When You Wish Upon a Rogue: A Debutante Diaries Novel

by Anna Bennett

Overview

She knows what she wants.

 Miss Sophie Kendall is happiest arranging the secret meetings of the Debutante Underground, a group of women who come together to discuss the weekly advice column The Debutante’s Revenge. What makes Sophie most unhappy is her impending march down the aisle to a man she does not love. But her family’s finances are in increasingly dire straits.

He makes an offer she can’t refuse.

Henry Reese, Earl of Warshire, hasn’t slept in weeks. Desperate to escape his manor house and its haunting memories, he heads for one of his abandoned London properties. There he meets a beautiful, intriguing woman—trespassing. Reese is far less interested in Sophie’s search for a secret meeting spot than he is in her surprising ability to soothe his demons. So he strikes a bargain with her: his shop in exchange for spending one night a week with him.

Is this love for real—or just a dream?

Sophie never expected this to happen. But she cannot deny the fire Reese sparks in her—and soon their shared desire burns bright. Sophie is irrevocably promised to another. But maybe these two ill-fated lovers can find a way to risk it all—all the way to happily ever after…

“Fans of…Eloisa James, Tessa Dare, and Mary Jo Putney will go wild.”—Booklist

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250199508
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	05/26/2020
Series:	Debutante Diaries Series , #3
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	4.10(w) x 6.70(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Anna Bennett started swiping romances from her mom’s bookshelf as a teenager and decided that books with balls, dukes, and gowns were the best. So, when she had the chance to spend a semester in London she packed her bags—and promptly fell in love with the city, its history, and its pubs. She dreamed of writing romance, but somehow ended up a software analyst instead.

Fortunately, a few years and a few careers later, Anna found her way back to writing the stories she loves and won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart®. She lives in Maryland with her husband and three children, who try valiantly not to roll their eyes whenever she quotes Jane Austen.

Editorial Reviews

03/30/2020

A woman’s dream of marrying for love dies beneath her father’s debt in the sparkling finale of Bennett’s Debutante Diaries Regency series (after The Duke Is but a Dream). A marriage of convenience is an ironic fate to befall Sophie Kendall, the chairperson of Debutante’s Underground, a secret society that encourages women to advocate for themselves. But Sophie makes a match with the wealthy Lord Singleton to save her family from destitution. Sleep evades Henry Reese, Earl of Warshire, until he happens upon Sophie breaking in to his vacant London storefront. Sophie instantly recognizes the signs of insomnia and insists on brewing him an herbal remedy—but it’s her calming presence that lulls Reese off to dreamland. Astounded, Reese offers a deal: Sophie may use his building to hold Debutante Underground meetings in exchange for spending one night a week with him to help him rest. Sophie agrees and imposes a “no touching” rule. But their weekly visits soon give way to long talks and, as they fall in love, creative, sensual work-arounds to the rule. Sophie’s sweetness and compassion shine and series fans will be thrilled to witness her turn in the spotlight. This silky-smooth series ender expertly tugs at the heartstrings. Agent: Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary. (June)

Publishers Weekly

"Expertly tugs at the heartstrings." - Publishers Weekly on When You Wish Upon a Rogue

"Readers who love a grumpy-to-smitten hero will swoon." - Kirkus on When You Wish Upon a Rogue

"A dashing Regency romance featuring a wounded earl and an unyielding heroine with strong convictions." - Library Journal on When You Wish Upon a Rogue

From the Publisher

05/01/2020

Before Sophie Kendall steps into the role of dutiful wife to a man she does not love, she plans to organize the next round of meetings for the Debutante Underground, a secret club where women can openly discuss all subjects of the day. An abandoned tailor's shop appears the perfect place to host the group, but when she sneaks in she encounters Henry Reese, Earl of Warshire, who owns the building. After the unexpected death of his brother, Henry is still grieving and suffering the torment of abandoning his former regiment. His insomnia seems incurable, until an evening with Sophie proves a salve to his riled thoughts. He strikes a bargain with Sophie: he'll share the space on the condition she stays with him one night a week to aid his sleep. With rules established, the two toe the line of impropriety, sharing a great many secrets as they go. VERDICT Bennett delivers a dashing Regency romance featuring a wounded earl and an unyielding heroine with strong convictions. The third of the "Debutante Diaries" (after The Duke Is But a Dream) can easily serve as an introduction to the series.—Kellie Tilton, Univ. of Cincinnati, Blue Ash

Library Journal

2020-04-13
A debutante finds her match at last—after she is betrothed to another.

The last of a trio of debutantes is about to find herself off the marriage market, much to her dismay. Sophie Kendall is to be betrothed in two months to Lord Singleton, an inoffensive man she has no interest in but must marry to settle her father’s debts. This means she'll no longer be leading the clandestine meetings of the Debutante Underground, an “eclectic group of women” from all walks of life who meet to discuss “sensitive topics such as courting, desire, intimacy, and love.” It also means she shouldn’t take any interest in Henry Reese, the Earl of Warshire, whom she’s just met in her quest to find a new meeting spot for the group. But Henry is desperate to get to know Sophie better after he learns that her tea, and her presence, is so soothing to him that he's able to get a good night’s sleep despite his persistent PTSD. In exchange for the use of his space for her group, she agrees to spend one chaste night with him each week, insisting that they aren’t to touch each other at all. But her strict boundaries are no match for their attraction, and she is soon regretting her imminent engagement, which will mean the end of all the relationships that are important to her—unless she calls it off, ruining her family. Sophie’s prohibition against physical touch adds a heightened chemistry to the scenes of intimacy between her and Henry, which build nicely in intensity throughout the story. Sophie’s freedom to leave her house overnight without any chaperone feels awfully contemporary, but Bennett provides an explanation plausible enough to let the fun continue. Readers who love a grumpy-to-smitten hero will swoon for Henry, and his PTSD is sensitively handled, if a bit simplistic.

A straightforward and charming Regency romance with a pleasing horticultural bent to set it apart.

Kirkus Reviews