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Lady Ruthless (Notorious Ladies of London Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Scarlett Scott (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 4,904 ratings
Lady Calliope Manning is determined to punish the man she holds responsible for her beloved brother's death. She will do anything in her power to destroy him. When rumors swirl that the Earl of Sinclair requires a wealthy bride to rescue himself from dire financial straits, she seizes the opportunity to ruin him at last.

Justin "Sin" Vaughn, Earl of Sinclair, needs to marry an heiress, and he needs to marry one now. But the sudden, anonymous publication of salacious memoirs rumored to be his obliterates his chances. With polite society convinced he is a murderer, he has only one choice: find the person behind his supposed memoirs and get his revenge.

Callie never expected Lord Sinclair to discover she wrote Confessions of a Sinful Earl. Or to abduct her and demand restitution in the form of her own hand in marriage. She definitely did not expect to find him so difficult to resist...

Sin is about to teach the beautiful, perfidious Lady Callie a lesson in ruthlessness. One scorching-hot kiss at a time.

Heat level: Smoking hot! Don't say you weren't warned.

Don't miss the rest of the sizzling Notorious Ladies of London series:
1. Lady Ruthless
2. Lady Wallflower
3. Lady Reckless
4. Lady Wicked
5. Lady Lawless
6. Lady Brazen
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  1. Book 1 of 6
    Notorious Ladies of London
  2. Print length
    346 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    June 25, 2020
  5. File size
    1.2 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 6 books in this series.

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  17. Jilted in January
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  1. “You are a dream, Lady Sinclair. A dream that emerged from a nightmare.”
    Highlighted by 97 Kindle readers
  2. Sometimes, you had to suffer to appreciate that goodness when it finally arrived.
    Highlighted by 86 Kindle readers
  3. She believed he had murdered her beloved brother and his own countess, who had been engaged in an affaire and had mysteriously died on the same day in suspicious circumstances.
    Highlighted by 65 Kindle readers
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From the Publisher

Victorian romance
Victorian romance

Victorian romance

Victorian romance

Victorian romance

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Scarlett is in top form. Lady Ruthless is one of her best in my opinion." - Maggie, Goodreads Reviewer

"I also loved absolutely everything about Sin who made my toes curl (repeatedly). I found the road to their HEA to be captivating, engrossing & virtually unputdownable." - Janet, Goodreads Reviewer

"Lady Ruthless is the first book in Scarlett Scott's Notorious Ladies of London series and what a rollickingly great start it is! This book has everything." - Nazmin, Goodreads Reviewer

"This was the start of a great new series and I can't wait to see what Scott comes up with next!" - Amy, Historical Romance Lover Blog

"...this book [is] HOT! Mrs. Scott has done it again!" - Serial Romance Librarian, Goodreads Reviewer

"Romance and tastefully written hot love scenes, with a beautiful ending! I cannot wait for Book #2!" - Sonia, Godreads Reviewer

"I highly recommend this book to all historical romance readers who love a great story with wonderful characters and with steamy love scenes." - Lana, Goodreads Reviewer

"I fell in love with Sin and Callie from the very beginning. Their chemistry is electric!" - Vicki, Goodreads Reviewer

"This book is HOT, Steamy and may very well be Scarlett Scott's sexiest! You won't be disappointed!" Marla Lynn, Goodreads Reviewer

"I loved this book and read it in a day!!! Can't wait for the next book in this series!!!" Theresa, Goodreads Reviewer

"I savored every moment of this steamy historical romance and cannot wait for the rest of this series! " - Greta, Goodreads Reviewer

"This book was fire!! The chemistry between these two was insane but not only that, the affection and caring and evolution of these characters was fantastic also." - Alyssa, Goodreads Reviewer

"I think the magnificent Scarlett Scott has written another great series - The Notorious Ladies of London." - Rosemary, Goodreads Reviewer

"Couldn't put this down, and will definitely read again and again." - Lisa, Goodreads Reviewer

"You're going to fall in love with Callie and Sin...I mean come on, his name is Sin so you know it's going to be good!" - Ginger, Goodreads Reviewer

