Prudence lost everything when she was considered ruined by the ton in a scandal. She's determined to get back what is rightfully hers in any way she can so she accepts an offer from Leo to be his mistress. Leo has everything he could want but he lost the ability to love after a betrayal long ago. Pru makes him want her more than any other of his mistresses ever has in his life. Pru plans to leave after stealing her inheritance but she didn't count on love with Leo. The two have an intense, passionate connection that neither will want to give up anytime soon.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.

As always leaving the the the gives a sparkling and emotional yet entertaining historical romance that always leaves you wanting for more at the end of the book. I love the characters love the characters in the book and I also found the romance to be at not only the right pace but also so heartwarming. All of the characters in the book kept me involved and I felt like this was a fantastic historical romance

In this fun, banter-y historical romance that could only come from the clever mind of Vivienne Lorret, Prue becomes the contracted mistress of a renowned scoundrel in trade for help in a larceny scheme. She has twelve items from her inheritance and the deed to a family cottage that she hopes to retrieve after her evil stepmother (no, really) gambled them all away. Prue's a woman largely alone in the world despite the support of her stalwart friends. Reputation ruined, she found herself summarily disowned and banished to the countryside. But once Prue learns that her would-be paramour isn't worth her attentions and that her inheritance has been squandered, she's determined to take control of her future through whatever means she can, scandal be damned. In the other corner, we have Leo, who is so determined to keep people at arm's length that he keeps his mistresses on a tight four month schedule, swapping out for a new one before there can be a hint of tarnish or deeper feelings. He expects his arrangement with Prue to follow a similar, regimented routine. Leo's willful ignorance of his own feelings is comedically handled, which makes it fun rather than irritating when he can't figure out that he's falling in love, even as he deviates from his familiar patterns and demands to know why his clocks aren't keeping time correctly any longer (too fast when with Prue and too slow otherwise).

I enjoyed the buildup between Prue and Leo. They have more than their fair share of witty and steamy exchanges, and I loved it. Inconvenient interruptions and a lot of frustration thwart them on many occasions, and other slow-downs come from Leo's trust issues and Prue's bad physical experience with her previous courtship. Both of those setbacks are handled with care by the other, and I found that very endearing. The detail in their thoughtful gestures for one another is one of my favorite elements; they add so much texture but are so easy to overlook as important components of a romance plot.

For most of the book, I was on track for a perfectly positive review. I was fully wrapped up in the story until the final quarter of the book. It's that time romance readers know to expect and sometimes fear-- the final act drama. This part of the story is so influential on my overall feelings in each romance book I read, and the approach here didn't align with my preferences. I knew all along we would be looking at miscommunications and thorny personal growth as our source of drama based on the way the author structures things. I did not anticipate, however, how drawn out and over-the-top it would be. I'm all for a flair for the dramatic, but I don't want to be dragged through the muck too long or I get frustrated with characters I once found charming. The self-delusions become grating rather than endearingly humanizing. That's such a personal distinction to make that I wouldn't turn any reader away from picking this up, but if you typically find yourself frustrated by a miscommunication trope or long-winded final conflict, I'd advise caution.

The majority of the read was still an enjoyable experience for me, the author's voice is as engaging and delightful as ever, and this ranks as one of my favorite historical romance series to date. I just don't think this book is my favorite of the bunch. Thanks to Avon for my copy to read and review!

"For all she knew, he held the entire universe in his hands, and he was filling her with stars and shooting sparks that spiraled and clenched deep inside her..."

Ya’ll ever run across a book so good that you’re mad when it’s over? How to Steal a Scoundrel’s Heart is one of those books!!! I’ve read this book three times…back-to-back-to back this past week. The writing simply sparkled. The characters were vibrant and captivating. I loved every single one of them. Well not the bad ones. Those…could go hang! But even those were well written. From beginning to the very end, I was enchanted. I’m a sucker for a good, reformed rake story and this rake…hell he made me wanna be a mistress, well not just any mistress…but HIS mistress (but don’t tell my husband).

