Never Trust a Scoundrel by Gayle Callen | Book Review

---

Never Trust a Scoundrel written by Gayle Callen
Publisher Avon
Publication Date: March 25th 2008
Genres: Historical Romance
Series: Sons of Scandal Trilogy #1
Format: eBook
Pages: 384
Rating:
Flame Rating:
Find on Goodreads

Miss Grace Banbury was in shock. Her mother put her up as a prize in a high stakes card game, and now the gentleman who won is ready to claim her! But Grace has other plans. She just needs the dastardly rogue to go along with it...

A notorious rake from a scandalous family, Daniel Throckmorten has no use for blushing virgins. Yet there's no denying the attraction for the beauty standing before him, proposing an enticing wager: He will use all his charm and wit to seduce her into his bed...and she only has to resist. If she succeeds, she wins enough funds to secure her own future. If he wins...she'll be his. Daniel has never been so tempted--and has no intention of losing...

My Thoughts

This is the first book that I read by Gayle Callen and it was a bit of a letdown.  I had decided to read this when I saw that it was on sale and bought it on a whim.

Grace Banbury goes to London to try to salvage what is left of their inheritance when her mother gambles away everything in a card game.  When she arrives in London, she discovers that their townhouse is empty and devoid of any servants and she also meets Daniel Throckmorten, the newest owner.  Daniel, thinking that she is her brother’s mistress, starts to make a proposition.  When he finds out that she is Miss Banbury, he still persists and proposes that he seduce her to become his mistress.  If she wins, she gets all her property back and if he wins, he gets her as his mistress and keeps the violin that was his fathers’.  Grace agrees and then the seducing starts.

Personally, I thought the romance was a bit meh.  I loved both characters and was able to relate to them but I thought the whole proposition was a bit ridiculous.  I would have thought the proposition would be that she become his mistress for two weeks, considering the stakes.  But whatever.

We also get to read about Daniel’s backstory and we meet his family when Daniel and Grace visit his manor.  I actually liked Daniel and thought that his personality was very surprising considering his background and his reputation.

Although I thought the spats and encounters between the two were very interesting and there was a chemistry between them, but the story just fell flat for me.  The ending did not have the impact that I had expected.

---