The Charming Champion (Book 2 Secret Hearts Series)

Book excerpt: A gentleman who plays the rake A lady who needs the help of one Family secrets…private scandal And a love strong enough to risk it all Eligible is the very last thing he wants to be. Robert Pierce, Viscount Devlin, cultivates his reputation as a carefree rake. His family harbors a secret about his brother that he would die to protect. He never courts any proper young lady for fear of risking its discovery, but Penelope Prestwick is a temptation he cannot resist. Penelope holds her own secret close. She was ruined two years ago and believes she can never marry. It is a very good thing that the only man who captivates her is not the marrying kind. When she learns that her family suddenly has financial troubles, she goes to Robert for help getting to the bottom of the matter. Robert agrees to help her, and they give in to their attraction. They begin a clandestine affair while presenting a proper courtship in company. Bit by bit, she is losing her heart to him. The more time he spends with her, the more he comes to care for her. Their secret liaison could leave them both vulnerable. Can he be the champion she needs before she and her family are ruined? Or will his own family’s secret come to light in the process?