About the Author

USA TODAY bestselling author Scarlett Scott writes steamy Victorian and Regency historical romances with strong, intelligent heroines and sexy alpha heroes.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B086XMHH97
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Happily Ever After Books, LLC (June 25, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 25, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 346 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 4,904 ratings

About the author

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Scarlett Scott

Scarlett Scott

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USA TODAY and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author Scarlett Scott writes deliciously wicked Victorian and Regency historical romances with strong, intelligent heroines and sexy alpha heroes. She splits her time between Maryland and Pennsylvania with her Canadian husband, their adorable identical twins, and two spoiled dogs.

A self-professed literary junkie and nerd, she loves reading anything but especially romance novels, poetry, and Middle English verse. When she’s not writing, reading, wrangling kids, or indulging in her inappropriate sense of humor, you can catch up with her on her website www.scarlettscottauthor.com. Hearing from readers never fails to make her day.

Scarlett’s Books:

Unexpected Lords (scorching hot Victorian)

1. The Detective Duke

2. The Playboy Peer

3. The Millionaire Marquess

4. The Goodbye Governess

The Sinful Suttons (scorching hot Regency)

1. Sutton's Spinster

2. Sutton's Sins

3. Sutton's Surrender

4. Sutton's Seduction

5. Sutton's Scoundrel

6. Sutton's Scandal

7. Sutton's Secrets

Rogue's Guild (scorching hot Regency)

1. Her Ruthless Duke

Notorious Ladies of London (scorching hot Victorian)

1. Lady Ruthless

2. Lady Wallflower

3. Lady Reckless

4. Lady Wicked

5. Lady Lawless

6. Lady Brazen

Heart’s Temptation (scorching hot Victorian)

1. A Mad Passion

2. Rebel Love

3. Reckless Need

4. Sweet Scandal

5. Restless Rake

6. Darling Duke

7. The Night Before Scandal

Wicked Husbands (scorching hot Victorian)

1. Her Errant Earl

2. Her Lovestruck Lord

3. Her Reformed Rake

4. Her Deceptive Duke

5. Her Missing Marquess

6. Her Virtuous Viscount

League of Dukes (scorching hot Victorian)

1. Nobody's Duke

2. Heartless Duke

3. Dangerous Duke

4. Shameless Duke

5. Scandalous Duke

6. Fearless Duke

The Wicked Winters (scorching hot Regency)

1. Wicked in Winter

2. Wedded in Winter

3. Wanton in Winter

3.5 Wishes in Winter

4. Willful in Winter

5. Wagered in Winter

6. Wild in Winter

7. Wooed in Winter

8. Winter's Wallflower

9. Winter's Woman

10. Winter's Whispers

11. Winter's Waltz

12. Winter's Widow

13. Winter's Warrior

14. A Merry Wicked Winter

Sins and Scoundrels scorching hot Regency)

1. Duke of Depravity

2. Prince of Persuasion

3. Marquess of Mayhem

4. Sarah

5. Earl of Every Sin

6. Duke of Debauchery

7. Viscount of Villainy

Lord of Pirates (stand-alone novella)

Love’s Second Chance (steamy contemporary romance)

1. Reprieve

2. Perfect Persuasion

3. Win My Love

Coastal Heat (extra steamy contemporary romance)

1. Loved Up

Connect with Scarlett:

Reader group: www.facebook.com/groups/scarlettscottreaders

instagram.com/ScarlettScottAuthor/

facebook.com/ScarlettScottAuthor

Twitter: @scarscoromance

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4,904 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy this historical romance for its above-average plot, passionate love scenes, and evolving characters. The writing style receives positive feedback, with one customer noting the wonderful descriptions of various situations. While some find it fast-paced, others consider it slow-paced. Customers describe the book as a sexy romp, with one review highlighting the engaging dialogue between Sin and Callie.

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86 customers mention "Story quality"86 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story of this book, finding it surprising and above-average interesting, with one customer noting it captured their interest from the first chapter.

