The Trouble with Inventing a Viscount: A Novel

by Vivienne Lorret

Overview

USA Today bestselling author Vivienne Lorret returns with the second book in her Liars’ Club series with a sparkling romance about the spirited middle sister, a dashing rogue, and a very real engagement…except he’s not the viscount he’s pretending to be.

Honoria Hartley enjoys flirting far too much to consider marrying. And besides, she’s been betrothed since birth to the long-lost Viscount Vandemere. But no one has actually ever met the viscount and, without an heir, the title will soon become extinct. So she’s willing to do anything to keep her viscount alive, even if she has to invent him herself.

Oscar Flint is a first-rate gambler. Estranged from his father’s side of the family his entire life, he grew up beneath the tutelage of a legendary con artist. There isn’t anyone who could pull the wool over his eyes. Not until he crosses paths with Honoria. Losing to her puts him in a bind… Until he remembers her story about a lost heir to a viscountcy. An heir that no one has ever met. Not yet, anyway.

When Oscar arrives on Honoria’s doorstep, claiming to be Vandemere, she is thrown for a loop. This rogue is not her viscount. The only problem is, he’s quite convincing, and when he kisses her, the line between the lie and the truth becomes hazy in all the steam they create. Honoria refuses to gamble with her heart. But Oscar has never played by the rules and he’s determined to win, no matter the cost.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063352476
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/24/2024
Series:	The Liars' Club , #2
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	100,787
Product dimensions:	4.10(w) x 6.60(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Vivienne Lorret writes fun and steamy Regency historical romances. She lives in the Midwest where she coaxes words out of giant mugs of tea and attempts to jot them down before they can escape.

Editorial Reviews

Lorret launches the Liars’ Club series with a scintillating fake fiancé romance in Regency England...With big emotions, sensual love scenes, and endearing protagonist, this is sure to win hearts.”  — Publishers Weekly (starred review) on It Had to Be a Duke

“[A] sprightly and fun fake-engagement tale…It is a lovely tumble.” — Library Journal on It Had to Be a Duke

“I love this delightful historical romance, Vivienne Lorret is one of my favorite authors and It Had to Be a Duke is a fun romp. The fake betrothal trope has honestly been done so many times but somehow Lorret manages to make it fresh. It’s probably because on top of the fake betrothal trope, Verity and Magnus are enemies-to-lovers, my second favorite trope.”  — Fresh Fiction on It Had to Be a Duke

“Lorret has created a delicious world filled with complex, charming characters. A touch of passion and some comic relief make this a well-blended novel that includes an alluring setup for the next in the series.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Wrong Marquess

“Lorret’s bright humor and sharp wit shine in this charming historical romance.” — Kirkus Reviews on The Wrong Marquess

In this fast-paced romance with a bit of mystery, [...] Lorret alluringly creates passion between the protagonists, and readers will be excited to watch their love story develop. — Library Journal on The Trouble With Inventing a Viscount

Lorret strikes the right balance of humor and swoony romance. The pages fly as this unlikely couple work for their happy ending — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

07/01/2024

A chance encounter between two gamblers leads to deception and a budding, unexpected romance. Honoria Hartley has been engaged since birth to the long-lost Viscount Vandemere. However, with no desire to marry, she must keep the charade of the viscount alive and her suitors at bay. Oscar Flint, in debt and desperate to save his own life, devises a plan to masquerade as Vandemere. When he arrives on Honoria's doorstep, claiming to be Vandemere, her world is thrown into disarray, along with her heart. The plot starts off quickly, with the protagonists' first meeting being both exciting and passionate. The quick succession of events continues, as the story develops and the characters' backstories are revealed. The tension between the protagonists keeps readers engaged throughout the story. VERDICT In this fast-paced romance with a bit of mystery, the second book in the "Liar's Club" series (following It Had To Be a Duke), Lorret alluringly creates passion between the protagonists, and readers will be excited to watch their love story develop.—Jenn Laskosky

Library Journal

2024-08-03
A con artist meets his match with a gambler in disguise.

Honoria Hartley never wants to marry or have children, and she’s found a clever way to avoid it. Her grandmother betrothed her long ago to Viscount Vandemere, and since no one has ever met the man, she’s spent years “clinging to the betrothal contract like a shield,” sending herself letters in which "Vandemere" always has an excuse for why he can’t yet marry her. As she’s exempted herself from the marriage mart, she’s freed up considerable time to do things like disguise herself as Signor Cesario, giving herself the freedom to live as a man and especially to gamble. She’s wearing her Cesario drag the first time she meets ruthless gambler Oscar Flint, and after she wins a large pot he was counting on, he becomes the first person to realize she’s wearing a disguise; only a well-timed kiss allows her to slip away. One year later, he gets his revenge. Honoria is comfortably at home in her normal attire when Oscar reappears, and this time he’s the one in disguise—as her fiance. Flint moves into the Vandemere home and openly courts Honoria, and as their attraction is obvious, both are secretly happy to goad the other. But there’s a good reason Flint escaped to the country to act as Vandemere, and it may put all of them in danger. In the second book in her Liar’s Club series, Lorret turns her attention to the middle Hartley sister. As usual, her writing sparkles, and it’s a delight that Honoria and Oscar can admit their attraction early on, providing for many witty exchanges (and a few spicy ones as well). The plot, however, droops a bit under unnecessary complexity—it’s tempting to think of that as a nod to Shakespeare, given the Hartley family’s theatrical leanings, but it doesn’t quite hold together. Still, the emotional depths of both Honoria and Oscar, the quasi-enemies-to-lovers chemistry between the two, and the charms of the Hartley family provide more than enough reasons for readers to roll the dice on this one.

An enjoyable romance from a Regency fan favorite.

Kirkus Reviews