The Marquis and I

by Ella Quinn, Cat Gould (Read by)

Overview

Next in the USA Today-bestselling Regency romance series—A daring rescue, a disreputable reputation, and a dangerous road ahead.

Lady Charlotte Carpenter's brother-in-law has put an infamous brothel owner out of business—yet it is Charlotte who suffers the consequences. Abducted by thugs and held at an inn, she is plotting her escape when she's suddenly rescued by a dashing gentleman. Only afterward does she realize she's seen him before—with two courtesans! Unwilling to tarry with such a man, Charlotte makes her second escape. But it is too late to repair her reputation . . .

A known gossip has spied Charlotte's movements, and his report is speeding through the rumor mill. Soon, everyone knows that Charlotte spent the night with Constantine, Marquis of Kenilworth. And everyone agrees the only answer is marriage, including Constantine himself, his overjoyed mother—and his mistress! But Charlotte's abductors aren't finished with her yet. Now Constantine will do anything to protect the spirited woman he loves and win her heart . . .

Contains mature themes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798200719105
Publisher:	Tantor
Publication date:	05/25/2021
Series:	The Worthingtons Series , #4
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 5.70(h) x (d)

About the Author

Ella Quinn is the USA Today bestselling author of smart, spicy Regency romances, including The Worthingtons and The Marriage Game Series. Prior to writing romance, Ella Quinn was an adjunct professor, a lawyer, and the first woman to be assigned to a Green Beret unit. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and has extensively researched the Regency era, immersing her stories with the flavor and feel of the period so that readers lose themselves in the time. She and her husband currently live in Germany when they aren’t cruising the world on their sailboat. Visit her online at ellaquinnauthor.com.

Editorial Reviews

01/22/2018
Quinn’s smart fourth Worthingtons Regency romance (after It Started with a Kiss) continues the tale of the Worthingtons’ first society season. When Lady Charlotte Carpenter is kidnapped by someone who plans to sell her to a client of the cunning madam Miss Betsy, Constantine, Marquis of Kenilworth, is the only one on hand to assist her. A carriage chase out of London and a dashing rescue from an inn arouse their passions, but the moment Charlotte discovers her companion is a man notorious for keeping mistresses, she is committed to a low opinion of him—even when the compromising situation surrounding her kidnapping forces them to claim that they’re betrothed. Constantine’s dedicated respect for her and thoughtful reflection when challenged show her that he’s more than a man who pays for women, and that marrying him wouldn’t be so bad. This installment is more tightly plotted than some earlier ones and full of payoffs for longtime readers while welcoming the new. Agent: Deirdre Knight and Janna Bonikowski, Knight Agency. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

2017-12-24
When even your mistress approves of your fiancee, you know you've found the right woman.Constantine, Marquis of Kenilworth, is a classic gentleman: he takes care of his obligations to family and the House of Lords, and his life is "exactly as he wishe[s] it to be," which is to say, he has a mistress, Aimée. But after he's pressed into rescuing Lady Charlotte Carpenter from a kidnapping and the two are seen together, they must pretend to be betrothed to protect her reputation, upending both of their elegant lives. Every woman who cares for Con thinks Charlotte is a good match—even Aimée. Charlotte, however, is unconvinced, and an argument over his relationships with courtesans early in their betrothal means Constantine has to overhaul his life in order to win Charlotte's affections—which becomes even more difficult after she is kidnapped again. The fourth entry in Quinn's The Worthingtons series brings one of historical romance's most raucously lovable families back to the page, and it plays a key role. Since Charlotte and Con are engaged early in the book, the tension of the story derives not from whether they'll marry but whether they'll be happy about it, and Quinn builds that tension through a skillful exploration of the real social pressures facing women in 1815. Of particular note is Quinn's nuanced approach to the issue of prostitution in the Regency era. Where other historical romances have used mistresses as plot points rather than characters, Quinn, via Con's awakening, explores the inequality behind the "choices" women make as well as the obliviousness of those who benefit from them. This subplot, combined with multiple kidnappings, secret family members, and a human trafficking ring, means the story can get a bit unwieldy and overcomplicated, but Con's and Charlotte's earnest intelligence and chemistry will carry most readers past those hiccups.A surprising Regency romance that combines intelligence and intrigue for satisfying results.

Kirkus Review