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Book II in The Academy of Love Series. Gareth Lockheart is one of the richest men in England, but it will take more than money for the reclusive eccentric to gain entrée into the corridors of power; it will also take a proper country estate and an aristocratic wife with impeccable connections. Gareth is determined to find the right woman the same way he does everything in his life: using logic and mathematics. Serena Lombard might be the widow of a duke's son, but she's always existed on the ton's fringes. The unconventional French émigré has worked hard to create a secure home for her son and has struggled to establish herself as a respected sculptor and landscape gardener. Gareth should have known doing business with a woman would be a mistake, especially an unorthodox, opinionated, and far too appealing French widow who manages to destroy his iron-clad ability to concentrate without even trying. Serena loves the project the wealthy industrialist has hired her to do; it's too bad the man himself is so remote and unreadable. Not to mention distracting, gorgeous, and utterly captivating. The only thing the two opposites can agree on is that they should avoid becoming entangled with one another--no matter how difficult that proves to be. But when Serena's dangerous past catches up with her, it is Gareth she turns to for help and he doesn't hesitate to give it. But can a man who needs order like other men need air give himself up to the most unpredictable emotion of all: Love?Praise for Minerva Spencer's Outcasts series: "Fans of Amanda Quick's early historicals will find much to savor." ★Booklist STARRED REVIEW "Sexy, witty, and fiercely entertaining." ★Kirkus STARRED REVIEW"[SCANDALOUS is] A standout...Spencer's brilliant and original tale of the high seas bursts with wonderfully real protagonists, plenty of action, and passionate romance." ★Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW"Readers will love this lusty and unusual marriage of convenience story." -NYT Bestselling Author MADELINE HUNTER