A Rake by Reputation (Westham Chronicles, #1)

Sir Benjamin Devereaux has been estranged from his family and his home since his youth, but upon the death of his father he inherits both a title and an estate. He intends to reclaim both, and put right the wrong that sent him away so many years before restoring his relationship with the sister who was only a child when last they met. He does not envision meeting his sister's friend and finding an altogether different reason to remain at Roland Park.Amelia Sudbury has always been intrigued by the scandal surrounding her friend's brother, and is a little afraid when news circulates that the absent Deveraux will be returning to Westham. She has read enough books to recognise a villain when their paths first cross, but as she gets to know her new neighbour she cannot help but think he is not quite as villainous as his reputation suggests. He is an enigma, a mystery lifted straight from the pages of the books she adores, and she is determined to discover the truth, even if it means losing her heart in the process.