100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Overnight NZ-wide delivery on in-stock orders 🚀

The Scandalous Life of a True Lady

By Barbara Metzger
0.0 (0 reviews)
Brief Description
When a destitute governess strikes a dangerous bargain with a spymaster posing as her protector, survival turns to seduction—and every lie brings them closer to ruin. A lush, suspenseful Regency romance where passion, espionage, and redemption entwine beneath society's glittering mask. When survival demands a scandalous... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$5300

International Supplier

This title is in-stock with overseas suppliers. While it is not available locally, we fly books in weekly from the US and UK to our Auckland warehouse for immediate dispatch.

AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 2-3 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

When a destitute governess strikes a dangerous bargain with a spymaster posing as her protector, survival turns to seduction—and every lie brings them closer to ruin. A lush, suspenseful Regency romance where passion, espionage, and redemption entwine beneath society's glittering mask. When survival demands a scandalous bargain, can a desperate governess and a dangerous spymaster find redemption in each other's arms?

The Scandalous Life of a True Lady introduces Simone Ryland, who has nothing left but her virtue—and she's ready to sell it. Orphaned, penniless, and out of options in Regency England, she steps into the glittering, ruthless world of the demi-monde to secure her brother's future. But the man who offers her protection isn't what he seems. Major Harrison is a spymaster with secrets, enemies, and a perilous mission that could cost them both their lives. Their arrangement? A charade of passion at a scandalous house party where courtesans compete for fortune and favour. The danger? It's all too real—and so is the desire burning between them.

This is historical romance with bite.

Can Simone claim her crown as queen of the courtesans without losing herself? Will Harry's secrets destroy the fragile trust they've built—or will love prove stronger than duty and deception? When enemies close in and the stakes turn deadly, only one thing is certain: survival demands courage, and love demands everything.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781592116539

Publisher: Histria LLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 12 May 2026

Country: United States

Imprint: Histria LLC

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Weight: 0g

Pages: 299

Collections

Barbara Metzger Crime & Thriller Fiction General Fiction Historical Fiction Historical Romance Romance Spy & Espionage Thriller

About the Author

Barbara Metzger is the author of over three dozen books and a dozen novellas. She has also been an editor, a proof-reader, a greeting card verse-writer, and an artist. When not painting, writing romances or reading them, she volunteers at the local library, gardens and goes beach-combing and yard-saling. Her novels, mostly set in Regency-era England, have won numerous awards, including the Romance Writers of America RITA, the National Reader's Choice Award, and the Madcap award for humor in romance writing. In addition, Barbara has won two Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times Magazine.

Also by Barbara Metzger

View all
  • Ace of Hearts
    Three fiancées, one reluctant Earl, and a missing sister who could change everything—Barbara Metzger's Ace of Hearts is a sparkling Regency romp full of romance, mystery, and laugh-out-loud London society mishaps. Alexander Chalfont Endicott, the Earl of Carde, has a problem—three of them, to be exact. Somehow, he's managed to become engaged to three different women. While society dubs him...
    By Barbara Metzger
    Paperback
    $5300
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • An Angel for the Earl
    An Angel for the Earl is Barbara Metzger's enchanting tale of supernatural romance and second chances. A ghostly beauty. A rakish earl drowning in debt. When love and redemption collide in Regency England, will their impossible romance save them both? Miss Lucinda Faire never expected to die during her ill-fated elopement. Now she's caught between heaven and hell, tasked with...
    By Barbara Metzger
    Paperback
    $5300
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • An Enchanted Affair
    A fairy-blessed young woman and a scandal-ridden duke navigate magic, love, and high-society intrigue in a Regency romance that enchants and captivates from the first page. A fairy-blessed young woman. A scandal-ridden duke. A marriage of convenience that becomes an enchanted affair. Barbara Metzger weaves a spellbinding Regency romance where magic and love collide. In the mystical Sevrin Woods, Lisanne...
    By Barbara Metzger
    Paperback
    $5400
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • A Perfect Gentleman
    When financial ruin forces a viscount into London's most scandalous profession, only a wealthy heiress can save him— but at what cost? Aubrey, Viscount Wellstone, has lost everything except his title and his charm. Facing crushing debts and a crumbling estate, he accepts the unthinkable: becoming a paid escort for London's overlooked ladies. Enter Ellianne Kane, a sharp-tongued banking heiress...
    By Barbara Metzger
    Paperback
    $5300
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Saved by Scandal
    When a jilted viscount marries a daring actress to salvage his ruined reputation, passion and pride collide in a love story that challenges every rule of Regency society. A witty, heartfelt romance about class, courage, and the power of choosing love over convention. A jilted viscount. A daring actress. One scandalous marriage that defies London society—and ignites an unexpected passion....
    By Barbara Metzger
    Paperback
    $5300
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Love, Louisa
    Love, Louisa is a heartfelt, uplifting story of heartbreak, resilience, and the courage to rebuild your life on your own terms—perfect for readers craving emotional depth, humour, and small-town coastal charm. A perfect summer romance! Jilted at the altar, Louisa trades her designer heels for flip-flops and a fresh start in a forgotten beach town—but can she rebuild her life...
    By Barbara Metzger
    Paperback
    $5300
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks

