A DARING ARRANGEMENT - Joanna Shupe
The Four Hundred Series , Book 1
Avon Books
ISBN Print: 978-0-06-267889-8
ISBN E-Book: 978-0-06-267890-4
November 2017
Historical Romance

New York – 1890

Lady Honora (Nora) Parker's father, an earl, caught her in an indiscretion with Robert, an artist of no social standing. The earl sent his daughter to his sister in New York before a scandal arose among London's elite. Nora's only goal is to cause a scandal in New York that makes her father bring her home and allows her to be with Robert. To achieve this goal, she gets Julius Hunter, a self-made millionaire well known for his public misbehavior, to agree to be her pretend fiancé. The problem is, when she asked, it was Julius's birthday. He and his friends were having a horse back party on the second floor of an exclusive New York restaurant, and when Nora asked him and he agreed, he immediately fell off his horse dead drunk.

While Julius doesn't remember saying yes, he is not adverse to Nora's request. Despite his wealth, he has not been able to join New York's society. He believes men there backed out of a deal that lead to his father committing suicide. He wants revenge, but must enter the ranks of New York's elite for any chance to discover the names of these men. A conflict arises immediately because Julius will not implement any scandal that will reflect back on himself and his goals, or on his fiancée, even a pretend one.

A DARING ARRANGEMENT shows many of the despicable traits of those in the elite class while showing New York as a lively and interesting city. Nora and Julius have a dismissed but growing attraction to each other. Nora is not a typical London lady, but a personable, determined, and willful woman unafraid of defying anyone. Julius is a very smart, hardworking, and successful stockbroker. Others entangle themselves in the couple's situation causing trouble and danger leading to an unexpected ending.

Robin Lee