Confessions of a Scoundrel
By Karen Hawkins 

     A marvelous book-full of scenes that will have a reader turning pages at a rapid pace.

     A family heirloom, a brazen woman, and a mysterious list turn Brandon St. John's life topsy-turvy. The perfect order of his days and nights come unglued when he misses a family meeting. His absenteeism awards him the honor of paying off one of his brother's mistresses-a chore that proves to be not as easy as he first thought it would be. The vision of innocence that confronts him when he visits Lady Verena Westforth has him doubting his sanity. He knows what she is supposed to be but her actions are anything but shameless. The angelic face, blond locks, beguiling purple eyes; she uses these to her advantage to pin him in his place and turn his mission into an aching battle for control.

    Verena is affronted that Brandon St. John would dare to buy her off-especially since she has done nothing wrong. To get back at him she uses his monetary note in several authentic ways to show his peers what a scoundrel he is. An irrefutable self-proclaimed rake, he steals a kiss. She finds his boyish charm and seductive looks to be almost more than she can bear. When he mocks her and then proposes a wager of cards (the winner gets a kiss), she is sure she can best him. But Verena is the one left suffering. Several glasses of port have her back home with a caring and seductive St. John in control and wanting her to pay off her debt.

     When a man is murdered and suspicion falls on Brandon's friend and Verena, St. John and the lady join forces to find the missing list. Their midnight plotting turns into moonlight romance but neither one wants to admit their lustful interlude is more than a passing fancy. Verena and Brandon ignore their attraction toward one another and hatch a plot to capture the killer. When a madman-intent on discovering the list-attacks Verena in her home, Brandon is shocked at what could have happened, and Verena is humbled by the care he gives her during her recovery.

     Ms. Hawkins not only gives her readers romance-she does it with a capital S for suspense. The love that flares between her exceptional hero and heroine is captivating and endearing. Her cast of minor characters, especially Herberts the butler, complete a work of art.