The Redwyck Charm

Second in the "Three Disgraces" series Marcus Redwyck comes from a long line of rogues who called upon their legendary charm when necessary to save the family fortunes. Upon his uncle’s sudden death, Marcus becomes the seventh Earl of Amberley and inherits a pile of debts. Reluctantly, he agrees to court Juliana Hutton, an heiress reputed to be as difficult to please as she is beautiful. But unlike his ancestors, Marcus is not a rake. A country gentleman, he fears he knows more about sheep breeding than how to please a lady. When his first meeting with the heiress is postponed due to her supposed illness, he decides to go with friends to the opera, where he meets the intriguing opera-dancer Mademoiselle Juliette Lamant, who’s suddenly become the rage with all of London’s young bucks. Marcus knows he ought not to dally with an opera-dancer, although he begins to suspect his intended bride has run away from the arranged marriage. But for once in his life he cannot resist temptation. Passion leads Marcus and the mysterious Juliette to the edge of scandal. Even when it is revealed that she is Juliana Hutton in disguise, it will take all of Marcus’s resolution and the fabled Redwyck charm to win the spirited heiress’s heart. THE REDWYCK CHARM was originally published as a Signet Regency and won the Phoenix Desert Rose Golden Quill and the Colorado Romance Writers’ Award of Excellence. Length: about 75,000 words (about 215 pages in the original print version). Sensuality: kisses, several sex scenes. Reviews: “A warm and lovely romance...Don’t miss it!” -- Karen Harbaugh “Greene takes a complicated situation and renders it both believable and enjoyable in its untangling, as the lovely Juliana falls victim to The Redwyck Charm.” -- Romantic Times “The Redwyck Charm lives up to its title: it is, indeed, a charming book. It’s a story of honor and duty, expectations and deceptions, and love. Marcus and Juliana are engaging, likeable characters, with fears and foibles, hopes and dreams to which readers will readily relate. Marcus is a surprisingly unconfident, endearingly vulnerable hero. He doesn’t believe he possesses any of the legendary Redwyck charm; he’s far more conversant with crop rotation, sheep, and account books than with fashion and gossip; he walks with a limp that cost him the only lady he’s ever courted; he’s never even kissed a girl. Juliana has more confidence, and she’s endured a kiss or two, but she’s equally unaware of her appeal. She is also strong-willed and remarkably resourceful. A large cast of secondary characters, comprised mostly of Marcus’s and Juliana’s families and friends, adds depth and texture to this delightful tale. “Believable double deception plots are few and far between, but Ms. Greene has written a very creditable one. Not only that, she has added her own unique twists by tying it to a wealthy heiress-impoverished nobleman plot. Although the story is loosely connected to the author’s last book, The Incorrigible Lady Catherine, and contains references to events in that novel, The Redwyck Charm stands well alone. “I highly recommend The Redwyck Charm. Regency fans will adore this story, as will all readers who enjoy entertaining, well-written romances with marvelous characters and a dash of intrigue.” -- Susan Lantz, in Romance Reviews Today “I very much enjoyed this unusual storyline, and took pleasure in watching poor Amberley deal with his conflicting desires. Juliana Hutton, the lady he must woo, has her own difficulties--many of them, as with most people, of her own making. The story has enough humor to keep it light, but the characters experience enough peril to keep the reader turning the pages. “I consider The Redwyck Charm one of the best Regencies I’ve read in the past few months. Elena Greene is a reliable author who delivers the kind of story Regency readers love.” -- Barbara Hume, for Rakehell