Never Deceive a Viscount

April 16, 2018
Miller’s jolly good sophomore romance, which follows Never Dare a Wicked Earl in her Victorian Infamous Lords series, stands out less for its lead characters than for those who support them. Simon Marlton, Viscount Adler, distrusts women because his stepmother molested him and then convinced his father to toss him out on his ear. Emma Trafford, a young woman and portrait painter who’s recovering from scandal and struggling to support her siblings, lives next door to his Bloomsbury property. A comedy of errors results when Lily, Emma’s 12-year-old sister and an avid mystery reader, sees Simon romancing his mistress and thinks he’s killing her. While she’s trying to obtain proof, she steals his signet ring. His subsequent attempts to determine whether Emma is the thief lead them into a delightful romance filled with period ambience (Lily plays a mean game of trundling hoops) and a charming supporting cast that breathes new life into stock historical romance figures. This is lighthearted romance done right. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary.