There’s a scientific explanation for everything—or so naturalist Madeline Prescott believed. Science certainly had the power to clear her father’s name, and accepting the position at Mrs. Harris’s School for Girls was Madeline’s first step on that quest. When renowned rakehell Anthony Dalton appears at the school with a plea for admittance of his niece in an effort to ensure he receives guardianship of her, Madeline realizes there is an opportunity at hand to expedite her plan. She convinces the headmistress there is a need for “rakehell” lessons to protect the girls from such men. And who better to instruct than Anthony? Madeline promises to do all she can to gain entrance for the young girl, but requires something from Anthony in exchange—she needs to get into his inner circle. The two strike a bargain. The one thing Madeline didn’t bargain for, however, was not being able to rely on science to explain the tumultuous longing she felt for the notorious rakehell.

Anthony Dalton had a reputation. His ardor for widows was well known, and he never balked at the man he was perceived to be until he is forced to fight for custody of his niece. He seeks the help of a highly respected school for girls and finds an unlikely ally when he arrives—a young school teacher eager to help him. The request that comes from the beautiful, demure woman shocks him, but in the end he concedes. As he begins to lay the plan for his part of their bargain he discovers there is more to the story than she is willing to share. Anthony also discovers he is inexplicably drawn to the young teacher—a fact that both drives and disturbs him. She is not the usual type of woman he pursues, and with good reason. She is a woman with the capability of opening the prison that securely guards his heart. But she is guarded as well, and if there is one thing Anthony knows for certain, it’s that seduction is a sure-fire way of freeing a woman’s secrets.

Let Sleeping Rogues Lie by Sabrina Jeffries is filled with heartfelt emotion, turn-the-page plot progression, and unexpected humor. It is a rare novel that can touch so many emotions within the reader, all with equal effectiveness. Ms. Jeffries’ subtle use of humor caught me by surprise on several occasions, leading me to read a passage again to be certain of what I had read, only to laugh a second time. The emotional journey is written with equal expertise, sweeping the reader into a love story well worth remembering. Secrets of the hero and heroine revealed throughout the novel will tug at your heart as you anxiously await the moment when they discover all they have been looking for in one another. Let Sleeping Rogues Lie is a hard-to-put-down book that pulls the reader in from the very first page and holds them tightly until the last word is read.

Reviewed by: Devon