ARC Review: Luck Is No Lady by Amy Sandas

Luck Is No Lady
Author: Amy Sandas
Series: Fallen Ladies (Book 1)
Publication: Sourcebooks Casablanca (April 5, 2016)

Description: "You should not have kissed me," she replied breathlessly.

"I do a lot of things I shouldn't. It does not mean I won't do them again."

Gently bred Emma Chadwick always assumed she'd live and die the daughter of a gentleman. But when her father's death reveals a world of staggering debt and dangerous moneylenders, she must risk her good name and put her talent for mathematics to use, taking a position as bookkeeper at London's most notorious gambling hell. Surrounded by vice and corruption on all sides, it is imperative no one discovers Emma's shameful secret or her reputation-and her life-will be ruined.

But Roderick Bentley, the hell's sinfully wealthy owner, awakens a hunger Emma cannot deny. Drawn deep into an underworld of high stakes gambling and reckless overindulgence, she soon discovers that in order to win the love of a ruthless scoundrel, she will have to play the game...and give in to the pleasure of falling from grace.

My Thoughts: Emma Chadwick is the daughter of a gentleman who became a gambling addict after the death of her mother. Her father died shortly after he borrowed and lost a large amount of money. Now, Emma has to figure out a way to repay the debt or fact consequences from a moneylender who is determined to get his money back one way or another.

Emma is also chaperoning her younger sisters during the Season and hoping that they can make successful marriages and thus escape the up-coming scandal. Emma is also dodging her own suitor who is determined to have Emma in an improper relationship. One ball, she dodges behind the curtains in an unused library to escape him and finds that her hiding place is already occupied by a man escaping an over-amorous lady.

Roderick Bentley is the bastard son of an Earl who has made a success of himself running a gambling house and making investments. The men of the ton appreciate his ability to steer them to lucrative investments but their wives aren't willing to accept him in their society.

When Emma's savings don't go as far as she had hoped, she decides to use her talent for mathematics and apply for a bookkeeping job—in Roderick's casino. Working together gives them a chance to get to know each other and they fall in love despite their differing social classes. Of course, the path to true love isn't without obstacles. Between Emma's fear of ruining her sisters' changes to make society marriages and her need to make a huge amount of money fast to retire her debt to the moneylender and Roderick's reluctance to do any harm to Emma's reputation, the pair has a number of obstacles to overcome.

I really enjoyed this historical romance which begins a series. I can't wait to read the stories about Emma's sisters which should be coming soon.

Favorite Quote:

He could not forget she was of a world to which he would never belong. If he took her—claimed her—like he wanted to, she would be forever changed.

He would truly be a bastard by nature if he allowed her to come to ruin for his pleasure.

Yet he could not stop.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.