A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel

A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (2023) KJ Charles (The Doomsday Books #2)

Set in Kent in 1823

To the surprise of everyone, Rufus d’Aumesty is the Earl of Oxney. After a seven month battle, he was affirmed as the heir, yet his uncle Conrad is still fighting to try and regain the title he feels rightfully belongs to him.

“I can scarcely be blamed for taking pains to ensure the title continues down the true line in lawful fashion—”

“You speculated my mother bore a girl and switched me at birth with an orphan boy, as though she were a Bourbon queen, not a draper’s daughter,”

Conrad and his wife are vile people.

He had apologised for his language but stood his ground otherwise, and she had accordingly refused to instruct Cook or the housekeeper any further since her labour went unappreciated. That had been a tactical error since, while the butler adored her, the others did not.

But Rufus is slowly able to bring his other cousins around–if for no other reason than Conrad and Matilda are just as horrible to them as they are to everyone else.

Odo beamed at them both. “That’s a wonderful idea. Stone Manor’s own art gallery. Yes. If we must have the Cathedral—”

“You propose to put those daubs on display?” Matilda enquired. “Where people might see them?”

Berengaria’s colour went from pink to a dull red.

Rufus said, “What a cursed unpleasant remark.”

“I will speak as I choose to my daughter. If she had not wasted her time and her youth in this foolery with paints, she might have been married by now.”

And the greatest help in all the tasks Rufus has to do is his new secretary, Luke Doomsday (who you might remember from the previous book as Goldie).

“Do what?” the butler demanded.

Luke smiled up at him. “His lordship will be getting rid of a lot of old things that aren’t useful to him. That starts today. Excuse me.”

I adored Rufus, who was going to do what was right, come hell or high water.

Luke was more problematic.

I’m not sure how I would have felt about him without knowing what he’d gone through in the events of the previous book. Also, I was paying attention when I read the previous book and knew exactly what Luke was doing.

That made it hard to know if his grovel really was enough, for he truly did hurt Rufus, but he also had spent their time together trying to help Rufus and make life easier for him.

Whether Luke had earned his forgiveness or whether Rufus was too kind and let him off easy, I found the entire thing extremely satisfying.

Characters: Rufus d’Aumesty / Lord Oxney, Luke Doomsday, Emily Doomsday / Tallant, Odo d’Aumesty, Berengaria d’Aumesty, Fulk d’Aumesty, Mr. Conrad d’Aumesty, Mrs. Matilda d’Aumesty, Mr. Pagan d’Aumesty, Mrs. Greening, Mr. Smallbone, Mr. Pauncefoot, Hughes, Perce, Mary Hammond, Matt Molash, Joss Doomsday, Sir Gareth Inglis, Mrs. Catherine Inglis, Mrs. Cecilia Bovey, Charlotte Doomsday, Miss Laura Colefax, Louisa Ann Meadows / Brightling, Mr. Raymond d’Aumesty, Sir Anthony Topgood, Viscount Corvin, John Raven

Cover art by Jyotirmayee Patra

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Rating: 9/10

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