READY SET ROGUE - Manda Collins
A Studies in Scandal Novel - Book 1
St. Martin's Paperbacks
ISBN:  978-1-250-10986-6
January 2017
Historical Regency Romance

Regency England

Torquil Beauchamp, the Marquis of Kerr, is on his way to Beauchamp house, the former residence of his recently deceased Aunt Celeste.  Quill is on a mission.  His eccentric aunt has bequeathed the family home to four young women, bluestockings, of all people. ("Bluestocking" is a Regency term used to describe educated, intellectual women bent on scholarly pursuits.)  As far as Quill is concerned, these four young women tricked his aunt and have conspired to steal his family's home.  Midway in his travels, he stops in at the Fox and Pheasant to stay the night, only to meet face to face with one of his nemeses:  Miss Aphrodite Wareham, called Ivy by her friends, one of which he clearly is not!

Once at Beauchamp House, Quill meets the remaining three bluestockings:  Miss Sophia Hastings, a painter, and her sister, Miss Gemma Hastings, who studies fossils; and Lady Daphne Forsythe, a mathematician.  Ivy, he learns, specializes in ancient languages and is anxious to make use of Lady Celeste's extensive library and study her collection of ancient Greek translations.  To his surprise, Quill learns that his aunt's bequest is indeed legal, and these four bluestockings are to remain in residence at Beauchamp House for the next year, while they compete between themselves for ownership of the estate.  All this activity will be supervised by Quill's cousin, Lady Serena Fanning.

Thus begins Studies in Scandal , with READY SET ROGUE as the first offering in the beginning of four delightful stories in this new series.  Quill is the ROGUE in this story and comes with a trail of broken hearts and women in his past, ending with Ivy as he falls literally under her spell.  When Ivy confronts him brandishing a letter written by his aunt before her death, asking Ivy to investigate her murder, Quill is astounded.  He never dreamed that Celeste might have been prey to an evil plot intent on her demise.  Per his aunt's request, he and Ivy must investigate.  From this point forward begins a delightful adventure fraught with romance, fun and danger.

READY SET ROGUE is a wonderful beginning to this exciting and very different series.  Next up is book two, DUKE WITH BENEFITS, coming in June 2017.  This is the story of Lady Daphne and Dalton Beauchamp, The Duke of Maitland.  (Watch for that review, coming soon!)  Meanwhile, grab a head start and get READY SET ROGUE; it is a sure winner!

Diana Risso