The Soldier's Scoundrel

[DEBUT] Former thief Jack Turner makes a living as a private investigator working for women and the poor. Oliver Rivington, a straight-laced retired army captain and the younger son of an earl, barges into Jack's office, demanding the return of £200 spent by his sister for Jack's dubious services. To prove his business is legitimate, Jack invites Oliver to observe his next appointment, a wealthy lady blackmailed by a former lover. Bored with no other occupation, Oliver inserts himself into Jack's investigation, believing Jack will resort to illegal methods to resolve the case. Alternatively, Jack is deeply distrustful of the aristocracy and wants nothing to do with law-abiding Oliver. Initially drawn to each other for physical comfort, their attraction blooms into something more, but can love breach the distance between classes? Verdict Debut author Sebastian solidly portrays the prejudice of class differences and the injustice of a flawed legal system skewed in favor of rich men. Sweetly prim Oliver and the roguish Jack will quickly win the hearts of readers, while the mysterious blackmail investigation keeps them invested to the end. An excellent choice not just for M/M romance fans but also for Regency fans with a penchant for vigilante justice.-Eve Stano, Lincoln Lib., Springfield, IL © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A familiar Regency opposites-attract romance becomes something freshly seductivenbsp;in the hands of a skilled newcomer.After a decade in the army, shaken by the depravity of the Spanish battlefields and disabled by a gunshot wound to the leg, Oliver Rivington returns gratefully to the social order of Regency London and the cosseted life afforded him as the son of an earl. He doesnt anticipate having to visit the offices of Jack Turner, a rough-and-ready fixer to whom his sister Charlotte paid 200 pounds for services Oliver shudders to imagine. Turner takes one look at the gorgeous nobleman and is reminded why he went into business in the first place: to help others get out from under the thumbs of men like Rivington. Raised in the slums of St. Giles, the son of criminals, Jack now uses his rather shady skill set for good. Hed like to send Rivington on his way, but the memory of stumbling upon the handsome blond in a rapturous embrace with another young fop gives him pause. "There were few enough men who shared Jack's preferenceslet alone sons of earlsthat he certainly wasn't likely to forget a single one." Realizing they must work together to help Charlotte out of her predicament, each utilizes tactics afforded to him by his social position. Watching Jack, who has a kind of Sherlock-ian cleverness, pursue his quarry is one of the unexpected delights of this intelligent novel. Sebastian deploys dialogue, especially the men's frequent disagreements, to great and often hilarious effect. When the sexual tension becomes too much to resist, the way forward is clouded by social disapproval, Olivers unreflective obedience to the law, and Jacks distrust of both the nobility and his own heart. Sebastian turns in a solid suspense plot, but the impeccably constructed psychology is the winner, with its intricate layers of motives, desires, and fears. An accomplished, thoroughly winning debut. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

[DEBUT] Former thief Jack Turner makes a living as a private investigator working for women and the poor. Oliver Rivington, a straight-laced retired army captain and the younger son of an earl, barges into Jack's office, demanding the return of £200 spent by his sister for Jack's dubious services. To prove his business is legitimate, Jack invites Oliver to observe his next appointment, a wealthy lady blackmailed by a former lover. Bored with no other occupation, Oliver inserts himself into Jack's investigation, believing Jack will resort to illegal methods to resolve the case. Alternatively, Jack is deeply distrustful of the aristocracy and wants nothing to do with law-abiding Oliver. Initially drawn to each other for physical comfort, their attraction blooms into something more, but can love breach the distance between classes? Verdict Debut author Sebastian solidly portrays the prejudice of class differences and the injustice of a flawed legal system skewed in favor of rich men. Sweetly prim Oliver and the roguish Jack will quickly win the hearts of readers, while the mysterious blackmail investigation keeps them invested to the end. An excellent choice not just for M/M romance fans but also for Regency fans with a penchant for vigilante justice.—Eve Stano, Lincoln Lib., Springfield, IL (c) Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.