Sandra Sookoo has a way of weaving a story that you can’t put it down and Bedeviling Major Kenton in the fourth of the Willful Winterbournes series is no different. I absolutely loved Lady Beatrice and Major Owen Kenton as their story weaves from the very beginning to end of a midsummer house party with threads of family scandal, steamy passion, impressionable teenage daughters, and witty situations.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion...

This is another second chance at love story, and a love story with an older, more mature couple.

This also continues the story of the unexpected branch of the Winterbourne family; one of the children of the illicit love affair of the prior Earl of Ettesmere, and the Marchioness of Grantley, the FMC's mother. Lady Beatrice has been widowed for several years, losing her beloved husband to pneumonia after years of happy marriage, shortly after her come out. She was left a single mother, raising a teenaged girl, now ready for her own come out. Complicated enough for a woman to cope with, without adding the new discovery of their questionable parentage, the scandal it would entail, and causing Bea to question her own identity, how this would affect her own choices, her daughter's future and chances of a good marriage, and what marriage and infidelity mean to her now. She is facing a future also of loneliness, knowing that her daughter will be launched and if she marries, then Bea will be alone. She misses the connection of marriage, and the warmth of intimacy and love.

Major Owen Kenton is also now a widower, and father to two children, a son and daughter, both on the cusp of adulthood. He is at the stage of his life where he is looking forward to being an empty nester, but also mourning the loss of his children too. He has been widowed a number of years himself, losing his beloved wife to a wasting disease. He is at a bit of a loss as to his own future as well, knowing he does not want to marry, and having lost his career in the military years before, because of a grievous injury in India, causing significant scarring, some mobility issues, and the loss of his eye. This impacts his own sense of self-esteem, masculinity, and attractiveness.

Things come together when their children are invited to a house party with like-aged young adults, and Bea and Owen accompany their daughters as chaperones. They have a shared history in the far far past, with Owen and Bea being childhood playmates, with the other Ashdowne children in Kent, and Owen and Bea last seeing each other after a sweet chaste kiss when they were teenagers, then parting ways with nothing but that sweet memory occasionally coming to mind. As adults, they reconnect as strangers with a bright, hot spark in the maze at the house party, not realizing their past connection until later.

This is such a lovely romance with an older couple coping with their own changes in life, fears and uncertainty about their futures, and their own lack of confidence, while also navigating being parents to children on the threshold of adulthood and independence. It is about second chances, revisiting the past, and how to move forward. With a serious sexy steamy spice as well - always appreciated, as an older mature woman myself. I found their interactions with their children also very lovely and heartwarming also.

4.25 stars out of 5.

Wow, this book took me a few chapters to get involved but then I loved it. A wonderful story about old friends. You don't want to miss this!

3.5/5 stars
I received this arc through net galley.
This book was very enjoyable and deferred from the more classic historical fiction tropes. It was refreshing to read about an older couple and their perspectives are single parents instead of the more common stories of young adults debuting.
A quick and enjoyable read!

I have enjoyed every book in this series and this one was no exception. Wonderful storyline and characters. Beatrice & Owen had such chemistry. I also got to revisit friends made in previous books. Sandra Rocks! I don't think I've read a book of hers that wasn't enjoyed!
Thank you Sandra Sookoo, Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

Beatrice finds herself caught up in scandal of her mother's making. She decides to get away from it all and escorts her daughter to a house party. Major Owen Kenton is a widower and no longer has a military career because of his injury. He also attends the same house party escorting his own daughter. Two childhood friends reconnect after all these years, and while spending time together realize that they have feelings for each other.
A lovely, later in life romance that was well-written and sweet. Both were wonderful characters and I enjoyed their story. The story was well-paced and flowed smoothly and I was entertained and engaged till the end. Beatrice and Owen had great chemistry and the author did a great job of their story to life. Glad to have had the opportunity to read this!
I received a complimentary copy from Dragonblade Publishing and Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Lady Beatrice Ashdowne-Delacourte is a widow with a daughter to launch through a scandal of her mothers making.
Major Owen Kenton has a daughter to launch though he is still grieving his wife.
Together they will discover their daughters will give more moreover than a push to help them through their turmoil.
A wonderful 2nd chance Rome with a push from outside influences. There are heated scenes in this book which if you choose to skip it doesn't hurt the story much.
I recieved a free copy so that I might tell you what I honestly think. Hope you enjoyed my review. Now go enjoy the book.

Bedeviling Major Kenton by Sandra Sookoo is one of the Winterbourne books. The Winterbourne scandal had touched them all. Major Owen Kenton was not aware of the scandal but was slowly losing his mine. His children had been fine when they were small, but not at eighteen and twenty, all they did was fight, loudly. He finally agreed to attend a house party with his daughter. It was the only way to quiet her. He was not looking forward to his time as a chaperone. Lady Beatrice Ashdowne-Delacourte was headed to the same house party. She was a widow and rather missed bing married, but she had her daughter to think of so off she went. It was there that she met Major Kenton.

