This novel weaves a story that begins with blackmail and betrayal, which shapes the plot for their children. Vanessa Blackburn has been raised by her father for the last 6 years and is not your typical lady, for she wears breeches, rides astride, shoots, and has plans for a horse breeding farm. A rather independent woman, but wants to bring her father home even if she has to sacrifice herself in a loveless marriage. Lord Montgomery Townsend gets the Prince out of situations involving irate husbands, leaving him labeled as a rake. The Prince gives him another assignment and through that runs into Vanessa, who is in disguise. Monty is attracted to Vanessa and has her travel with them to their final destination, which happens to be the same place. Monty agrees to help Vanessa land her fiancee, even though he does not understand her reasoning. He enjoys her spirit and decides her wants her for himself. However, Monty will to find ways to get Vanessa out of the situation that has occurred due to a family feud.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Lady Vanessa “Nessi” Blackburn has lived in Scotland with her exiled father, the Earl of Ketterham for the last six years, but now she is going to Cheshire to be reunited with her mother and twin sisters and to go to London for the season where she hopes to find a way to lift her father’s banishment.

Montgomery “Monty” Townsend, the youngest son of the Earl of Marlham, retired from the army at his father’s request and out of sheer boredom, started “fixing” potential scandals for the Prince Regent by acting as scapegoat for him. Currently Prince George’s amorous liaisons have set more than one angry husband after him and the Prince has yet another problem he needs handled, a problem that requires Monty to rusticate in the country. Lucky for Monty, the Prince has arranged accommodations with an old friend, Kathleen Blackburn.

Nessi and Monty meet on the road to her mother’s house, Nessi is disguised as a boy and appears to be traveling alone, so Monty invites her to join their party and quickly figures out she is not a boy. The shared secret begins a friendship between them and Monty’s support is invaluable to her once they reach her mother’s estate.

Once Nessi confronts her mother, she learns that her mom may have already found a way to bring her father back to England and Nessi immediately agrees to marry the son of the man that banished her father. The catch is the man – Daniel Rathban – doesn’t want to marry, he is an unrepentant rake who is completely jaded and has no interest in innocents. And for all her bravado, Nessi is an innocent and will need a teacher and she had the perfect man in mind – Monty! For his part, Monty is not happy about the engagement to Daniel, but Nessi will not reveal why she is so hell-bent on marrying him. All too soon, Monty realizes he wants Nessi for himself, but until he learns why she needs to marry Daniel, their chance fir love is doomed.

This was a cute story and I did enjoy it, but there is A LOT going on and most of it is ridiculous, plus just about every nobility title is used incorrectly and her mother’s title is so odd, that I can’t even begin to figure it out, the love scenes are tepid, the reason for Nessi’s father’s exile is lame and Monty is a bit hard to figure out – but for some reason, these things did not bother me nearly as much as I would have expected. The banter between Nessi and Monty is great, Nessi’s interaction with her sisters is spot on perfect, for the most part the book is just a lighthearted romp with a dash of drama and heartache, it is not perfect, but if you don’t try to take it too seriously, it is a very entertaining and enjoyable read.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an e-ARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

Lord Montgomery “Monty” Townsend is the youngest son of an earl. He acts as the Prince Regent’s scapegoat, willingly assuming the royal’s scandals as his own. Monty intends to never marry. While hiding out from trouble, he meets a beautiful yet unorthodox woman. Montgomery cannot understand Vanessa Blackburn’s insistence on marrying the Rathban heir. Against his better judgement, he tutors her on how to attract the reluctant fellow’s attention. Can Monty convince Vanessa not to marry another man? Is he willing to take the matrimonial plunge?
Lady Vanessa “Nessi” Blackburn is the eldest daughter of an exiled earl. She has spent the last six years living in Scotland with her father. Vanessa returns to England to make her debut in society. On her homebound journey, she runs into a mysterious, happy-go-lucky gentleman. Vanessa learns, in order to end her father’s exile, she must marry her nemesis’s son. She enlists Montgomery’s aid to seduce her indifferent bridegroom to the altar. Can Vanessa bring her father back home? Or will Monty thwart Vanessa’s carefully laid-out plans?
Montgomery is such a fun and likable hero. I could not help but fall in love with the rascal’s charismatic charm. I love how Monty differs from the usual aristocrats found in the romance genre. He is more carefree and easy going, preferring to move with the flow than control whatever situation he lands in. What I adore the most about Montgomery is how he encourages Vanessa not to adhere to society’s mandates. He likes when she is her outspoken and opinionated self.
Vanessa is everything I like in a heroine. She is an independent and strong-willed young woman. I love how Vanessa is not afraid to stand out. She would rather be herself than conform to society’s expectations on how a debutante should behave. What I admire the most about Vanessa is the sacrifice she is willing to make to end her father’s exile. It shows just how much family truly means to her.
TEMPTATION’S DARLING is a standalone historical romance from Johanna Lindsey. I have been reading this author since my teenage years, and I still anticipate anything new from her. This story, especially its voice, reminds me of the author’s earlier books.
TEMPTATION’S DARLING is an entertaining tale of two people overcoming impossible odds to be together. I hope the author considers writing Daniel Rathban’s story. He definitely deserves a happily-ever-after.

Johanna Lindsey has been a staple in the historical romance genre for decades. I ready my first book by her at 13. This book was classic JL, She has written a brave adventurous heroine and an extremely charming rake. I was not disappointed by this book in any way.