Leopold Edmund Truman Ramsgate, fourth Marquess of Savage…wooo, what a name. Forget the name…wooo…what a man!!! He’s freaking fantastic. He’s handsome, wealthy, and positively scandalous! And the swagger, good goobly goo…the man has charisma and charm. But he also has compassion…and is beyond what one would expect a jaded rake to be. I just love, lust…love him! Too bad he hasn’t the ability to love in return.

He’s known his fair share of betrayal…had his heart broken and his trust abused by those closest to him. Convinced he has no heart, he doles out his affections sparingly and spends his time in the arms of mistresses easily discarded…that is until he meets Prudence Thorogood. From the moment he first laid eyes on her, there was something different about her…what, he wasn’t quite sure, but he knew he wanted her in his bed. What he got however, was much more than he was expecting.

Prudence Thorogood is ruined. One mistake and she’s a social pariah. Abandoned by most of her friends, abandoned by her family, Pru has no one. She’s lost her everything she’s ever held dear, including her family’s inheritance and she’ll do anything she can to get it back…even making a deal with one of London’s biggest scoundrels. As the two work to regain Pru’s inheritance, the two embark on a spree of larceny…. that’ll end in one or both of their hearts being stolen

This book was AWESOME! Strong main characters…lots of steamy bits and tons of warm and gooey feels. I can’t wait to see what’s next up in this series!

Tropes: Ruined, Marriage of Convenience
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🔥🔥🔥🔥

This was my first read from this author and it didn’t disappoint! Both characters were witty & fun in their own unique way and it was so entertaining from start to finish. The larceny angle really took a backseat to the growing love connection pretty quickly but it still worked!

How to Steal a Scoundrel’s Heart (The Mating Habits of Scoundrels #4). by Vivienne Lorret. 2022. Avon (ARC eBook).

I’ve absolutely enjoyed The Mating Habits of Scoundrels series. Life has been challenging for Pru as of late, but if she and Leo Ramsgate, Marquess of Savage, can learn to trust each other, then they may be able to put all wrongs to right. Lorret is a great writer whose style I love. And I look forward to Meg’s adventure next.

How to Steal a Scoundrel’s Heart, by Vivienne Lorret. There are so many positive things that I can say about this book. I will try to keep my praises to a minimum. I am left in aww after reading a love that was so true regarding the leading characters, Leo and Pru. Their story touched everything that a couple could experience from being in love. Without a doubt I really enjoyed this story. There were some parts that were quit comical and even fun to read. These moments worked hand in hand with the entertainment in the story. From the treacherous treatment by the ton and the sexually hot love scenes, this book had me hooked. Pru comes off as a strong trooper during some embarrassing moments.
I loved that the writer created her as a non shrinking Violet. Pru is a brave seductress that took this book by storm. I also thought that she was courageous and a very strong woman. Leo has become exceptionally intrigued by this Moonflower. I found Leo’s character to be a strong protector, as well as a skilled lover in bed.
I visualized him as Thor running towards me, as he clubs Marlowe, who stupidly placed himself in the path of Leo, over the head with his mallet. Yes, ladies I couldn’t help but to imagine Leo’s character as Thor. Because Leo is such a naughty boy, he absolutely made reading this book a thrilling fun read. The exciting sexscapeds Leo shares with Pru did not disappoint my imagination at all thank you very much. The writer did a wonderful job at holding my attention with the intriguing storyline that had Pru wanting to claw out Lady Suttons eyes, before drowning her in the watered down lemonade punch bowl.
I thought that the dialogue and story line was easy to follow and read. I give this story two snaps and a, Pru give me the key to the snuff case. Oh Leo, can’t a woman have a little fun? Until next time my fellow readers… read on!

This whole series has been nothing but fun reads for me and this one did not disappoint. I was super excited when I got the ARC for the book and it totally lived up to my expectations. The characters were both flawed and developed, the plot was surprisingly unexpected, and the steam top notch. I can honestly say that this book went above expectations and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!

