Lord of Pleasure – Erica Ridley – NextBookAroundTheCorner

Nondescript “good girl” Miss Camellia Grenville only ever opens her mouth when forced to sing at her family’s musicales. That is, until the night she infiltrates the ton’s most scandalous masquerade ball on behalf of her sister, and finds herself in the arms—and the bed—of the one man she’d sworn to hate.

Irresistibly arrogant and unapologetically sensuous, infamous rake Lord Wainwright always gets his way. When he accepts a wager to turn his rakish image respectable in just forty days, he never anticipates falling for an anonymous masked lover…or that discovering her identity would destroy them both.

My review

Well, I have to admit, the title of the book made me think of a little more hot and steamy, but all together it was a very lovely read. We meet Lord Wainwright, the little rascal, who is the favourite target of the gossiping and cartoonists, since he really enjoys the company of the ladies of the ton. However, since his friends keep giving him a hard time, he vows he can make his image turn around into a respectable Lord. So a bet is made. How could he foresee that he would meet a lovely lady X at a masquerade ball? But who is she?

Miss Camelia Grenville is quite the opposite of Lord Wainwright. A bit of a grey mouse, who doesn’t go out much. As eldest of four sisters, she is practically an old spinster. So when her parents announce that she is to be wed to some unknown earl, she quietly obeys her parents orders. However, her sisters urge her to live a little, before she will be betrothed in a month time. So they convince her to take her sister’s place at a masquerade ball. As Lady X she can have some fun, without people recognizing her. And there she meets Mister X, a kind, gentle and funny man, who captivates her fragile heart.

They promise to meet at the next masquerade. In the days between the balls, the paths of Miss Camelia and Lord Wainwright cross again. But without the masks, they do not recognize each other. Even worse: since Lord Wainwright is indirectly responsible for closing down the funds of the school of her sister, Camelia really despises him. Lord Wainwright is shocked, that there is a female who is not swooning over him. How intriguing. But not as intriguing as his Lady X.

As the story unfolds, some funny and hilarious situations occur. And when Lady X and Mister X finally realize each others identities, miss Camelia still has another secret to reveal. Entertaining, funny and an easy read. Four out of five stars for Erica Ridley.