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Maddison Michaels
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The Bachelor Bargain (Secrets, Scandals, and Spies Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Maddison Michaels (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 655 ratings

Bachelors, beware. For those who keep secrets and prey on the innocent, you will be exposed, with all your dirty little secrets laid bare to one and all. You have been warned…

Lady Olivia Haliford has had enough. Tired of seeing women lose their reputations, futures, and sometimes even their lives to scandal while the men walk free, she is ready to take back power and stand up for women everywhere. Along with her two closest friends, she plans to start an anonymous publication dedicated to dishing the dirt and exposing the secrets of society’s most eligible bachelors. But in order to do so, she will have to make a deal with the devil…

Sebastian Colver, known as the Bastard of Baker Street, is feared throughout London as the city’s most notorious gambling den owner and undisputed king of the underground. His life is nothing but darkness and danger, so he is shocked when the petite lady gracing his doorstep seems anything but frightened of him. He agrees to be a silent partner in the publishing of the Gazette if she will use her connections to sponsor his sister and launch her into Society and away from his dark world.

But exposing the secrets of the rich and powerful can be dangerous. Almost as dangerous as a lady falling in love with the king of the underground.

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  1. Book 1 of 2
    Secrets, Scandals, and Spies
  2. Print length
    412 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Entangled: Amara
  5. Accessibility
    Learn more
  6. Publication date
    May 17, 2021
  7. File size
    2.9 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

Bachelor Bargain

Editorial Reviews

Review

Editorial Reviews for THE BACHELOR BARGAIN by Maddison Michaels

"This was an engrossing, non-stop exciting, totally scrumptious read. The lead characters were scrumptious, the villain was vile, and the supporting cast was delicious." - Barbara R, Goodreads

"I loved the world building, and all the characters, I hope there are more books that include Olivia's friends." - Alisue, Goodreads

"Whoa what a pull on the heart strings this was. LOVED IT! The romance was incredible, and the mystery kept me on the edge of my seat." - Karen, Goodreads

"The mystery was well done and didn't drag the story down. It adds the right element to push these two together." - Alice, Goodreads

"If you like a strong heroine and an unlikely hero, put this book on your TBR." - Margaret, Goodreads

"This series is set to be amazing (too simple a word really) especially when you have strong female characters (no simpering misses here!!) such as Livie, Kat & Etta, and if their counter parts are anything as outstanding as Seb then 👏🏼 sign 👏🏼 me 👏🏼 up!" - Karja26, Goodreads

"The ending is a twist. Surprisingly, a few twists actually!! Really enjoyed this." - Maryann, Goodreads

"Ms Michaels has done it again with another stellar romantic mystery, that not only was a joy to read but kept me turning page after page until the end." - Taylor, Goodreads

"This story started off strong and just kept on going right through to the end!" - Meghan L, Goodreads

"Dare I say it, this read is better than Bridgerton. Yes. Yes I said it! I stand by my statement." - Philippa, Goodreads

"WOW this one is packed with so much action as well as a sensual romance, fabulous characters and I loved it from page one." - Helen, Goodreads

"This was a delightful read with plenty of steam, the right amount of danger, and a fantastic romance." - Olivia, Goodreads

About the Author

Indoctrinated into a world of dashing rogues and feisty heroines when she was a teenager and picked up her first ever Amanda Quick novel, Maddison Michaels is the bestselling author of THE DEVILISH DUKE (which won the 2019 RWA Australia Historical Romantic Book of the Year), THE ELUSIVE EARL, THE MISTLETOE MISTRESS, THE SINFUL SCOT, and THE BACHELOR BARGAIN.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B092T8CQ3J
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Entangled: Amara
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 17, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.9 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 412 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1682814796
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 2 ‏ : ‎ Secrets, Scandals, and Spies
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 655 ratings

About the author

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Maddison Michaels

Maddison Michaels

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Maddison Michaels, is an award-winning historical romantic suspense author, who captivates readers with her signature blend of "Sexy History with a Dash of Mystery." Her debut novel, "The Devilish Duke," won the prestigious Romance Writers of Australia RUBY Award in 2019, along with two of her subsequent novels being finalists in the 2021 and 2022 RUBY Awards. Maddison is the published author of ten historical romance novels, that promise page-turning mystery and suspense, and keep readers hooked until the last word. She’s also set to release two non-fiction writing craft books, aimed to help her fellow writers let their stories take flight!

Maddison draws on her success as an author, along with her previous 17-year career as a police officer, prosecutor, and teacher of senior NSW Police officers, to offer writing courses, webinars and crime consultation services to mentor aspiring and established authors. Maddison helps her fellow writers infuse their writing with authenticity and master their craft. Her upcoming podcast ‘The Writer’s Nest’ will explore and discuss various strategies and ways writers can use their personality to unleash their writing.

