The Scandal in Kissing an Heir

Starred review from October 21, 2013
Fun and full of red-hot passion, the second installment in the At the Kingsborough Ball series cleverly begins with the same 1817 masquerade that opened The Trouble with Being a Duke, but with new protagonists giving their perspectives on the event as it unfolds. Lady Rebecca, tired of feigning madness to prevent being married to an old, lecherous duke, sneaks out to the ball. She meets and falls for the dashing, notorious rake Daniel Neville, heir to a marquisate, who’s been ordered by his uncle to find a suitable wife or risk being disinherited. Daniel is quickly besotted by Rebecca’s unusual Spanish beauty and positive attitude, but is rejected by her guardians as an inadequate substitute for the duke. As Daniel and Rebecca plot ways to further their relationship and dodge their respective perils, Daniel’s past conquests and a dangerous rival threaten their future. Readers will be glued to this first-rate romantic adventure.

December 1, 2013

Notorious rake Daniel Neville is heir to a marquisate and in desperate need of a bride. He is fascinated by the mysterious "Lady Nuit" whom he meets at the Kingsborough Ball and then horrified when she collapses in his arms, shot and bleeding. Lady Rebecca quickly recovers, and as against her wishes family pressure builds for her to wed, she and Daniel take matters into their own hands--with near deadly results. VERDICT Mystery, danger, and steamy passion add up to a fast-paced, sexy story that unites a talented, resourceful heroine with a hero who comes into his own. Barnes (The Trouble with Being a Duke) lives on the East Coast.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2013
Lady Rebecca needs a man, and she needs one fast. If Rebecca doesn't find a suitable man to marry, her horrible, greedy uncle and aunt are going to marry her off to either a sweet but ancient earl or a lecherous old duke. Daniel Neville needs a wife, and he needs one immediately. If Daniel doesn't become engaged to a suitable lady within a month's time, his father is going to cut off his allowance for good. When Rebecca meets Daniel at the Kingsborough Ball, it would seem they are the answer to each other's prayers. Unfortunately, Rebecca has no intention of spending the rest of her life married to an unfaithful rogue, which means Daniel must quickly find a way to convince her he is definitely a reformed rake. Barnes' flair for clever banter and her gift for creating charmingly quirky characters prove to be a winning combination in the latest sparkling addition to her At the Kingsborough Ball series. Fans of comic, cleverly crafted Regency historical romances will definitely want to add Barnes to their reading lists.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)