Title: The Scoundrel Falls Hard
Author: Sophie Jordan
Series: The Duke Hunt #3
Pages: 384
Release Date: August 23, 2022
When Gwen Gully finds a criminal hiding in her smithy she knows she should just let the mob have him and forget about him. But instead she fights to save him and finds herself pledged into a marriage of convenience.
I picked this book up because of its beautiful cover and then the blurb sold me. One of my favorite tropes is marriage of convenience and this one also had two other favorites: forced proximity, and one bed. So as you can imagine, this book was very enjoyable for me. I really enjoyed Gwen and Kellan’s relationship.
Gwen Cully is an independent, hard working, and kind woman. She has been keeping her family’s blacksmithing business going for years, while also taking care of her sick uncle and father. She is struggling to keep her business, which she loves, alive and figure out her future. I really loved Gwen. She was a strong independent woman who wanted both a business and a family. I really enjoyed watching her fight her feelings for Kellan.
Kellan Fox is a rogue and has spent his life deceiving others with his father. After being saved by Gwen he finds himself longing for a normal life, and he finds that with Gwen, even if he does fight it at first. I really enjoyed seeing Kellan grow as a character and break away from his toxic father. He fell surprisingly quickly for Gwen, which I wasn’t expecting, but I did really enjoy watching him try to seduce her with his charms.
Gwen and Kellan’s relationship was surprisingly steamy with lots of heavy petting, steamy looks, and even some voyeurism. Like I said, I enjoyed their relationship a lot. This was my first Sophie Jordan book and I quite enjoyed it. I am now thinking about reading the previous books in this series to see how Gwen’s friends fell in love.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable marriage of convenience historical romance. If these tropes that I have mentioned are some of your favorites, then I suggest giving this book a try.
Trigger Warnings: death of family members, attempted hanging, neglectful father,
*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*
Red-Haired Ash Reads 