More from Romance

View all
  • The Deal
    Welcome to Briar U! Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy! Read The Deal now for the perfect fake-dating romance! She's about to make a deal with the college bad boy . . . Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns...
    By Elle Kennedy
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Foxx
    New Release
    Foxx
    The third in a motorcycle dark romance series from self-published sensation and author of the beloved Silver Pines series, Paisley Hope. Aiden Foxx runs the Disciples of Sin motorcycle club with strict control and zero tolerance for weakness. A former Navy SEAL turned outlaw king, he lives by one rule - trust no one. Then Mia Tyler walks into his...
    By Paisley Hope
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Someday Garden
    New Release
    Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    The Someday Garden
    The BRAND-NEW magical rom-com from Ashley Poston, bestselling author of The Seven Year Slip, now!💖 ‘Ashley Poston writes really beautiful love stories with just a sprinkling of magic’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Proud to say that I've never met an Ashley Poston book that wasn't a five-star read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ * Sophie Drear never expected to fall in love. But over a summer in...
    By Ashley Poston
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Tempting Venom
    New Release
    Tempting Venom
    Tempting Venom is the third in a dark hockey romance series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Legacy of Gods series. When two ruthless enemies collide. My name is Preston Armstrong, and I'm the most depraved bastard you'll ever meet. I take what I want, ruin what I don't, and live exactly how I please....
    By Rina Kent
    Paperback
    $2299
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Restitution
    From USA Today bestselling author and TikTok sensation comes the gripping, steamy dark romance series that everyone is talking about!'Filled with TENSION, HEARTBREAK and ELECTRIC CHEMISTRY. This one will tear your heart right out of your chest before tossing it back in and sewing you up' No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Brynne Weaver'Leigh Rivers is THE QUEEN OF...
    By Leigh Rivers
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Break Me
    A sexy, scandalous romance from global sensation and multi-million copy bestseller, Tillie Cole... Born and raised a Texas cowgirl, Hallie Oakley is the most skilled showjumper on Team USA. And she has just one goal in mind - an Olympic gold medal. But to achieve this, she must train with the most prestigious facility in the world - Golden Oaks....
    By Tillie Cole
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Fever Dream
    From #1 New York Times bestselling author Elsie Silver comes a small-town, forbidden, rivals-to-lovers romance, the first book in the brand-new Western romance series Emerald Lake. Professional bull rider Emmett Bush is not looking for love. He’s looking for a paycheck to save his family’s farm from bankruptcy. So, when he agrees to be the leading man on a hot...
    By Elsie Silver
    Paperback
    $2299
    Elsewhere:
    $2699
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Harvest Season
    From the No.1 New York Times bestselling author Brynne Weaver comes the second book in the devilishly steamy Seasons of Carnage trilogy where dark romantic comedy meets thrilling suspense - and where love is ripe for ruin 🌊🌹🔪💋 It's time to reap what you sow. Cape Carnage is blooming with secrets, and they're ready to harvest. But every time Nolan...
    By Brynne Weaver
    Paperback
    $2299
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Kings of Kearny
    From the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Lights Out comes a dark and steamy motorcycle club romance, perfect for fans of Paisley Hope. Jakob Larson is going to be the death of me. That's what I think every time he strides into my bar. The Kings of Kearny run this small Texas town, and Jakob is their...
    By Navessa Allen
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Rumours and Whiskey
    A scorching, emotional, suspenseful romance about secrets, second chances, and the kind of love that hits harder than whiskey – from the beloved author of the Bourbon Boys series. In Rumor, Tennessee, the Crowne women are at the centre of every whisper of salacious gossip. Everyone knows you can count on them for a shot of whiskey and a wild...
    By Victoria Wilder
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Signed Copy
    New Release
    The Storm Weaver
    'I crave the Shadow Weaver, her darkness, her fire, her soul, but I am the storm that could destroy her.' SHE CONTROLS THE SHADOWS.PEOPLE FEAR HER POWER.BUT HE CALLS THE LIGHTNING.AND TOGETHER, THEY ARE THE PERFECT STORM... Caris is no longer just the local sword maker: she's the late queen's daughter and one ofthe most powerful Weavers to have ever lived....
    By Ivy Cliffwater
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Player's Promise
    It was supposed to be one night. Fate had other plans . . . Anna isn't looking for love. Fresh out of a divorce, she needs an escape. One reckless night of fun - and the gorgeous Irishman who buys her a drink at the bar promises exactly that. No last names, no strings, just fireworks. Liam is used to...
    By Tierney Page
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Romance lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all