She lives in Northern New South Wales, Australia, with her own handsome hero, little princess, and fur babies. She’s recently taken up golf with her husband (you don’t want to know her handicap… even she doesn’t want to know, lol) and she’s a committed coffee connoisseur (read: total caffeine addict), who always starts her day with a cup of liquid gold!

When not whisking herself away to a world of historical romance or helping other writers hone their craft, Maddison loves engaging with her readers. You can contact her through her contacts page, or visit her on most social media platforms, where she shares her writing journey, writing news, life snippets, and behind-the-scenes tidbits.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
655 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's story engaging, with one review noting its mix of historical romance and murder mystery elements. Moreover, the book receives positive feedback for its readability, with one customer mentioning there's never a dull moment. Additionally, the characters and their interactions receive praise, and customers appreciate the writing quality.

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17 customers mention "Story quality"17 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story of this historical romance, finding it engaging and full of intrigue, with one customer noting its mix of murder mystery elements.

"...Both had demons from their past but the romance was sweet and mostly PG rated for a majority of the book with the steam factor being on the lower..." Read more

"...It’s so taboo but makes for such a great love story. I couldn’t put this book down. Unfortunately I did have to sleep so couldn't finish in 1 day...." Read more

"...I was surprised at the end and delighted at the same time. The story is engaging...." Read more

"...The villains were pretty over the top, but the plot kept me turning the page even if some of it really defied even loose reality...." Read more

14 customers mention "Readability"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book utterly enjoyable to read, with one mentioning it kept them entertained throughout.

"...Never a dull moment, twists and turns at every turn of a page, all the while the chemistry between the heroes scorches the words...." Read more

"...Anyway, I digress. The book was a decent length and kept me entertained the whole time...." Read more

"...So Damn good!! really suck at reviews and never know what to say but I don’t want to say nothing. Especially if I really loved the book...." Read more

"...This is a complex story that was fun to puzzle out and read." Read more

5 customers mention "Character development"5 positive0 negative

Customers praise the character development in the book, particularly noting the superb interactions between characters.

"...It was a little predictable and repetitive but I really liked the main characters and their different backgrounds coming together...." Read more

"...I loved the characters and their personalities. They had such great depth of character...." Read more

"...a story of the underworld, with danger and intrigue, some fabulous personalities we meet, and especially the emotional romantic development of Livie..." Read more

"...There was a pretty good mystery, interesting interplay among characters and a satisfying ending. Minus one star for lapses in dialogue, however...." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book.

"I just have to say I love your writing. You are one of my favorite authors. I love all your books but there were two books that were my no. 1 reads...." Read more

"Another enjoyable novel by this author. This is well written and has an interesting plot, albeit a bit graphic in the results of assault and murders." Read more

"Maddison Michaels is a great author. Loved the book and characters and can’t wait for her other books...." Read more

Seb & Livie
3 out of 5 stars
Seb & Livie
The Bachelor Bargain is a good story. It wasn’t quite what I expected, and it took me a while to really get into it, but in the end, I enjoyed it and am happy to have read it. Lady Olivia Haliford is on a mission. She wants to bring the person responsible for her friend’s ruination and death to justice. She also wants to expose men who prey on the innocent. Along with her friends Etta and Kat, she devises a plan to do just that with a new publication, The Bachelor Bounty Gazette. In need of funding, and perhaps some more eyes on the street, Lady Olivia approaches Sebastian Colver, the king of the underground. After some convincing, he agrees to be her silent partner. But the underground is a dangerous place, and exposing secrets is a dangerous occupation. And falling in love with Sebastian? That’s dangerous, too. This book was a mix of murder mystery and historical romance. I would have loved to see more of the interactions between Livie and her friends and brothers. I expected to read several issues of the Gazette. Instead the story focused on getting the first issue published while also solving a murder, and staying out of the grasp of whoever is out to get Livie and take over Sebastian’s territory. I really got invested at about 60 percent, and really enjoyed the final third of the book. There was a lot going on in this story, and I was happy when Livie and Seb found their happily ever after. 3.5 Stars
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Élodie Nicoli
    5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful beginning of a new series
    Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    While threats bring them together, will their difference keep them apart ...

    Wow, just wow!
    What a rollercoaster adventure I have been embarking in when I decided to follow Livie and Sebastian’s journey.
    Never a dull moment, twists and turns at every turn of a page, all the while the chemistry between the heroes scorches the words.
    I just adored Livie short for Olivia, she is no shrinking violet, she is filled with an inner strength, made of studier fabric than the usual society’s miss. And while a limp cripples her way in polite society, she uses it too as an excuse to keep others at arm-length.
    When she could be accepted with her dry wits and cleverness, as a Duke’s daughter, she has the perfect background to do as she wants, if she was willing. Yet she chooses a different path, surround herself with a bunch of friends all bordering what is deemed acceptable, more outcasts than gold children.

