A Notorious Countess Confesses
Evie Duggan’s reputation among the ton is legendary. Raised in poverty, she rose to great heights as an actress and a courtesan, and her hand in marriage was won in a card game by a count, giving her a title. But the count has died, and scandal follows Evie wherever she goes — even the small town of Pennyroyal Green. Evie just wants to escape her reputation and live a quiet life, but there’s no chance of that happening when the town gossips won’t leave her alone. Pennyroyal Green’s vicar, the handsome (and wholesome) Adam Sylvaine, can’t help but notice Evie, and once he gets to know her, he realizes what a kindhearted and gentle woman she really is. Attraction quickly turns to love, but will the residents of Pennyroyal Green accept a fallen woman as the vicar’s wife?
The seventh book in Long’s Pennyroyal Green series is a classic mismatch romance with ample charm and a delightful love story. Readers who are unfamiliar with the series may find some of the ongoing plot threads involving secondary characters somewhat distracting, but the majority of the novel stands alone well enough. Evie’s quest to redeem herself and to help others see beyond her beauty and her scandalous reputation is enjoyable, and Adam is a refreshing break from the standard alpha-male hero so common in Regency romances.
