Sweetest Scoundrel

By: Elizabeth Hoyt

Narrated by: Ashford McNab

SHE'S TAKING CHARGE

Prim, proper, and thrifty, Eve Dinwoody is all business when it comes to protecting her brother's investment. But when she agrees to control the purse strings of London's premier pleasure garden, Harte's Folly, she finds herself butting heads with an infuriating scoundrel who can't be controlled.

HE'S RUNNING THE SHOW

Bawdy and bold, Asa Makepeace doesn't have time for a penny-pinching prude like Eve. As the garden's larger-than-life owner, he's already dealing with self-centered sopranos and temperamental tenors. He's not about to let an aristocratic woman boss him around . . . no matter how enticing she is.

BUT LOVE CONQUERS ALL

In spite of her lack of theatrical experience-and her fiery clashes with Asa-Eve is determined to turn Harte's Folly into a smashing success. But the harder she tries to manage the stubborn rake, the harder it is to ignore his seductive charm and raw magnetism. There's no denying the smoldering fire between them-and trying to put it out would be the greatest folly of all . . .

Critic reviews

"Hoyt's exquisitely nuanced characters, vividly detailed setting, and seemingly effortless and elegant writing provide the splendid material from which she fashions yet another ravishingly romantic love story."—Booklist (starred review) on Darling Beast

"4 1/2 Stars! Top Pick! Darling Beast is wondrous, magical and joyous -- a read to remember."—RT Book Reviews

"Richly drawn characters fill the pages of this emotionally charged mix of mystery and romance."—Publishers Weekly on Duke of Midnight

"4 1/2 Stars! Top Pick! There is enchantment in the Maiden Lane series, not just the fairy tales Hoyt infuses into the memorable romances, but the wonder of love combined with passion, unique plotlines and unforgettable characters."—RT Book Reviews on Duke of Midnight

"I adore the Maiden Lane series, and this fifth book is a very welcome addition to the series . . . [It's] sexy and sweet all at the same time . . . This can be read as a standalone, but I adore each book in this series and encourage you to start from the beginning."—USA Today's Happy Ever After Blog on Lord of Darkness

"Lord of Darkness is classic Elizabeth Hoyt, meaning it's unique, engaging, and leaves readers on the edge of their seats, waiting for the next book . . . an incredible addition to the fantastic Maiden Lane series. I Joyfully Recommend Godric and Megs's tale, for it's an amazing, well-crafted story with an intriguing plot and a lovely, touching romance that I want to enjoy again and again and again . . . simply enchanting!"—JoyfullyReviewed.com on Lord of Darkness

A great addition to the series.

I love this series, the books can't come fast enough for me and I listen over and over. Asa was the most sexual hero of the series.

Humorous all the way through

Sweetest Scoundrel ( Maiden Lane Book 9 ) by Elizabeth Hoyt. As I continue reading the series I just get a little sad. This story here was very good I am glad Asa Makepeace got his story but I actually miss The Ghost of St. Giles. I know it's good to move on in series. I love Asa the best of all the men characters in this series, well I still have three more to go but Asa just made me laugh out loud with his Alpha male attitude and short temper. His filthy mouth was the best! He was just straight to the point and was not afraid of anyone or anything when it came to his precious gardens. As for Eve Dinwoody, the bastard daughter of a Duke's role was just a little annoying in the beginning. But once she got her wits together the story became all the better. I'm on Book 10 and already loving The Duke of Montgomery's attitude, and lets not forget my favorite. The little music at the end always brings tears in my eyes when I think back on the story I had just finished.

A fun story

Humorous Interesting plot and an unsurprising epilogue. I enjoy all of her books and this was no exception

Enjoyed that earlier characters were also present.

Almost perfect.

Where does Sweetest Scoundrel rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It ranks in the top 5.

What other book might you compare Sweetest Scoundrel to and why?

I read about 50 romances a year of all sorts genres and authors, Elizabeth Hoyt has a very distinctive style that shouldn't be compared to the rest. The plot and characters are strong, and realistic. She has a way of making the sexual scenes sizzle. Even though often quite explicit, they don't come across as lewd, prolonged, or gratuitously added.

What about Ashford McNab’s performance did you like?

The diversity and range of this narrator is amazing. I think she captured the essence of each character flawlessly.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did. It is freezing here so no point in going anywhere I didn't have to. I started it late afternoon, paused it only to put a simple dinner on the table and then curled up and finished it in the wee hours of the morning.

Any additional comments?

I rarely give a book a 5 star. I'm sure it wasn't perfect, but I couldn't come up with anything I'd change. I loved her approach to Eve, the heroine being a very psychologically and emotionally damaged women being haunted by her past. In spite of his gruffness, Asa, the hero, is very patient and loving as he helps her heal, while she helps him work through his own demons. The passionate scenes are sizzling, but not what you''d expect.

Wonderful!!

I’ve read the whole maiden lane series in print but wanted to try listening. I’m so glad I did. It made me love this book so much more. I didn’t believe that was possible because it’s my favorite of the series and I already loved it. Now I want to go back and listen to all of the series 😊