Miss Rose Balfour knew she shouldn't go alone into the garden with the wicked Earl of Sinclair, but she fancied herself in love. For his part, Lord Sin thought the girl looked young, but he didn't know she actually was young. His passionate kisses landed him in a fountain, facing years of ridicule, while Rose was hurried away to her family's country home. This begins Karen Hawkins' HOW TO CAPTURE A COUNTESS.

Six years later, Rose has been well and truly ruined by the scandal, and Lord Sin has fought the mocking laughter by engaging in wild and reckless activities. Sin's aunt speculates that "The Incident" meant more to both of them than either of them let on at the time, so she draws them together for a house party. Sin is more than happy to attend, so he can seek his revenge on Rose. After a breakneck horse race, a competitive game of pall-mall, a bloody archery contest, and a bruising encounter in the library, Rose and Sin decide to take their relationship to the next level -- but can they survive being that close to each other?

I enjoyed Rose and Sin's battles of wits as well as their more physical encounters. These two were drawn to each other from first meeting, but even after reaching a truce, they fight the attraction. Ms. Hawkins' gives us plausible reasons for the two of them keeping their distance until the very end, and by giving Rose two flower-named sisters back home, she's also giving us the chance to look forward to the sequels.

Book Summary

Urged by her favorite nephew, the intimidating Duchess of Roxburghe agrees to transform a thorny Scottish rose into a lovely bloom. But even she isn’t prepared for fiery Rose Balfour.

At seventeen, Rose fell wildly in love with Lord Alton Sinclair, known as Lord Sin for his wicked ways. Stung by his indifference, the starry-eyed girl tried to win an illicit kiss, but then panicked and pushed the notorious rakehell into a fountain. Leaving Lord Sin floating among the lily pads to the mocking laughter of his peers, Rose escaped back to the obscurity of the Scottish countryside.

Six years later, Sin convinces his aunt, the Duchess of Roxburghe, to invite Rose to her annual house party, where he plans to get revenge by making Rose the laughingstock of polite society. To his astonishment, he finds she has become an alluring woman who threatens to turn the tables on his nefarious plans. Thus Sin and Rose begin an epic battle of the sexes that becomes more passionate at every turn. Eventually, one will have to surrender . . . but to vengeance? Or to love’s deepest passion?

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