Scandalous mystery tuppers and double cannonball!

On the night of the Parkhurst ball, someone had a scandalous tryst in the library.
• Was it Lord Canby, with the maid, on the divan?
• Or Miss Fairchild, with a rake, against the wall?
• Perhaps the butler did it.

All Charlotte Highwood knows is this: it wasn’t her. But rumors to the contrary are buzzing.

I was a little reluctant to read this book by Ms Dare, after thoroughly disliking the previous one, but reviews were good so when I saw it at the library I thought I might as well give it a chance.  And I’m happy I did, it’s miles better and back to the style of her books that I enjoy.  It’s part of the Castles Ever After series, but also part of the Spindle Cove series which is a little confusing but you can really read it as a standalone.

The scandal in question is started when Charlotte Highwood and Piers Brandon are supposedly caught together in the library having an intimate tryst.  Unfortunately, they were merely in hiding while the real culprits were engaged in a hot sexual interlude and overheard by a young lad who took the screams of passion for those of murder.  The real secret tuppers, as Piers calls them, have disappeared and Piers has no recourse but to offer for Charlotte’s hand to avoid her ruination.

Charlotte has other ideas; she doesn’t want to marry just yet, she wants to tour Europe with her best friend Delia, and she’s sure that Piers doesn’t want to marry her.  He’s the Marquess of Granville, object of many a mama who want him to marry their daughter so Charlotte’s mother is over the moon when he does the right thing.  Still, Charlotte tells him that the only thing they can do is find the real culprits and then they can go their separate ways.  It’s not much of a plot, but still it’s cute and funny and entertaining.  Piers is a good hero – he’s sexy and confident, along with possessing a good sense of humor.  Charlotte is also witty and intelligent, despite her youth, and the two of them make a good pair.

This book is light as air, but it’s a fun read to end the year and make my double cannonball.