To Ruin a Gentleman

ByShana Galen

Release Date: 2019-01-15
Genre: Historical Romance

Score: 4.5

4.5

From 24 Ratings

Description

The true story of the Scarlet Pimpernel…

Angelette, the recently widowed Comtesse d'Avignon, only invited Viscount Daventry to her country house party as a favor to her sister. When the handsome British lord arrives—two days late—he's full of unnerving tales of unrest and violence in Paris. Angelette assumes it's all exaggeration…until her chateau is attacked and her life threatened. Daventry rescues her, and the two are forced to run for their lives. But when danger closes in, will the viscount stand at her side or save himself?

Is not the one you've been told.

Hugh Daventry visits France frequently to import wine for the family business. On his way out of the country, he stops at the comtesse's house party out of obligation. But after meeting the raven-haired beauty, he tries to persuade her to leave France with him. When the peasants attack, he realizes he's already too late, and now he must protect Angelette, whose sharp tongue is far from angelic. Too soon the couple is caught up in the rising revolution, dodging bloodthirsty mobs, hiding from soldiers, and embroiled in the attack of the Bastille. Hugh wants nothing but to leave tumultuous France for the calm of England. He knows Angelette is intelligent and resourceful—a survivor. But can Hugh survive without her?

Reviews

Wonderful Prequel
5
By Barbed1951
To Ruin a Gentleman is a prequel that starts off The Scarlet Chronicles - it is set in France just as the Revolution is starting, and explains the start of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Viscount Hugh Daventry is in France on business and stops off at widow Angelette, Comtesse d’Avignon’s house party as a favor to her sister to persuade her to escape to England. His stories of the unrest are answered with disbelief by all the nobles at the party, until they experience the danger first hand. Angelette is still determined to help her friends and family in France, and Hugh can’t bring himself to leave her alone and in danger. I thought Angelette was foolish but very brave to stay in France with the danger all around for the aristocracy, and Hugh was obviously so smitten he couldn’t desert the woman he’s fallen for, which led to some hard decisions. During the story, there was quite a bit of suspense as to whether they would be taken by the mob or win free, and then we didn’t see all of their adventures during the unrest, but the conclusion made it very clear there was a happily ever after, which made me happy. I hope we hear more about Sir Percy Blakeney in future stories, as well as Angelette and Hugh, and I’d love to hear if Angelette’s friends, the French Vicomte and his pregnant wife made it safely out of France.