I made no secret of my love of Lord Stoneville and how I wanted him to be Cousin Michael in Jeffries other series School For Heiresses. This book, the first in a series about the Sharpe siblings dubbed 'The Hellions of Halstead Hall', is rather a spoiler for the School For Heiresses series since obviously Stoneville was not 'Cousin Michael' if he's looking for a new bride already! That being said though characters from Heiresses pop up from time to time, most of Stoneville's friends married one of the Heiresses, you don't need to have read Heiresses to read this. Its self-contained and focused on Stoneville's family.

And what a family! All three brothers are rakehells, though Oliver far out stripes them in that regard, Jarrett (the second oldest) is a venerate gambler, Minerva (the middle child) writes gothic romances under her own name, Gabe (the fourth child) is addicted to racing and Celia (the youngest) likes nothing better to go out to the shooting range and show up all the men. Their parents died under scandalous terms as well, though even before their death their father was the worst sort of philandering debauched rakehell you could ever ask for. Their grandmother who raised them finally puts her foot down--she wants great-grandchildren, but more then that she wants to see them all properly settled and leading fulfilling lives free of scandal. Or they all become penniless bums.

I'll say this much I loved Gran. Say what you will about crotchety old folk, she is (as Stoneville puts it) 'Machiavelli in a dress'. Even when they think they've got her they really don't, she's got plans for everything and back up plans to boot. Its great when they all decide that one of them needs to be sacrificed to thwart her plans, sadly she accounted for that too.

Stoneville in Heiresses is a different sort of man. Since he was only a peripheral character for much of those 6 books we didn't learn a whole lot about him. I remember the scandal in his family being mentioned, as well as his rakish ways though very little else is known about him. He was endearing though and I was very eager to hear about this new series being based around him and his siblings. He doesn't disappoint. Though older and a tad more cynical (anyone would be with the ultimatum their Gran gives him) he is still wickedly dashing and charming. His scheme to use a fake fiancee to convince their Gran the errors of her ways was amusing (if only because he obviously underestimated that woman's tenacity and nerves of steel).

His love interest, Maria, doesn't play to type for Americans you ordinarily see in Regency set historical romances. Its not that she isn't independent or loud, its more that she has an understanding of British society and doesn't go out of her way to flaunt her American values in their faces. Her ability to thwart Oliver's various seduction attempts is also entertaining, though he does learn to counter even those measures.

Oliver's siblings were an interesting mash of types. I don't think they would ordinarily be anywhere near each other, but their blood relations make them close as close can be. Though that affection is what lead to their Gran's scheme. Together they are a force to be reckoned with--I don't think I've seen a group of individuals more determined to undermine, counter or find a loophole in a scheme before.

The scandal that changed all of their lives, and which Oliver feels is completely his fault, is brought up and dissected at various points. Oliver's part in his parents' deaths is explained, though his siblings see it from a new angle. From how it played out, as well as hints left in the final chapter, I feel as if we won't hear the whole story of what happened that night until the final book in this series. Which I am okay with, like the 'Cousin Michael' mystery in the Heiress books, I'm curious to see in the end how this weaves itself throughout the other books. This mystery is more personal to the main characters of the books themselves, instead of being a mystery attached to a secondary character of the series, and from the comments/reactions just in this book alone promises to warrant a lot of fun. ( )

The Truth About Lord Stoneville
4 Stars

Series note: This is a spin-off of the School for Heiresses series. The hero has a minor role in some of those books. Nevertheless, the plot of this book is unrelated and it can be read as a standalone.

Yes, the characters are rather stereotypical and the plot is not particularly original, but this is a light, fast-paced, and enjoyable read nonetheless.

The basic premise revolving around the Sharpe siblings (the eponymous Hellions of Halstead Hall) and the ultimatum issued by their wealthy grandmother to marry or else is amusing, especially considering that they all really need a kick in the pants!

While Oliver and Maria stock characters - he is the unrepentant rake in dire need of true love to overcome his tortured past, and she is the spirited yet innocent American heiress unwilling to put up with his nonsense - they are still likable and appealing. Likewise, their fake engagement romance is predictable, but they have solid chemistry and their banter is entertaining.

The other Sharpes are very engaging. The strong sense of care and affection between them is delightful, and I look forward to reading their books.

In sum, this is recommended for anyone interested in a fun historical romance without any unnecessary angst. ( )

I was in the mood for a very light and fluffy read. This book hit the spot. Entertaining and fun. ( )

I was loving this book until in the final third when the hero seduces the heroine about 2 minutes after promising her up and down he'll prove his love by waiting for their wedding night. I found this confusing and smarmy. Otherwise this was a highly enjoyable read. This was my first [a:Sabrina Jeffries|50886|Sabrina Jeffries|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1344970230p2/50886.jpg] book and I really enjoyed her writing style. The Sharpe family of "hellions" is entertaining and their emotional lives believable. I'll definitely be reaching for the second book in this series. ( )

“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“You forgot something when you left Halstead Hall,” he said hoarsely.
“What?” Her heart leapt into her throat as he strode purposefully toward her.
“Me.”

I buddy read this, to read all my thoughts, comments, and quotes - Truth About Lord Stoneville buddy read

This was definitely trope-y but the author infused enough charm and enticement between Oliver and Maria to have me liking this. The grandmother Hetty was a joy and the siblings also were fun to read about interacting and I'm going to want to continue on reading in the series. There isn't really anything new here and some depth is missing but there can be comfort and satisfaction in trope reading and this provided that. ( )