The Recommended Reading Order
To experience the full emotional depth and unravel the overarching mystery of the series, we highly recommend reading the Disgraced Lords books in their publication order. The series follows the close-knit brotherhood of the Libertine Scholars as they face societal scandals, find love, and slowly uncover a shadowy enemy seeking to ruin them all. Reading them sequentially ensures you do not spoil the central suspense plot that binds the books together.
1. A Kiss of Lies (2014)
The series opens with the story of Christian Trent, the Earl of Markham, and Sarah Cooper. Wrongly convicted of a crime and exiled to Canada, Christian returns to England determined to clear his name and reclaim his standing. He hires Sarah, a resilient widow who is secretly the daughter of a duke fleeing a dark, abusive past, as a governess for his ward, Lily. As they journey back to England together, they struggle to keep their deep secrets guarded while resisting a powerful attraction. (Note: Some bibliographies list a late 2013 release for digital formats, but the widespread print edition debuted in 2014.)
2. A Promise of More (2014)
The second installment follows Sebastian Hawkestone, the Marquis of Coldhurst, and Beatrice Hennessey. Beatrice, facing financial ruin, decides to blackmail Sebastian—the very man who killed her brother in a duel—into a marriage of convenience. Sebastian, cynical about love after witnessing his parents' disastrous marriage, agrees to her terms to settle his conscience. Their marriage of convenience quickly heats up as unexpected passion begins to break down their mutual distrust.
3. A Touch of Passion (2015)
In this book, we meet Grayson Devlin, Viscount Blackwood, and Lady Portia Flagstaff. After Portia is kidnapped and her reputation ruined, Grayson—her deceased brother's best friend—steps in to marry and protect her, fulfilling a deathbed promise. Portia is an independent woman who desires a true love match, and she resists the arrangement. Grayson must learn to open his heavily guarded heart to win her love and trust.
4. A Whisper of Desire (2015)
The fourth novel centers on Maitland Spencer, the Duke of Lyttleton, and Lady Marisa Hawkestone. The story begins with a shock: Marisa wakes up naked with no memory of the previous night, lying next to the cold and intensely controlled Maitland. The ensuing scandal forces them into marriage. As Marisa fights to break through Maitland's emotional walls, the couple must also confront a growing external threat targeting the Libertine Scholars.
5. A Taste of Seduction (2016)
This entry features Lord Hadley Fullerton, the second son of the Duke of Claymore, and Lady Evangeline Stuart. Separated five years prior due to a misunderstood letter, Evangeline was forced to marry a cruel man, while Hadley hardened his heart. Now a widow, Evangeline crosses paths with Hadley just as he is preparing to announce his engagement to another woman. Lingering passion and old wounds resurface while the main mystery of the Libertine Scholars' enemy intensifies.
6. A Night of Forever (2016)
This novel follows Arend Aubury, Baron Labourd, and Lady Isobel Thompson. Arend, who accumulated wealth abroad and trusts only his fellow Scholars, suspects Isobel's stepmother, Victoria Thompson, of orchestrating the attacks on his friends. When Isobel approaches him with similar suspicions about her stepmother, they enter into a fake betrothal to investigate. The pretend relationship quickly sparks genuine feelings, forcing Arend to confront his fear of trust.
7. A Love to Remember (2017)
The seventh book focuses on Philip Flagstaff, the Earl of Cumberland, and Rose Deverill, the Duchess of Roxborough, known to society as the "Wicked Widow." Philip and Rose have been long-time lovers, but Philip is consumed by guilt over the death of his older brother and has vowed never to marry or father children. Rose, tired of being a temporary fixture in his life, demands a real commitment, forcing Philip to choose between his guilt and his future.
8. A Dream of Redemption (2018)
The series finale brings a cross-class romance between Lady Helen Hawkestone and Clary Homeward. Helen is an independent aristocrat who works with her sister on an orphanage project, where she meets Clary, a man struggling to move past a dark and shameful history. As they work together to investigate a dangerous child trafficking ring, they must also navigate the rigid class barriers of Victorian society to find their happy ending. (Note: A paperback reprint edition was issued in 2023, but the book originally published in February 2018.)
Chronological Order vs. Publication Order
Unlike some historical romance sagas where chronological order jumps around through history, the Disgraced Lords series progresses in a straight chronological line matching its publication order. The character arcs, marriages, family connections, and the central mystery plot regarding the attempts to ruin the Libertine Scholars unfold steadily from book one to book eight. Trying to read the books out of order will lead to confusion regarding which characters are already married, which mysteries have been solved, and who the mysterious antagonist is.
What to Know Before You Start
Bronwen Evans blends highly sensual Regency and Victorian romance tropes with dark romantic suspense. Readers should expect emotional depth, tortured heroes, resilient heroines, and active subplots involving blackmail, kidnapping, and murder. While each book contains a self-contained romance with a guaranteed Happily Ever After (HEA) for the main couple, the underlying threat to the Libertine Scholars acts as a continuous thread throughout the first seven books, wrapping up before the cross-class finale in the eighth book.
Related and Companion Works
While there are no direct spin-off series officially designated for the Disgraced Lords, Bronwen Evans' readers frequently pair this series with her debut Invitation series (also known as the Taming a Rogue series), which includes Invitation to Ruin (2011), Invitation to Scandal, and Invitation to Passion. These books share a very similar tone, high steam levels, and Regency settings. Additionally, fans of the Libertine Scholars will enjoy her Imperfect Lords and Wicked Wagers series, which deliver the same balance of societal scandal and emotional redemption.