These were both middle-aged characters; both had already been married once. Owen was not looking for a wife, rather a mistress or a tryst. If Beatrice were going to tryst, it must end in marriage. This presented a problem for two people, who were well-suited for one another. They met in a maze, rather an appropriate place as what is what their relationship was doomed to become. Beatrice was tired of being nagged by her brother. Owen took his war injuries to mean he was no longer attractive to the opposite sex. These and the marriage thing caused problems in their relationship. They were both decently written characters, both likable and charming. The plot was good. Sookoo often puts some sort of disability on one of her characters and that makes her novels, including this one, more more approachable. It was a good read.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Bedeviling Major Kenton by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #SandraSookoo #BedevilingMajorKenton

To have an affair, or reach for so much more...that is the question!
I loved everything about BEDEVILING MAJOR KENTON, it was packed with warmth, humour, heart and a second chance romance I adored getting lost in. As childhood neighbours prove that once kissed never forgotten.
Owen and Beatrice, both having lost beloved spouses, attend a house party as chaperones for their daughters, at the cusp of their come out and reconnect in the most delightful, unexpectedly heated, manner.
Crafting a well written, beautifully paced read that crackled with chemistry, sexual tension and the possibility of turning a rekindled cherished friendship into a most statisfying forever. While they emerge ever closer to being empty nesters and the internal conflicts and struggles they mutually experience as they bond as parents coming to terms with their children finding their feet and spreading their wings as adults. As boundless attraction, uncertainties, and the bittersweet binding of shared experiences and confidences reawakens the bloom of first love that was once so close to blossoming as it grows beyond a sweet, heady infatuation into the blissful hope of a new found love.
My second in this wonderful emotionally absorbing series full of characters so easy to love. As the shock finding and cherishing of a beguiling second chance at romance becomes the central focus that holds so much captivating charm. As Sookoo entangles it with an insightful personal journey for our leads, enforced by the wisdom instilled in their daughters, and trying to be the best role model and guide they can be for your children while they fight to not let the past define them!
Highly recommended read...really looking forward to the next!

4 1/2*STARS*
A second chance romance with a mature couple. At fifteen, Lady Beatrice had her first kiss from sixteen year old Owen Kenton.
They don't see each other again until a house party they attend as chaperones with their daughters. She's thirty-nine and a widow. Major Owen Kenton is forty and a widower.
Their first kiss unleashes a burning passion for each other, but he doesn't want to marry again. She longs for a husband and the companionship they would share. Never underestimate love and the mechanizations of daughters. I love reading a romance with a mature couple. A lot of heat!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I absolutely adored this novel of 2 “older” people who have lost their spouses and trying to help their daughters launch into society! Bea is feeling unneeded as her daughter is becoming more sure of herself . I totally can identify with her as having an only child all grown, one tends to feel restless. Her hesitancy in showing her body to a new man is something I can understand as well. The Major is fighting feelings of his own and seeing him lose his ability to fight his grief was heart wrenching, especially after all he faced in the war. This story rang true for me, finding a new love after losing one you had lived for so long. I could understand their feelings of inadequacy, fear and anticipation, maybe because I am of the older generation. This is really a breath of fresh air and I truly enjoyed it!

I received this ARC copy for free and these are my own opinions

*****5 stars!

“You see, love doesn’t discriminate. It fills holes and cracks, and merely accepts another person as they are.”

First I would like to thank Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read an arc of this wonderful book! I am honored to be given the chance to read it and give it an honest review.

Lady Beatrice Ashdowne-Delacourte has been devastated by the news of her mother’s infidelity. Since London is abuzz with half-truths about her real father’s paternity, she wants nothing more than to get away and hide. So, when the opportunity arises to escort her daughter to a midsummer house party in the Wiltshire countryside, she agrees to chaperone her.

Major Owen Kenton is suffering from a large cause of ennui. He is a widower without purpose since an injury ended his military career, he longs to recapture the magic of those glory days and be needed again, or have the time to take a nap. When his daughter decides to attend a house party in his son’s stead, he decides to accompany her in hopes of dancing a waltz himself…if a lady could look past the scars left behind by the war.

When both Lady Beatrice and Major Kenton find themselves at the heart of a maze after a rout, the attraction simmering between them ignites into a scandalous coupling. Confessions and secrets follow that bring them closer, yet they want very different things from life that might prevent a romance. When an ill-advised horse race at the end of the party is conducted that has Owen’s life in peril, everything is suddenly thrown into sharp relief with heart-stopping detail. Only they can decide what they want from there.

This was such a delightful book and a very quick and easy read, I enjoyed every minute of it! One of the things that I truly enjoyed was the fact that they were childhood friends reconnecting after years apart. I thought that was a very sweet start to their romance. I also enjoyed that they were older than the typical couples in such stories, that made the story very unique!

