The beautiful Miss
Grace Banbury has not only been the beauty, but the brains in her
highly dysfunctional family of gamblers and has always found a way to
get her brother and mother out of their waging messes. But this time,
her mother has done the ultimate insult and has not only gambled away
the family's homes, property, and a priceless violin, which is one of
Grace's most important possessions, but her along with it! The handsome
Daniel Throckmorten has always turned everything he touches into gold
and has a knack for recognizing a good gamble and business deal that
will pay off well, but he discovers the shock at winning the beautiful
Grace, especially when he is in the market for a new mistress. Upon
seeing her beauty and intelligence, he is taken with her and his
feelings begin to somewhat soften. How can he keep up his image of
being a scoundrel and rake that has kept his image of success within
society in business and bed going if he turns soft on Miss Banbury and
allows her to win the wager?
Suddenly Grace finds herself in a position that she never thought she
would be in: a wager with a scoundrel no less! If Daniel cannot seduce
her into his bed within two weeks she will lose all, but most of all
she wants the priceless violin so that she can sell it and save her
brother. And this is indeed a sacrifice, because Grace loves music and
that violin, but she loves her brother Edward more and wants to save
him before he becomes as bad as her mother, has no property and will
never find a wife. As Daniel begins his seduction of Grace he begins to
see her beauty is more than skin deep. And as Grace feels her passion
weakening and giving into Daniel, she realizes that it is the violin
and music that is between them more than the wager, and that this
scoundrel is really a gentleman. Desire blazes and mysteries are
uncovered regarding Daniel and Grace's family. When Grace discovers
Daniel is training Edward in how to choose good business deals that pay
off other than gambling, she soon begins to realize that maybe a
scoundrel can be trusted, but most of all both Grace and Daniel realize
that all along the wager is not as important as family and love.
Gayle Callen in her usually sensual style has written another romance
that is about a rake, rogue and/or scoundrel that romance readers love
to hate and end up loving even more! Once again Ms. Callen has written
another book that readers will absorb and lose all track of time. She
cannot write fast enough!
Publisher: Avon
(April 2008)
Reviewed
by Beverly,
Beverly Romance Books