"Book was quite entertaining, great characters. All ready for next books in series. Sexual descriptions really hot, quite descriptive sexual content!" Read more

"I have to stay it captured my interest from the very first chapter. Some parts I found to be redundant but it held my attention til the end...." Read more

"...You definitely did not get bored. The story caught my attention and didn’t let go until the final page. I absolutely loved this book!..." Read more

"...A very strong story of that with unexpected consequences." Read more

65 customers mention "Romance"57 positive8 negative

Customers enjoy the romance in the book, describing it as a thrilling love story with passionate sex scenes and hot historical elements.

"...All ready for next books in series. Sexual descriptions really hot, quite descriptive sexual content!" Read more

"...Some parts I found to be redundant but it held my attention til the end. It was nice when both finally were transparent with each other...." Read more

"...This couple HATE each other, yet their passion is fiery hot. It is a joy to watch their story unfold...." Read more

"A truly terrifyingly and stormy romance! Vengeance can affect much more than what is originally planned as found in this story...." Read more

36 customers mention "Character development"32 positive4 negative

Customers love the characters in the book, particularly appreciating the protagonist who continues to evolve throughout the story, and one customer specifically mentions enjoying the kidnapped heroine trope.

"Book was quite entertaining, great characters. All ready for next books in series. Sexual descriptions really hot, quite descriptive sexual content!" Read more

"...Justin has a soft place in my heart. I like the building up of his character. Nice job. Now I have to read Bennie and Isabella story!" Read more

"...The characters were bold and enchanting. They both were formable vocal sparring partners. The tension between them was electrifying...." Read more

"...Scott doesn’t disappoint in the plot, twists and turns, character development, dialogue, and passionate sex scenes...." Read more

24 customers mention "Writing style"21 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, describing it as excellent and a quick read, with one customer noting how wonderfully the various situations are described.

"...3 1/2 stars because of Sin and good writing. I won't read the rest because they all look like enemies to lovers" Read more

"...Scarlett Scott’s writing style is easily readable and enjoyable. However, in my opinion I would have preferred a bit more storyline...." Read more

"...featuring Callie's friend because I believe I can like the author's writing style. And I loved the spiciness/heat factor." Read more

"...This is well written and another great series n By Ms. Scott. Would highly recommend and of series. :)" Read more

11 customers mention "Heat level"11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the steamy scenes in the book.

"...And I loved the spiciness/heat factor." Read more

"...Their emotional encounters will grab your heart! Steamy sex." Read more

"This was a great story. It is fast paced, exciting, and steamy! I enjoyed every moment. Thank you Scarlett for this enthralling adventure." Read more

"...He is amazing. The story was full of angst and plot twists and heat that had me on the edge of my seat...." Read more

7 customers mention "Sensual content"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the sensual content of the book, describing it as a sexy romp.

"Sin was delicious, sweet and horribly treated by everyone for decades...." Read more

"This novel is a sensual, erotic tale of hate and love. If you want a chaste story then this is not for you...." Read more

"...draws one to Scarlett Scott's many offerings, and Lady Ruthless shines with enjoyment...." Read more

"This was a surprising great book, loved the storyline and the sensual aspect as well. Going to read book 2 hopefully it's as sexy as the first..." Read more

6 customers mention "Enjoyment"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable, with one customer particularly appreciating the dialogue between Sin and Callie, while another was fascinated by Lady Calliope Manning's character.

"It was facinating watching Lady Calliope Manning and Justin "Sin" Vaughn, Earl of Sinclair go up against each other as they fall in love...." Read more

"Scarlett does it again! Callie was awesome and Sinclair was yummy (did'nt like the name "sin")...." Read more

"Sizzling romance, so good. Loved Sin and Callie." Read more

"...I enjoyed the story of Callie and Sin...." Read more

15 customers mention "Pacing"10 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it fast-paced while others describe it as slow.

