Book #2

Book #1 Fairest of Them All. Lady Lydia Balcomb is happy to     live as an independent bluestocking spinster, devoting herself to     expanding her knowledge and liberating herself from societal     expectations. The last thing she wants is a man who will think he     has a right to dictate her interests and activities. Her mother, however, has declared she must find a husband this season. To settle a debt, Edmund Holt, the Earl of Darlington, agrees to seduce a young lady and take her to the brink of ruin. A simple task for a rake. He doesn't expect to find a woman of conviction who'd rather read than dance and declares with unflinching conviction that she has no interest in his offer of mutual pleasure. When a seductive deception becomes a sensual education, the debauched rogue finds himself at risk of losing his heart and the scholarly wallflower discovers a delicious freedom in indulging her desires. But to claim happiness, she also must confront the forces that would destroy her future and decide if she can trust the man who set out to ruin her.