Ensnared by Innocence — Larissa Lyons

2022 Maggie Award of Excellence FinalistIf Darcy had been a shape-shifting lion who thought about frisking—a lot...Lady Francine Montfort may have led a sheltered life till her parents' untimely demise but that doesn't mean she's ignorant. Neither is she blind to the conniving ways of her persistent aunt, who's determined to marry Francine off for her own selfish gain. Forced to drastic measures to avoid the wretched woman's scheming, Francine concocts her own masterful plan.She might need to beg a favor from Lord Blakely—the sinfully alluring marquis who inspires all manner of illicit thoughts—but she's determined to help him as well. To ease those mysterious, haunting secrets that torment him so...Changing into a lion isn't all fur and games.When Lady Francine, the epitome of innocence, requests he pose as her betrothed, Blakely knows he should handily refuse. He's baffled when unfamiliar, protective urges make themselves known, tempting him to agree while danger stalks ever closer.Alas, it's fast approaching the season when Blakely loses all control. Either Francine satisfies his sexual appetites or he'll be forced to reveal his beastly side. And that will never do. Not now that he's come to care for the intrepid miss.Standalone ~ HEA ~ 80,000-word NovelNote: This love story between two people contains some profanity and a lot of sizzle, including one partial ménage scene that gets rather...growly.A much different version of Ensnared by Innocence was previously published; this second edition is three times as long and freshly rewritten.