Loretta Chase, Viscount Vagabond

Max Demowery has always felt stifled by his aristocratic upbringing and done everything in his power to rebel. But now that he has succeeded to his brother’s title, he knows it’s his duty to marry and start producing heirs. He celebrates his last night of freedom in a brothel, where he is confronted by the last thing he’d ever expect: an innocent girl who needs his help. Catherine Pelliston is desperate to escape from her alcoholic father and loutish fiancé, but she now finds herself in even more dire circumstances, kidnapped and forced into prostitution. She appeals to Max for help, but even after he saves her from the brothel, she has nowhere to go. Against his better judgment, Max finds himself getting involved in Catherine’s future — and finding love in the process.

The premise of this book seems very implausible, but I found it so charming I didn’t care at all! I loved Max right away; he’s funny and likable from the very first scene. Catherine is a bit pricklier — understandably, given her backstory — but it’s not hard to warm up to her. She tries to approach everything logically and precisely, which makes for a humorous contrast to the impulsive Max. The plot is a bit contrived, involving multiple kidnappings and an over-the-top villain, and there’s an obligatory adorable urchin whom Catherine inevitably befriends. But for me, the book’s light and witty style, plus the utterly adorable main characters, more than make up for those shortcomings. Loretta Chase has written a few more of these “traditional Regencies” (so called because they don’t have explicit sex scenes), and I’m definitely going to seek them out!