    Sebastian rose from the gutters, an ascension made on violence, one necessary in his world to establish himself as the king of this part of the city. Alas he also had to cut himself from everyone he could have cared or loved, never fully trusting anyone, else he would brought danger to the doorstep to anyone he will love and a position of power leads to jealousy and greediness.
    He learned the hard way this lesson and since refuse to go through the same pain and put someone in danger.

    So both fed themselves lies about their feelings, preferring to avoid looking too closely to the sentiments they bring out in the other.
    They both know and want to believe they can never be, how impossible it is for a duke’s daughter and a man born in the slum of the city to get a future together.
    Yet in between murder attempts, kidnappings and other threats, they will unearth emotions they preferred to keep long buried instead to face them and have to make a choice that might alter for ever the life they have.

    All along the pages I praised Livie’s courage and strength why I was utterly disappointed when she let the “ what if” sway her mind and deflate her boldness. Hopefully, she gets her pluck back in time.
    5 stars

    𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scene.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • erinaf
    4.0 out of 5 stars Wealthy rookery hero falls for the daughter of a duke
    Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me a bit of Lisa Kleypas' book Dreaming of You (similar themes - definitely a different story) where a man born out of wedlock and raised on the wrong side of the tracks ruthlessly rises to wealth and power and falls for his complete opposite. The hero of the book, Sebastian, was the leader of the main London Rookery gang and while now mostly a legitimate businessman, remained a man not to be trifled with. Doing whatever it takes to get to the top, Seb has his fingers in lots of pies that have amassed him a great fortune: the railway, gambling, hotels, etc. But, as per the ruthlessness of high society in the London ton, he's never fully accepted and certainly not fit company for the elite. Having a father who got his mother pregnant after sexually assaulting her, Sebastian has a special dislike of the gentry. As a result, Olivia (aka Livie) decides he'd be perfect to be a silent partner in a gossiping gazette her and and two closest friends plan on starting. Why, you ask? To avenge their close friend, Alice, who they believe was murdered after being left high and dry while pregnant by an unknown assailant. They're determined to not only find the killer, but publish exposés on three English gentlemen a month who have been proved to be reprobates, scoundrels and seducers of the innocent.

    I liked the premise of women during regency times taking at least a little degree of control over their much-dictated to lives. The book had the women operating in secret with Sebastian providing the funds both as a solid investment and as a way to snub his nose at his 'betters'. As a result, Livie comes into regular contact with him and when her life is put in danger, Sebastian is determined to protect her. Both main characters stood up on their own. Livie had a disability in the form of a limp due to a childhood accident and as a result has had no suitors since being brought out into society (just on this - the author handled it really well). The last man she should be with is a rough around the edges, Cockney devil but they certainly had chemistry and I loved the boy from the wrong side of the tracks angle.

    Sebastian was protective and a teeny bit jealous and protective. I love how the author wrote him as supportive of Livie, allowing her to be her own person. There was emphasis on Sebastian handing out harsh punishment for anyone he'd discovered beating, raping or killing females - this was a little cheesy, but not terribly so. There was a small amount of 'I'm no good for her and have to be cruel to be kind because we can't be together' (which I HATE in big shouty capitals) but thankfully it wasn't terribly overdone here. The story line had a bit of repetition here and there, such as it being too dangerous for Sebastian to love anyone, his crappy childhood and the like. There was obviously a bit of angst due to their different backgrounds that created drama for the sake of drama but it wasn't dragged out too much. Both had demons from their past but the romance was sweet and mostly PG rated for a majority of the book with the steam factor being on the lower side of things as heated kisses were stolen rather than hanky panky.

    The secondary characters were good, particularly those working under Sebastian. I found Livie's friends a bit contrived and one in particular over the top - she runs a spy network, is trying to find her uncle's killer and is basically a female ninja. I'm no clairvoyant, but I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say that the author was setting readers up for future books where these ladies will take centre stage. I'll wait and see where these stories go because that one friend seems to be a jack of all trades and her skills were laid on a bit too thick for me. Anyway, I digress. The book was a decent length and kept me entertained the whole time. Some of the plot elements didn't quite add up which is probably why I gave it four stars even though I really liked it. For example, Livie runs into one of the antagonists and is close to him and can see him smile...but can't see his face. Bits of important information were found out conveniently. And a big one - a couple of characters had given information that was contradicted, aka they were lying. This was glossed over and not addressed at all which was super strange considering Livie was supposed to be hunting down all leads and possibilities. This gave a pretty big clue to the who dunnit.