"...The story ran smoothly and at a fast paced. You definitely did not get bored...." Read more

"...Then it massively slowed down near then end and I got rather bored." Read more

"...So revenge will be bitter sweet as what he has planned for her. Good book strong witty and sassy characters and stey." Read more

"This was a great story. It is fast paced, exciting, and steamy! I enjoyed every moment. Thank you Scarlett for this enthralling adventure." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Jenna Lee
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another series from Scarlett Scott that is amazing!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I have read all the Wicked Winters series and loved them! This is my second series from Ms. Scott and I am torn as to which one is my favorite! It is the Notorious Ladies series. Lady Ruthless is the story of Callie and Sin.

    Callie blames Sin for the death of her brother and sets out to destroy him. Sin exacts his revenge by coercing Callie to marry him so he can have her dowry. This couple HATE each other, yet their passion is fiery hot. It is a joy to watch their story unfold. You can feel the electricity between the two. This is a VERY steamy read. Very passionate. I didn’t want it to end yet I yearned to see their HEA.

    The characters were bold and enchanting. They both were formable vocal sparring partners. The tension between them was electrifying. The plot was different and engaging. The story ran smoothly and at a fast paced. You definitely did not get bored. The story caught my attention and didn’t let go until the final page.

    I absolutely loved this book! I did not want it to end. I read it in one afternoon. I can’t wait to pick up Lady Wallflower, the next in the series. I would recommend this series and the author to anyone who likes steamy historical fiction.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • HC
    4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, WAY too cheesy last chapters
    Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Decent amount of steam, decent tension and buildup even though it was a bit predictable. Characters were likable enough… until they became cheesy stereotypes of historical romance. Their banter became cliche and terribly predictable and the spark fizzled out. I would have enjoyed it so much more if I had skipped the last chapter and epilogue.
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  • Margaret C. Turner
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Book was quite entertaining, great characters. All ready for next books in series. Sexual descriptions really hot, quite descriptive sexual content!
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  • Zena
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fast Paced!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    It was facinating watching Lady Calliope Manning and Justin "Sin" Vaughn, Earl of Sinclair go up against each other as they fall in love.
    I loved the effect they had on each other while bringing out the very best in their characters.
    This was a fast paced love story of note and it certainly kept me totally engrossed and thoroughly entertained.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars The Sex Scenes and language
    Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I like sex scenes on books but not as heavy as the one's in this one. This is the only reason I did not like the book.
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  • Cynthia L. Bogner
    4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars
    Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I really wish Kindle/Amazon would get their act together to allow partial stars. This book is better than four, but not quite five stars. My visceral reaction is to like the hero and heroine despite their faults. But there were some plot holes and/or uncomfortable plot elements that made the book less enjoyable for me than it could have been. I suspect a little longer book might have solved some of these issues.

    I thought the plot was above-average interesting, even for a kidnap/blackmail premise. I loved Callie from when I met her in her brother’s book, but she kind of got whittled down to a more two-dimensional version of herself in this story. She makes a rash decision without absolute proof, but she is the only one smart enough to rightly conclude that some coincidences are too suspect to be real coincidences. Yet her erroneous conclusions regarding Sin’s involvement in murder define her in this book (in my opinion). Her brother, the Duke, continues to be the most inept spy or agent ever letting Sin sneak into Callie’s room. Egads.

    The author gives us beautifully wicked love scenes aplenty, which I’m not complaining about, but I think it tends to limit some aspects of character development, and brings forth resolutions too quickly or tidily so as not to make at the book longer I guess. For example, Sin’s backstory made him seem a little whiny and incompetent (immature) on some level. Sure, his first wife took lovers (as did many husbands) and spent a lot of money, but he appeared to flee to the Continent in response, and then upon his return spent money he didn’t have in a debauched gentlemen’s club, drinking, gambling and whoring rather than trying to work his way out of debt. His two choices were borrow money from a friend or marry a rich heiress? He was desperate, but it seems to be a situation of his own making even without Callie’s story.

    I think the real story regarding Callie’s brother and Sin’s wife could have been revealed gradually with more suspense. It was a great twist that deserved more pages. I was also left wanting to know more about Simon, the artists in France, and Callie’s own time there as well. We get to see all the ways Callie misjudged Sin from Callie’s POV, but we never see Sin discovering truths about Callie’s past notwithstanding his slow realization she isn’t the witch he thought her to be.

