Miller's jolly good sophomore romance, which follows Never Dare a Wicked Earl in her Victorian Infamous Lords series, stands out less for its lead characters than for those who support them. Simon Marlton, Viscount Adler, distrusts women because his stepmother molested him and then convinced his father to toss him out on his ear. Emma Trafford, a young woman and portrait painter who's recovering from scandal and struggling to support her siblings, lives next door to his Bloomsbury property. A comedy of errors results when Lily, Emma's 12-year-old sister and an avid mystery reader, sees Simon romancing his mistress and thinks he's killing her. While she's trying to obtain proof, she steals his signet ring. His subsequent attempts to determine whether Emma is the thief lead them into a delightful romance filled with period ambience (Lily plays a mean game of trundling hoops) and a charming supporting cast that breathes new life into stock historical romance figures. This is lighthearted romance done right. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

A portrait artist gets to know her subject very well in the latest installment of the Infamous Lords series.Simon Marlton, Viscount Adler, is on the hunt for the mysterious home invader who stole his treasured signet ringand a kiss. When the clues lead him to his neighbor Emma Trafford, a struggling artist, he hires her to paint his portrait under an assumed name, hoping to draw out a confession without calling attention to himself. What he doesn't know is that it was Emma's imaginative 12-year-old sister, Lily, who stole the ring, believing it was evidence of a salacious crime, while Emma kissed him to distract his attention. Though Emma recognizes her patron's scarred yet handsome face, she can't tell him where the ring isnot if she wants to stay out of jail. But the kiss left a lasting impression on them both, and if she's not careful, she'll soon be painting her subject in the nude. It's a fun setup. As they sit face to face, they learn about each other one scintillating detail at a time, leaving the rest to the imagination. The complete picture might ruin them both: Simon's conquests are easy fodder for the scandal sheets, while Emma bears the stigma of a broken engagement. But what some call scandalous and sinful, others call art.Stroke by stroke, the artist shows the viscount what made the Mona Lisa smileand the moment when all their secrets come into full view is well worth the wait. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Lovemaking is mistaken for murder by Emma Trafford's younger sister, Lily, as she spies on the neighbors. Determined to find proof of the violent act, Lily rushes over to find clues. Emma follows to stop her sister and ends up distracting the imagined murderer with a passionate kiss in the dark so that Lily can escape unseen. Simon Marlton, Viscount Adler, vows to discover who broke into his house and kissed him senseless. Vague hints lead him to Emma, but he has a hard time believing that the meek portraitist was his femme fatale. Still, he commissions her to do his portrait to see if she is truly a suspect. As their growing physical desires become impossible to ignore, their secrets become harder to hide. The second in Miller's debut series, the Infamous Lords, following Never Dare a Wicked Earl (2018), this richly written, slow-burning romance, infused with humor, will charm readers and keep them turning the pages in anticipation of how the truth will come to light and how attraction will lead to action.--Friebel, Jenna Copyright 2018 Booklist