Publishers Weekly
★ 04/17/2023
A jilted woman gets revenge on her former fiancé in Heath’s delicious second Chessmen: Masters of Seduction Victorian romance (after The Counterfeit Scoundrel). Regina Leyland fled to the continent after Arthur Pennington, Earl of Knightly, left her at the altar. Five years later, she returns to London—and she’s no longer the wide-eyed innocent she once was. She anonymously publishes a thinly veiled account of a villainous rogue she calls “Lord K.” Londoners quickly become obsessed with the novel, and Arthur’s furious to be at the center of the gossip. But after Regina refuses Arthur’s plea to write a retraction—and tells him of the daughter, Arianna, she had during her travels (and who she claims is the product of a continental affair)—he realizes how much pain he caused her and reforms, even offering to help Regina snare a suitable marriage prospect. Though Regina remains conflicted, as the pair work together she remembers why she fell in love with Arthur in the first place—and he reveals the impossible choice that led to calling off their wedding. Regina is admirably resilient, and the slowly rekindling love between her and Arthur will make readers swoon. This is second-chance romance done right. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (June)
From the Publisher
"Heath again achieves the literary equivalent of checkmate with an exquisitely sensual love story that deftly illustrates her stellar sense of characterization and wickedly subtle sense of wit." — Booklist
“Brilliant…Heath slowly peels back the layers of her complex protagonists, making their forbidden attraction all the more intense and believable. With just the right blend of romance and mystery, this proves un-put-downable.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Return of the Duke
“Readers can finally enjoy Marcus’s story, and it is well worth the wait for those who love a strong heroine who breaks down all the preconceived notions that the hero has of her. Hand to readers who already love Heath, as well as fans of Stephanie Laurens and Lisa Kleypas.” — Library Journal on The Return of the Duke
"Heath steals your heart, then takes you on a journey that will leave you torn between tears and joy". — Christina Dodd, New York Times bestselling author
“Heath is known for her beautiful, deeply emotional romances.” — Washington Post
“Heath opens her Once Upon a Dukedom series with a satisfying, character-driven Victorian romance... a promising spin-off.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Scoundrel of My Heart
“[Penelope and King’s] evolution to lovers is pleasing and satisfying, especially since they have to trust each other with truly devastating stories from their past in order to make a future together. Heath explores how society’s confining rules force people into uncomfortable and even desperate choices. The end result is a fascinating exploration of power…A complex romance [that] explores how two lovers are influenced by class, gender, and societal expectations.” — Kirkus Reviews on The Duchess Hunt
Library Journal
05/01/2023
The Earl of Knightly has weathered scandal before, but the notoriety he is receiving from a scandalous novel buzzing through London's highest social circles has him more than annoyed, as the ton speculates that he is the "Lord K" in the book. The earl is even driven to track down the woman he thinks may have written the novel, after he flips through the book and finds some scenes too familiar to be invented. Despite being the out-of-wedlock daughter of an earl, Regina Leyland was looking for her own knight in shining armor when she was first introduced to the ton. Now she is a woman who needs no protector, certainly not the man who broke her heart the day he left her at the altar. But she is also caught in the scandal around the book, so she and the earl must fake a reconciliation for the ton that once discarded her and celebrated him. As they navigate their past, they cannot deny what still simmers between them. VERDICT Give Heath's second "Chessmen" book, after The Counterfeit Scoundrel, to readers who love banter-filled second-chance love stories with a fake-dating trope.—Morgan Lockard
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2023-04-11
Published as an act of revenge, a scandalous novel unwittingly reunites formerly betrothed lovers.
Who is “Lord K?” That’s what everyone in London is asking about the seductive lead in the anonymously published My Secret Desires, A Memoir. Many suspect Arthur Pennington, the Earl of Knightly, and he has grown annoyed by all the attention. When he finally gets his hands on the book some are trying to have banned for obscenity, he realizes that it’s true—he is indeed Lord K, and the author is Miss Regina Leyland, the woman he left at the altar five years ago but secretly never stopped loving. When Regina's reputation and livelihood are threatened by the revelation that she is the book’s author, she agrees to a fake reconciliation with Knightly, whom she loathes for hurting her. They’ve both changed and matured in the last five years, but their desire for each other remains fiery hot. To truly move on from the past, though, they’ll have to trust each other with the secrets they’ve been harboring to protect loved ones. This second-chance romance is brimming with heightened emotions; there’s regret and anger and so much delicious yearning. The ramifications of Society’s harsh expectations and judgments are thoughtfully incorporated, while the narrative is smartly and purposefully constructed for maximum emotional impact. Flashbacks to Knightly and Regina’s passionate and ultimately heartbreaking initial courtship are woven in, and their closely guarded secrets are gradually revealed to the reader before the pair learn each other’s truths.
Among Heath’s impressive oeuvre, this one is a standout.