I thought both characters balanced each other out very well and the romantic tension between them was perfect and very swoon-worthy! Beatrice being able to see past Owen’s scars and see who he is at his very core was such a heartwarming detail, both were such interesting and complex characters with such different views and opinions on life. There were many bumps and twists and turns in their story, but there was never a doubt that they were perfect for each other.

The pacing of this story was very well done and the descriptions were wonderful, it really pulled the reader into the story. The moment I started this book I could hardly put it down, desperate to know what would befall these characters next and eager to see where they would find themselves.

This is a book I would highly recommend if you’re looking for a sweet and swoony historical romance! I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future!

Lady Beatrice Ashdowne-Delacourte, a widow, is still coming to grips with the Winterbourne, and her own, family scandal. When her daughter is invited to a country house party, she happily goes along as her chaperone. Major Owen Kenton, a widower, has come along with his daughter to the same house party. Beatrice and Owen were friends when they were younger. They enjoy spending time with each other, talk about what has gone on in their lives, and discover they may have feelings for each other. Can this be a chance for love a second time in their lives? This is a charming story about an older couple who find love a second time around. There is a lot of fun in the story. There are picnics, walks through the garden, wading in the pond, a hedge maze, reuniting with old friends and finding new ones. Beatrice and Owen are wonderful characters and wonderful parents. Eliza and Mary are eager to test the waters of Society before their Come-Out. A lovely story with lovable characters and a happy ending.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Later-in-Life, Historical Romance

They knew one another as children, but they lived a lifetime without each other. Years later, they were with their daughters at the same house party. Could that childhood kiss from so long ago ignite a spark today?

He is a soldier with scars; she is a widow with secrets and a scandal, but love cares not about such things. In fact, the two might just create a scandal of their own. Just give them a maze in which to get lost, and you never know what could happen. I enjoyed this entertaining historical romance and would recommend it.

Lady Beatrice Ashdowne-Delacourte has been devastated by the news of her mother’s infidelity. Since London is abuzz with half-truths about her real father’s paternity, she wants nothing more than to get away and hide, so when the opportunity arises to escort her daughter to a midsummer house party in the Wiltshire countryside, she agrees with alacrity. Major Owen Kenton is a widower without purpose since an injury ended his military career. When his daughter decides to attend a house party in his son’s stead, he accompanies in the hopes of dancing a waltz himself
Another well written romance with older characters who have children reaching adulthood & both have loved & lost. I loved the chemistry between Owen & Beatrice & that they were mature, things change after their visit to the maze. I liked the humour & their bumpy journey to a HEA
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

In this historical romance our lead characters are older than usual. They are widowed and both have children who are preparing for adulthood.

Scandal is never far away at a house party full of young people, but who is involved in it? Daughters of 18 or 19 years old must be protected, even from themselves.

The lives our characters have lived in the past obviously play a big part in who they today.

This book is part of a series involving our heroine's family. The events from the previous books explain to you why she feels the way she does, but you can easily read this on it's own.

Lots of mischief and steamy scenes along with some emotional content.

Great fun.

Witty and entertaining, Major Kenton and Lady Beatrice discover that dealing with affairs of the heart is no less easy the second time around. Childhood friends and also the recipients of their first kiss, Owen and Beatrice are surprised at the attraction between them. They have both lost a spouse whom they loved and are supposedly chaperoning their daughters at a house party when they find themselves being distracted by the feelings that emerge after their encounter in a maze. Just as it seemed that any future prospects may fizzle out, circumstances change and with the help of their two daughters, Owen and Beatrice finally discover that a second chance is possible. I enjoyed this novel and the interaction between the characters which made me laugh at times, but I also had empathy for the struggle they were going through. I received a copy of this enjoyable and well-written romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Beatrice, a widow, and Owen, a widower, reunite at a country party where they are chaperoning their respective daughters. Friends when they were children living on neighboring estates, they have much to catch up on. They try to deny the attraction they feel for each other. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.

A Magic Maze, A Kiss, A Second Chance:
The Winterbourne family is still living in scandal and confusion and when the opportunity for Beatrice to escape with her daughter for a week in the country she jumps at the chance.
A house party, a hedge maze, old friends, fate, caring intuitive children, and much more bring two wonderful characters together again.
Beatrice and Owen were childhood friends that reconnect after many hardships at a house party for young folks to meet and become acquainted with the rules of society.
An enjoyable lighthearted story with many confessions and sizzling situations that reignites their long-lost love.
There are many bumps in the road, but fate takes over and soon we are rewarded with a very happy ending. 
This Willful Winterbourne series has been such a delight to read.
Mature Advisory🌶🌶🌶
Cover: Depicted the characters perfectly❤

3,5 stars

This didn't really work for me. I wanted to like it as it's an older couple. Beatrice wanted to be remarried. Owen didn't. A lot of the conversation seemed to about their children and his loss of looks. There was a lot of passion towards the end. I felt sorry for the hosts. I felt the couple didn't really think about them at all. Owen organised a race which the hosts didn't want and because of the accident this ended up delaying the ball. At the ball they took centre stage. Seemed a lot of selfish behaviour. .

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