The cover of this book was what drew me in, it's gorgeous! Prudence Thorogood our heroine is my favorite part of the story. She is so good for our hero Lord Savage, Leo Ramsgate. Leo who is cynical and doesn't have much faith in the female population because he was burned in the past by his ex-fiance. Both characters had their own obstacles to overcome and they both had no reason to trust anyone but themselves. But as the story continues you really see how they open up to each other and really relearn how to trust and love. Leo offers Prudence the position as his mistress and she comes to accept it, for once in her life she does something for herself because what does she have to lose her reputation is already in tatters. For a jaded rake Leo is so sweet to Prudence and he never treats her with anything but respect. Because he has had his trust broken before he does not wear his heart on his sleeve but you can tell by his actions that he really cares about her. I highly recommend picking up this story and I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I did. Netgalley provided me with an ARC for an honest review.

Sadly, this book was a DNF for me at 50%. I usually love Vivienne Lorret’s work and I adore a book with a mistress plot line, but this one didn’t work for me. The progression of the hero and heroine’s relationship seemed off to me, for one—they are supposed to be living as mistress and rake, but their physical chemistry progresses not only slowly, but unevenly. I understood why the characters took their time physically but the sex scenes/moments of intimacy that did occur could also seem a bit glossed over—it just wasn’t that satisfying to read.

Mostly, however, this book was a DNF for me because of one big glaring historical discrepancy. Now, to be clear, I am not a stickler for historical “accuracy” but I do need a historical world to obey its own rules. And we begin the book with Prue losing her social standing and falling into disgrace because she slept with a man who she wasn’t married to. Very typical for a Regency! No problem. But then they have Prue and the hero going around, when she is his mistress, to high society events together. Now, in the actual Regency or Victorian period, this would NEVER happen. Mistresses would not be allowed/accepted at private homes and parties in mixed company—at private entertainments of bachelors where no “respectable” women were present? Sure. If a nobleman married a scandalous woman, is there a chance that she and he would be received together then? Definitely. But an unmarried man and his mistress waltzing up to an “respectable” entertainment held by Prue’s stepmother’s friend (when her father and stepmother have cast her out)? NO WAY. I could tolerate it if this book was just playing fast and loose with historical regency society rules, but Prue has been “ruined” and that is why she has agreed to be the hero’s mistress. So it just ended up feeling incongruent.

I hope to enjoy another Vivienne Lorret in the future.

3.5 Stars

Period| Regency

Tropes| Marriage of Convenience, but it came real (#oops); Man has a clock/watch addiction but doesn't listen to the ticks of his own heart.

While I enjoyed this book, it felt like an outlier to the series in missing that camaraderie between the young women and writing the book that was more in the previous novels. Also, the secondary plot of larceny, the book would have been fine without the I must get back my ancestors' objects that were sold off and to do it - steal. If that is going to be a plot point, it should be a fleshed-out story within the story - it just seems like an afterthought.

Overall this book is a historical romance with a marriage of a convincing plot and a HEA when the man listens to his own beating heart.

I receive an ARC from Netgalley and Avon for my honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book from the very first page. The banter was wonderful!

This was such a fun, thrilling, and scandalous read. I loved the main characters and the storyline was fast paced and riveting. I literally read this in less than a day because I was hooked! Highly recommend if you love spicy historical romances.

This was everything I could have wanted.

I love love loved Prue and Leo. She’s sweet, but reluctant, and looking to be a thief. He’s charming, but closed off, and looking for a new companion. Together they have playful teasing, a couple of contracts, and chemistry for days.

Plot wise, it was good. I loved reading these two figure their feelings out, even if it was deliciously maddening that neither of them would talk about those feelings. There are a few ups and downs and some scheming from other characters. The angsty times don’t last long and the grand gesture was perfection.

Overall, this is definitely my favorite of the series and likely my favorite from Vivienne. I can’t wait for the next book.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

I broke my rule and read book 4 in a Regency Romance series before reading books 1-3. The series is called The Mating Habits of Scoundrels. The new novel is How to Steal a Scoundrel’s Heart by Vivienne Lorret. The novel works well as a standalone. There are cameo appearances by characters who were likely the protagonists of the first three books, but it isn’t necessary to know their backstories in detail to understand their roles here.

