A Hellion in Her Bed (Hellions of Halstead Hall Series #2) »

By the time Sabrina Jeffries was eighteen, she'd eaten chicken heads and jellyfish, been chased by a baby elephant, seen countless cobras and pythons, had the entire series of rabies shots, and visited rain forests and rubber plantations. But that wasn't enough excitement for her; to escape her mundane life as a missionary's daughter, she read romance novels.

Furious at his grandmother s ultimatum to marry or lose his inheritance, Lord Jarret Sharpe wagers his luck and his heart at the card table against a most unlikely opponent.Mired in scandal after his parents mysterious deaths, notorious gambler Lord Jarret Sharpe agrees to tamely run the family brewery for a year if his Machiavellian grandmother rescinds her ultimatum that he marry. But the gambler in him can t resist when beguiling Annabel Lake proposes a wager. If she wins their card game, he must help save her family s foundering brewery. But if he wins, she must spend a night in his bed. The outcome sets off a chain of events that threatens to destroy all his plans . . . and unveils the secret Annabel has held for so long. When Jarret discovers the darker reason behind her wager, he forces her into another one and this time he intends to win not just her body, but her heart.

Library Journal

Annabel Lake will do just about anything to save her family's brewery, even wager her lucky heirloom ring for another brewer's marketing help. Notorious gambling hellion Lord Jarret Sharpe, the current reluctant manager of his family's Plumtree Brewery, ups the stakes to a night in his bed, but Annabel shocks him by calling his bluff—and winning. Still, Annabel is keeping secrets, and as they gradually come to light, Jarret demands another wager, one he doesn't intend to lose. Complex, immensely appealing protagonists, a delightful profusion of diverse secondary characters (including a particularly engaging 12-year-old), the perfect touch of fascinating detail about the late Regency-era beer trade, and a plot that becomes more intriguing as it unfolds add up to another stellar read and another success for the rapidly ascending Jeffries. VERDICT Rich with family interaction, deliciously redolent of yeast and hops, and overflowing with scintillating wit and heart-stopping sensuality, this addition to Jeffries's latest addictive series satisfies while cleverly doling out tidbits that will keep readers eager for the next installment. Jeffries (The Truth About Lord Stoneville) lives in Cary, NC. [Ebook ISBN 978-1-4391-6757-1.]