    Also, a massive shout out to the author for having a disclaimer at the front regarding possible triggers of graphic violence/death. Certain themes, while not too in-depth in the book, were certainly there and it was fantastic to see an author actually warn readers for once. I don't really have many triggers, but appreciate it when authors are professional enough to acknowledge some content might not be suitable for their readers. The warning was tastefully done as well.

    Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable read. It was a little predictable and repetitive but I really liked the main characters and their different backgrounds coming together. I'll be checking out the next book in the series when it comes out.
    19 people found this helpful
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  • PamB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
    Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I just have to say I love your writing. You are one of my favorite authors. I love all your books but there were two books that were my no. 1 reads. I read 415 books in 2020. Wicked Again was the best I read. So far this year I read 160 books and The Design of Dukes has been the best. So Damn good!! really suck at reviews and never know what to say but I don’t want to say nothing. Especially if I really loved the book. What I do know is, I hate when reviewers practically rewrite the whole synopsis in their review. I mean I just read the book...I know what it’s about. Geez..anyway, I am doing better about saying something to let the author know what I thought of the book.

    I spend a lot of time researching the books I read. I read 415 books last year and 162 already this year and most were authors I know that will write a good story. Over the last few years I have really worked on discovering new authors. Maddison Michaels is one of those new authors. She only has 5 books and I read 2 in 2018, 2 in 2020 and now this one.

    WOW, I wish she wrote more books. I LOVED this book. I loved this story. Actually, my favorite stories are just like this. Duke’s daughter or some member of the ton falling in love with a guy from the Rookeries, St. Giles, etc. It’s so taboo but makes for such a great love story. I couldn’t put this book down. Unfortunately I did have to sleep so couldn't finish in 1 day. I loved the characters and their personalities. They had such great depth of character. I read many books, even ones by my favorite authors, that are too short and even though they are well written, there isn’t a lot of time in the book to dig deeper. Sometimes I do feel like they’ve left more out there. Not Maddison…such a great book. She had me from the first paragraph. Can’t wait for Book 2.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Cherylmiller
    5.0 out of 5 stars Romance
    Reviewed in Canada on February 25, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Awesome
    Report
  • RJK63
    5.0 out of 5 stars So much more than just your typical romance
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 22, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I read this following a recommendation from a fellow Facebook reading group and I wasn’t disappointed.

    A Duke’s daughter, on a mission to get justice for the murder of a ruined close friend, teams up with The Bastard of Baker Street, a man from The Rookeries who has spent his life fighting to get to the top and to protect those who fall under his care, to set up a monthly publication which will expose those men within the upper classes who spend their time preying on young, innocent ladies and carrying out other dishonourable deeds.

    I loved Livie, a woman who is not afraid to do what she feels needs to be done to achieve her goals. I adored Seb, a man who has faced many battles and a major heartache, to get to his position of power (and I like the fact that the reality of what his life had been on his journey to the top wasn’t glossed over in the book).

    I was thoroughly entertained with the journey to the resolution of the murder and the romance, with twists and turns and much witty banter between Livie and Seb (and various others too). I ended up in tears in a couple of the final chapters, one being the scene between Livie and her father and the other being the waltz and proposal scene between Livie & Seb.

    Not much steam (and certainly less than I usually look for) but a highly recommended read. I look forward to the rest of the series. In the meantime I’m off to purchase all her previous books. Happy reading 😊
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  • Dark Angel
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Suspenseful Historical Romance
    Reviewed in Australia on November 7, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I’ve been meaning to read this one for awhile as I’d loved the blurb. When I woke up in the mood for a historical romance this morning, I decided it was time, and once I started, I couldn’t put it down.
    There is a lot of building heat, and then the one staple deflowering that seems to always be the case in regency novels, which was nicely done, but I don’t know, I think one more couldn’t have hurt.
    The plot and suspense were great. Yes, I picked the villain very early, and even who killed Alice, but I’m killer at Cluedo so we should never judge how quickly I pick it to how well written the suspense in the book is. You’re going to love trying to workout who it is.
    The other thing I love is the lack of perfection in both the Protagonist and her love interest. They have physical, emotional, and psychological flaws that make them seem a lot more real. I loved Sebastian and Olivia and their instant chemistry and the push and pull between them. It was so well written and developed.
    I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who likes a little suspense with their bad boy romances.
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  • By MR
    5.0 out of 5 stars By MR
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 19, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I really loved this book it had all the elements I like ..romance ..murder ..mystery..I knew from the start it was one I would be reading more than once .
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  • MIA
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 2, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I know I will be re reading this, loved the story, the characters love love love can’t recommend this book enough, can’t wait for the next one
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