Prudence Thorogood is a disgraced debutante. Motherless, with an evil stepmother and an uncaring father, Prue is strong but naive. She fell prey to a marquess who pretended to court her then sexually assaulted her. She was then abandoned by her family, who shunted her off to the country to be a servant to pennypinching aunts. However, she has a plan. Her mother left an inheritance in her will: a cottage and about a dozen small objects of value, both monetary and sentimental. Although her stepmother stole it all, Prue is determined to steal everything back. Then she will go live the rest of her life alone but content in the cottage.

Leo Ramsgate, the Marquess of Savage, also has a horrible backstory. His mother abandoned him. His father was a cruel, violent narcissist who cycled through mistresses and fought duels. And Leo was once poisoned by someone he thought he could trust. Bitter, cynical, and unable to love, Leo is also extraordinarily handsome and wealthy beyond description. The one character trait he did adopt from his father was a taste for women. He has a strict 4-month limit for his mistresses (who vie openly to be chosen), enforced by contract. And one hard and fast rule: no infidelity during those four months.

They meet cute, then part ways. But when Prue finds it’s more difficult to steal back her inheritance than she imagined, she goes to him for help. He’s more than willing to help her, but only if she becomes his mistress for the required four months.

Prue is an innocent. Leo is not.

There is enough of a plot to hang the story on. They go to parties. They steal back a few things. They deal with the machinations of their enemies. And they fall in love. However, most of the story deals with the seduction and much of the word count is devoted to describing their sexual encounters.

For Regency Romance readers who prefer a high steam level, this novel (and likely this series) is recommended.

This series started off so good and I had high expectations for this specific book in the series. My expectations were dashed quickly by this virginal not-virgin to become a mistress to steal back her inheritance her father gave away…

Prudence and her fall was the backbone of this series, so to finally get her book and her character is utterly unlikeable was a hard pill to swallow. Especially when her situation is created with tragedy after tragedy and misfortune being piled upon her after she falls for the wrong guy.

I think this tale could have been told better and in a way that Prudence isn’t so pitiful.

The only saving grace of this story is the supposed scapegrace, the Marquess of Savage, the only decent gentleman in this book! He was. Delight and Prudence didn’t deserve him.

This story overall was not for me. I am interested in continuing the series because the other books were hits for me in the past.

The Wrong Marquess by Vivienne Lorret is scheduled to release May 24th, 2022.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.


#HowtoStealaScoundrelsHeart #VivienneLorret #Edelweiss #pinkcowlandreads

Lord Savage is another in a long line of rakes who are really not that bad, just damaged. That he's already made this discovery, and intends to work on himself before he meets Prudence Thorogood is a point in his favor. They are both outcasts, and through that shared infamy they find their way to love and acceptance.

I enjoyed this very much, and look forward to the next book by Vivienne Lorret.

Miss Prudence Thorogood was wrong as a debate and in society's eyes, she's damaged goods. Now all she wants is her inheritance which her stepmother is giving away. Leo Ramsgate, Marquess of Savage agrees to help if Prudence becomes his mistress for four months. Never did either of them intend to fall in love with each other. I love this book it was really good. I just reviewed How to Steal a Scoundrel's Heart by Vivienne Lorret. #HowtoStealaScoundrelsHeart #NetGalley

I’m not sure I could love Vivienne Lorret’s stories more! She’s absolutely wonderful! She knows how to write a story and the most swoon worthy hero’s! Prue & Savage’s story is heartwarming, emotional, and sexy! I really loved the dynamic and how they come together! It’s always so satisfying to watch the hero fall in love! Prue is our sweet heroine who’s been ruined. She’s finally decided it’s time to do something for herself, so she heads back to London on a mission to take back all the items that belong to her, including her beach cottage! Savage is our titled hero who doesn’t want love, just mistresses with contracts. So when Prue comes to Savage for help, they come to an agreement for pleasure while stealing back Prue’s items! These two really have a lot to get through to make it to love but it’s oh so worth it! I loved this story & I’m dying for Meg’s next!

I adore Vivienne Lorret books and this was no exception. I will always immediately grab anything she writes to get my historical romance fix!

Thank you for the early copy!