The Runaway Viscount (Matchmaking Chronicles, #3) by Darcy Burke

The Runaway Viscount (Matchmaking Chronicles, #3) by Darcy Burke

Title:  The Runaway Viscount

Series: Matchmaking Chronicles, #3

Author:  Darcy Burke
Publisher:  Zealous Quill Press
Genre:  Historical Fiction, Romance
Format:  Kindle 
No. of Pages:  184
Date of US Publication:  27 December, 2022
My Rating:  3.5 Stars

My Thoughts

Show me a new Darcy Burke novel (please!) and I'll very happily read it - I love her stories 🙂

Juliana Sheldon is an independent young widow, and Lucas Trask, the Viscount Audlington and heir to an earldom, meet during a snowstorm, sparks fly and soon the cold winter night is nothing compared to the heat that the two generate. Lucas, making a Seriously Dumb Decision, leaves and when Juliana awakens, he’s gone. She’s angry, he feels like a fool for leaving without a word, and thinks of her often. 

Two years later - they meet up again at the matchmaking house party thrown by mutual friends and the sparks that were initially there haven’t burned themselves out, they’ve grown even stronger…

Some of my favorite tropes here - 

• Romance while trapped in an inn during a snowstorm, 

• Hostess with matchmaking on her mind throws a house party,

• One night stand turns into something more 

• Second chance

Despite Lucas being a walking, talking red flag I really enjoyed the coupling of he and Juliana. The entire story was a lot of fun and this quick read also has a nice amount of heat (open door scenes) to help warm you from the seriously cold winter days right now! 

eARC kindly provided by Zealous Quill Press and NetGalley. Opinions shared are my own.

Description

Two years ago, independent widow Juliana Sheldon spent a blissful night with the Viscount Audlington at an inn during a snowstorm, and the next morning, he left without a word. Juliana doesn’t realize how much his abandonment upset her until she encounters him at a matchmaking house party. He’d like to rekindle their affair, but Juliana prefers to torment him instead. Until she finally surrenders to temptation—only to be dismayed when he begins to talk about the one thing she doesn’t want: marriage.

Lucas Trask, heir to an earldom, has left his rakish reputation behind in favor of finally taking a wife. He never forgot Juliana and reconnecting with her seems like fate is telling him who he should wed. However, Lucas has a secret, one he’s never dared share with anyone. If he can convince Juliana to be his wife, he’ll reveal everything. But when tragedy strikes, he must leave again. This time, the runaway viscount may be all out of luck.