-era London, Bennett introduces a group of ardent young women who are determined to marry on terms they find agreeable, despite the unladylike scandal that got them expelled from school. This installment focuses on Sophie Brightwell as she is given the opportunity to escape the precarious stability of home in order to venture into London under the care of Lady Charlotte “Charlie” Hastings, another defamed young lady. They plan to capture the hearts of the only men who won’t think less of their purported debauchery. The two young women catch Charlie’s brother, Nate Hasting, Lord Malverne, in a tricky act of his own and blackmail him into assisting Sophie in her debut. Despite his protests, he finds himself falling for her as quickly as she does for him. Some events are revisited by both protagonists in sections that feel more repetitious than revelatory, but the characters have great potential, carry the story, and hold promise for the series. Bennett’s gratifying if simplistic Regency will appeal to readers looking for something quick and fun. Agent: Jessica Alvarez, BookEnds Literary. (Sept.)