The Year Of Living Scandalously

In 1792, the village of Hadley Green executed a man for stealing the Countess of Ashwood’s historic jewels. Fifteen years later, questions still linger. Was it a crime of greed—or of passion? When Declan O’Connor, Earl of Donnelly, arrives at Hadley Green to meet with Lily Boudine, the new countess of Ashwood, he knows instantly that the lovely woman who welcomes him is not who she pretends to be. In an attempt to avoid an unwanted marriage, Keira Hannigan has assumed her cousin’s identity and is staying at the estate while Lily is abroad. When Declan threatens to expose her, Keira convinces him to guard her secret, then enlists him in her investigation of the missing jewels, for she now believes an innocent man was hanged. Unable to deny the beautiful, exasperating Keira—or their simmering passion—Declan reluctantly agrees. But neither is prepared for the dangerous stranger who threatens to reveal Keira’s lies . . . and Declan knows he must protect Keira at all costs, for she is the woman who now owns his heart.

The second book in the “superbly entertaining” (Booklist) Regency historical series from New York Times bestselling author Julia London. Tobin Scott, otherwise known as Count Eberlin of Denmark, has returned to Hadley Green, the site of his father’s hanging for thievery fifteen years ago. He has but one goal in mind, and that is to avenge his father, who he believes was innocent of stealing the Countess of Ashwood jewels. Now a wealthy man, Tobin intends to exact his revenge by destroying the Ashwood estate and the Countess of Ashwood, who as a young girl testified against his father. Lily Boudine has become the Countess of Ashwood through a very surprising twist of fate. She is even more surprised when a vaguely familiar looking man calls and tells her he is Tobin Scott, whom she knew as a boy, and that he intends to destroy her or Ashwood. He leaves the choice to her. Because so many people depend on Ashwood, Lily chooses herself, thinking that she can hold him at bay long enough to remove Ashwood from his clutches. But as they play the game of seduction, and she slowly discovers that he is not the cold, heartless man he would like to present to her, she also believes that Tobin is right—his father did not steal the jewels. And if she can find them, she can help restore his family’s honor—but not before she discovers another shocking secret.

The lush Scottish Highlands are a tempting setting for seduction in New York Times bestselling author Julia London’s sparkling novel. Who is the captive and who is the captor? When a sexy laird holds a spirited English lady for ransom, she turns the tables and steals his heart. The last person Daria Babcock expects to find in her grandmother’s home is a brawny, naked Highlander. She doesn’t buy Mamie’s explanation about finding the poor man shot in the woods. Nor does she trust the gorgeous laird, who insists his own memory fails him. But Daria came to Scotland looking for adventure and romance, and after the intriguing stranger kidnaps her, she gets her wish—and so much more....

Tobin Scott, Lord Eberlin, finds himself working with Lily Boudine, whose childhood testimony helped to send his father to the gallows, to discover what really happened to the jewels his father was convicted of stealing.