    The kidnap and blackmail aspect kept me put off for a bit. I’m not against those plot elements, but there was a sense (written into the fabric of the story) that Callie deserved such mistreatment for her behavior. And part of me understood it, but a part of me rejects forcing a woman into submitting because she deserves to be ill treated. I’m convinced there was a way to get essentially the same story without forced marriage as the only choice. Perhaps the alternative could have been standard monetary blackmail or marriage and she chooses marriage over humiliation in her brother’s eyes. Or perhaps she could have suggested marriage over straight blackmail thinking through marriage she could further punish him for his perceived sins. But you decide.
    43 people found this helpful
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  • SherrieV
    5.0 out of 5 stars great read
    Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Absolutely love the storyline, the conflicts and personalities involved in this story. Another great read from Scarlett Scott, looking forward to her next book!
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  • HighlandAngel
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Kidnapping/Blackmail Scenario That Ends With Them Being Courageous Enough to Fall in Love
    Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is Sin’s and Callie’s story in the Notorious Ladies of London Series. Scarlett Scott doesn’t disappoint in the plot, twists and turns, character development, dialogue, and passionate sex scenes. The Earl of Sinclair discovers Callie has written a serial & distributed it to the Ton that details how Sin murdered Callie’s brother (a Duke) and Sin’s own wife. The serial decimates Sin’s already tarnished reputation and ends his engagement to a woman with a huge dowry leaving him destitute. Thus, Sin kidnaps Callie and blackmails her into marriage by saying he will expose to the Ton that she is the author of the scandalous serial, thereby ruining her and her newly married brother. Sin is in dire need of Callie’s vast fortune to pay off his dead wife’s gambling debts, repair his neglected estate, and pay for quality nursing care for his Mother who has dementia. To save herself from a downfall, Callie agrees to marry Sin. In the early days of their marriage, Callie discovers that Sin is really a good, caring man and has doubts that Sin killed her brother nor his first wife. Despite the doubts and plot twists thrown at them, they manage to trust each other and fall passionately in love. I’m excited to read Lady Wallflower next!
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Top reviews from other countries

  • AprilGirl
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent.
    Reviewed in Australia on October 23, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A well written novel with an interesting storyline and a revisiting of previously known characters.
    Longer than my preferred read length.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!!!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 14, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    What a start for a new series with incredible characters to discover... As usual, gripping from the very first page! Great plot! Scarlet did it again!
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  • Laura
    5.0 out of 5 stars A New series
    Reviewed in Italy on July 1, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    A hot story between two enemies which fall in love with each other when they get to know better, I’m going to read next book
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nicely hot and too soppy
    Reviewed in India on September 10, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    All about intimacy between hubby n wife and emotion blooming between. Perhaps the last part could be 10% less soppy? Steamy enough to make car windows completely opaque. Or whip a tornado from a Victorian lady’s fan. Nothing like open intimacy between a lovingly married couple.
    Report
  • Daniela | @daniela_endless_tbr
    4.0 out of 5 stars 🖤 Callie & Sin 🖤
    Reviewed in Germany on April 20, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/6.
    🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5.

    This was such a fun read but also frustrating at times. The set up of this was everything. It got my attention and I had to read this book till the end hence why I read it in one sitting.

    Callie is a scrappy fighter. She has fire in her and she ain’t afraid to show it and I loved that about it but at a certain point she was fighting Sin just for the sake of her pride and nothing else. It was frustrating seeing her deny everything while every action said other things but Sin saw through her and he didn’t let her hide behind her stubbornness.
    Sin seemed like a scoundrel of the worst kind but he was a scorned man and as such he didn’t have that good of a reputation however he has a kind heart and he would never betray the ones he deems worthy.
    I loved their explosive tension and how Sin helplessly fell in love with his wife without meaning to.

    Can’t wait to read Decker’s story next!
    Report

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