The romance was understated, fraught with difficulties, which made it all the more believably romantic. Once caught in the said position, Lord Dain assumes the worst, being that Jessica schemed to be compromised so she could marry him, which she would NEVER, he could only wish. She knows of his flaws, but cares about him anyway, although she doesn't let him get away with anything.

I felt it important to include that snippet in this review, because it speaks volumes about what Sebastian's young life was like.Sebastian, the lord of scoundrels himself, is the passionate, larger-than-life, half-Italian half-English Marquess of Dain. Sebastian Ballister, Blackthorne - Marquess of Dain seen by the noble society, including himself, as the darksome and black eyed very ugly, unattractive devil himself. I did listen to the audiobook while concurrently reading the book and I enjoyed the narration by Kate Reading. Within the context of their marriage, the witty banter of the first segment gives way to petty arguments, sulking, and slut-shaming, which is unfortunate because it's made clear from the very beginning that Jess is a force to be reckoned with and I didn't see the need for her to drag other women down.

But him, the person that likes nobody just falls (literally) over the kid and oooooh the love is in the air? She agrees because she really does like him and would rather be a rich wife to a Marquess than exhiled to a small house in the country for the rest of her life (take notes other historical authors - it isn't resonable for a regency heroine to turn down an offer of marriage and live the rest of her life destitute simply because a man didn't say he loved you).By giving Dain Italian ancestry through his mother, Chase was able to develop his character and justify his motivations.