4.5 stars - Johanna Lindsey is a celebrated author and this book is a perfect example why all the praise is justly deserved. The characters are multifaceted and enduring and the HEA is just what the romance lover ordered.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Vanessa Blackburn has grown up in Scotland with her father, estranged from her mother and separated from her twin sisters. When she comes of age, she must return to England to have her "season," and hopefully find a husband who doesn't mind her independent spirit. Riding disguised as a gentleman, she falls into company with Lord Montgomery Townsend.

A reputed rake and a satellite of the Prince Regent, Monty has been entrusted with the care of a temperamental and foppish foreigner who has assassins on his tail. A connoisseur of the female form, Monty sees through Vanessa's disguise right away, but the real surprise is that they are both heading in the same direction to the Blackburn home. Monty is an incorrigible flirt, and it is not surprising that sparks fly between the two, sparks that Vanessa won't admit to being anything more than friendship.

As the season begins, Vanessa discovers that she has the opportunity to end her father's exile by marrying the unsavory son of an aristocratic family. She asks Monty for his help in obtaining the fellow's goodwill. In between juggling his foreign charge and avoiding assailants, Monty gives Vanessa some lessons in allurement, discovering--perhaps too late--that he is willing to throw away all his wild days of freedom if Vanessa will give up her insane plan and marry him instead.

This book had a clever plot with more going on in it than your typical Regency romance. Monty is a likable hero, letting his own reputation suffer for the Prince's peccadillos and dealing with his outrageous foreign charge with humor. Like so many other Regency heroes, Monty is a rake in need of reform, but not as bad a rake as everyone thinks he is. The relationship between Monty and Vanessa was a little more explicit than the innocuous book cover might imply. Vanessa alternates between self-sufficiency and acting like the inexperienced teenage girl that she is. Vanessa's affection for her twin sisters is well-portrayed, as is the jealousy precipitated by three girls coming out at the same time to the same pool of admirers. One thing that niggled was the patently ridiculous "misunderstanding" between Vanessa's parents. All in all, however, this book was an enjoyable read.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Years ago, Vanessa Blackburn's father, William, the Earl of Ketterham, was exiled. Vanessa had chosen to live with her father over her mother, but now he insists she return home to make her debut. Vanessa could care less about London society, but she does eventually want to marry and have a family of her own. Unfortunately, her choice of husband has already been decided by her mother, that is, if Vanessa wants her father to be able to come back home.

Lord Montgomery "Monty" Townsend has long been a favorite of the Prince Regent and is used to covering up his scandals. His latest request has Monty hiding in the country and keeping an eye on a certain special guest. That is how Monty meets Vanessa. Monty is enamored of Vanessa. He even follows her back to London to be near her. When he discovers she is going to marry another, Monty is devastated. How can he convince her to choose him when he knows what is at stake for her if she doesn't?

Johanna Lindsey is one of my all-time favorite authors. I have read nearly all of her books and have a large number on my keeper shelves. Her skill with a pen is renowned far and wide, making many of her books bestsellers. I give TEMPTATION'S DARLING a 3.5 star rating. I really enjoyed Vanessa as a character, but just didn't feel Monty was her best match. It took me a little while to come around to liking Monty, but finally toward the end, I did. They certainly have quite an adventure together.

I enjoyed this fun historical romance between Vanessa. a girl raised by her father who let her be herself instead of a lady as defined by the day, and Monty, a rake who just can't get over how attracted he is to her. Of course, she is pledged to another but that's part of the fun as Monty shows her how to attract a rake. His lessons work too well and now he has to decide if he's going to fight for her or let her go.

Fun trouser plot with some Prisoner of Zenda hijinks and a multi generational family secret that must be resolved for the happily ever after.

It's been a long time since I've read a new Johanna Lindsey book. This reminded me why I love her books and historical romances so much. Her writing just seems so effortless. The flow, the characters, the way she brings humor in her characters. It sucks me in every time.

Temptation's Darling has one of my favorite types of heroines. She's young but mature. Brave, bold but not harsh. She's a tomboy and a lady. The way Vanessa handled so many situations in this book made me a big fan.

I didn't know how I would feel that she was encouraging an engagement with another man from the hero, but I really have no complaints. You completely understand her situation. It left me wondering how Monty was going to fix this before it was too late.

In the mean time, we get good quality time with Vanessa and Monty. Enough time that had me loving them as a couple and rooting for a way for them to be together. Monty is was very entertaining. He's a rake but extremely charming. You can not but help to fall in love with his character.

We also get some fun side characters that came along for the ride. I actually really liked the guy Vanessa was trying to marry. I hope the author has a story for him. He was so interesting and made an impression.

I've missed reading Johanna Lindsey and she did not let me down in her newest Temptation's Darling.

William Blackburn, Earl of Ketterham, has lived in exile in the Scottish Highlands with his daughter, Vanessa, for the past 6 years, but now it's time for her to return to London and have a Season with her twin sisters. Vanessa has had a decidedly unladylike upbringing and she's enjoyed more freedoms than any proper young lady should have had. On her way to the family's estate, she meets Lord Montgomery Townsend when she helps defeat ruffians intent of robbing the carriage or worse. Both Vanessa "Nessi" and Monty are hiding secrets as they travel together. Will the past rear its ugly head and rob them of a happily ever after?

I loved the lively banter between Nessi and Monty as they traveled together. It was fun to see them develop feelings for each other all the while hiding secrets that could destroy them. The plot flowed nicely although I did think the ending was a bit rushed. Along with a few twists and turns in the story, the book kept my interest until the end. I suspect Vanessa's twin sisters will each end up with their own book as they have a enjoy the Season.