Every Scandalous Secret is book three of this Regency trilogy. Other books in the series include A Most Scandalous Engagement and The Pursuit of a Scandalous Lady.

Leo Wade is a rake of the highest order. He cuts through the ladies of the ton like a knife through butter, and lives his life to the fullest in the gaming hells and in the bedroom. He is brought into a bet regarding a painting and its subject with two of his good friends. Leo ends up thrown together at a country house party with the lady he suspects is the model for the scandalous painting, but the prim and proper lady in question isn't giving away any of her secrets, no matter how he romances her.

Miss Susanna Leland is firmly on the dreaded spinster shelf, yet she does have secrets to protect, in spite of her assumed propriety. She is enthralled by the attention Leo pays her and the desires it awakens, but she must stay strong and not give into his wicked charm. When caught in a compromising position, the two find themselves headed toward marriage, which is the last thing either of them wants...or is it?

Every Scandalous Secret is a Regency-era novel that pits passion against will. Susanna is a character with spine, for sure, and she leads Leo on a merry chase. Leo is a rake with a heart and a shadowy secret from his own past that has marked him for life. Settings and accompanying secondary characters were appropriate for this time period, and I enjoyed the descriptions of the country houses mentioned in the book. However, I felt that the two characters together didn't seem intriguing enough or dynamic enough to keep my attention. The crux of the book revolved around the painting and the identity of the model, which was interesting, but the plot fizzled for me partway through. I rather liked Susanna's unconventionality when juxtaposed with her prim façade. Three Angels.

Reviewed by: Michelle B.