Eleanor "Nell" Trim is sitting with her sister, Dorothy, who is dying after trying to give birth. With her last bit of strength, Dorothy implores Nell to find the scoundrel who seduced and abandoned her, and to enact some revenge by making public some diaries that detail all his exploits and would ruin him. The man Dorothy names is the Marquess of Leath. Determined to find the diaries, Nell obtains a position in the Marquess' household as a maid. Impressed with her education, the Marquess' mother soon takes Nell as a companion, which is ideal, as it gives Nell more latitude to search the home for the diaries. Then the Marquess returns home.

James Fairbrother, the Marquess, is a politician with high ambitions. He hopes to fulfill the dreams his father never was able to accomplish, and his mother desperately wants for him. We find out immediately that James' evil uncle has been using James' name as he played his wicked games of seduction and abandonment, leaving a long trail of ruined women and illegitimate children in his wake. However, Nell doesn't know this. James is immediately suspicious of Nell, as he finds her searching his home at various times. He tries to convince his mother to fire her, but she won't do it. Eventually, James' secretary suffers an accident and can't work, and Mother suggests that the ideal temporary fill in is Nell. James is desperate, and agrees, both because he DOES need help, and he can also keep an eye on her.

As James and Nell work together, their opinions begin to change. Nell sees James as the hard working, dedicated, and honorable man that he really is. Can he really be the debauched seducer her sister named? James is soon enthralled with Nell, and she with him. Before their attraction barely has a chance to blossom, new evidence comes to light, fueling Nell's doubts once again. The actions Nell takes are very painful to read, and left me wondering how on earth this could be fixed.

What I love best about A SCOUNDREL BY MOONLIGHT (aside from James, who is a wonderful hero) is the issue of how difficult it will be for this couple to have a life together, if they can overcome the initial conflict. James is a high ranking noble with great political aspirations, and Nell is merely a soldier's daughter who would only be a liability to him. A life together will be difficult, and Anna Campbell doesn't gloss over that, which I loudly cheer. I thoroughly enjoyed this compelling and sometimes painful read, and it's a terrific addition to the Sons of Sin series. Recommended.

Book Summary

Anything can happen in the moonlight . . .

Justice. That's all Nell Trim wants-for her sister and for the countless other young women the Marquess of Leath has ruined with his wildly seductive ways. Now she has a bold plan to take him down . . . as long as she can resist the scoundrel's temptations herself.

From the moment Nell meets James Fairbrother, the air positively sizzles. Yet for all his size and power, there's something amazingly tender in his touch. Could he really be such a depraved rogue? The only way to find out is to beat the devil at his own game . . . one tempting kiss at a time.

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