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Bancrofts Of Barton Park #3
Running Into Temptation
Gretna Green, 1814
After narrowly avoiding scandal with a falsehearted rake, Miss Melanie Harding is sent to live quietly in the country. No balls. No parties. Certainly no flirting with dashing strangers whose dark eyes hint at all kinds of delicious wickedness.
All of Philip Carrington's practical plans evaporate the moment he encounters Melanie. Is it foolishness to run away with her to Scotland, or the wisest thing he's ever done? The lovely, impetuous Miss Harding kisses like an angel—and brings out the very devil in him. And together, they may discover the most passionate adventure of all…
After narrowly avoiding scandal with a falsehearted rake, Miss Melanie Harding is sent to live quietly in the country. No balls. No parties. Certainly no flirting with dashing strangers whose dark eyes hint at all kinds of delicious wickedness.
All of Philip Carrington's practical plans evaporate the moment he encounters Melanie. Is it foolishness to run away with her to Scotland, or the wisest thing he's ever done? The lovely, impetuous Miss Harding kisses like an angel—and brings out the very devil in him. And together, they may discover the most passionate adventure of all…
- GenresHistorical Romance
49 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
5 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Amanda McCabe
259 books166 followersaka Laurel McKee (Amanda Carmack)
Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...)
She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Oklahoma with a menagerie of two cats, a Pug, and a very bossy miniature Poodle, along with far too many books.
When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook.
Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...)
She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Oklahoma with a menagerie of two cats, a Pug, and a very bossy miniature Poodle, along with far too many books.
When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 30, 2025
A truly fantastic and surprisingly redemptive read! As a fan of Amanda McCabe's work, I went into "Running Into Temptation" with some reservations about Melanie and Philip, having not been their biggest fan in the previous book. I'm so glad I did, because this novella completely changed my mind. McCabe does a masterful job of taking these two characters, who could have been unlikable, and revealing a side of them that makes you root for their happily ever after from the very first page.
The runaway-to-Scotland plot is a classic historical romance trope, and it's executed perfectly here. The chemistry between Melanie and Philip is palpable and deliciously wicked, as other readers have noted, making their whirlwind romance feel both fast-paced and entirely believable. For such a short novella, the author manages to pack in a satisfying amount of character development, transforming them from their past selves into a couple you truly want to see succeed.
This book is a testament to the idea that love can bring out the best in people and that a second chance is always possible. I found that having read the previous book really enhanced my enjoyment and understanding of their journey, as it made their transformation all the more impactful. "Running Into Temptation" is a delightful, spicy, and ultimately heartwarming conclusion to their story.
The runaway-to-Scotland plot is a classic historical romance trope, and it's executed perfectly here. The chemistry between Melanie and Philip is palpable and deliciously wicked, as other readers have noted, making their whirlwind romance feel both fast-paced and entirely believable. For such a short novella, the author manages to pack in a satisfying amount of character development, transforming them from their past selves into a couple you truly want to see succeed.
This book is a testament to the idea that love can bring out the best in people and that a second chance is always possible. I found that having read the previous book really enhanced my enjoyment and understanding of their journey, as it made their transformation all the more impactful. "Running Into Temptation" is a delightful, spicy, and ultimately heartwarming conclusion to their story.
January 30, 2017
This is a very short short. I think this was a filler in the series, with the author mentioning in the preface, that this pair were villains in another book. So barely seven chapters.
Melanie was banished from Bath after she was caught stealing a kiss with Captain Whitney. He had no intention of marrying her.
In the small local village, Philip appears and is instantly attracted to Melanie.
The progression from meeting to travelling to Gretna Green to getting married, is so fast, it takes place in two pages. Yup.
From there on Captain Whitney shows up and throws a temporary wrench in the plans till things get sorted. I would have liked if the author was writing this novella, to flesh out the story, the romance and their personalities some more. The whole things felt too contrived. While the initial setting started off well, describing the dull village, it seems to have been forgotten for the rest of the book.
Melanie was banished from Bath after she was caught stealing a kiss with Captain Whitney. He had no intention of marrying her.
In the small local village, Philip appears and is instantly attracted to Melanie.
The progression from meeting to travelling to Gretna Green to getting married, is so fast, it takes place in two pages. Yup.
From there on Captain Whitney shows up and throws a temporary wrench in the plans till things get sorted. I would have liked if the author was writing this novella, to flesh out the story, the romance and their personalities some more. The whole things felt too contrived. While the initial setting started off well, describing the dull village, it seems to have been forgotten for the rest of the book.
May 3, 2014
his book is a Harlequin Historical Undone - very short and quite spicy.
Not being a huge fan of Regencies, I wasn't sure what to expect. This is a simplistic but enjoyable story about a young woman who runs away on a whim to Gretna Green to marry her newfound lover, and is briefly accosted by the villain, a man she was once romantically involved with.
I read this book in less than an hour -- it is brief and apparently the third book in a series with two longer books.
It almost seems the love scenes take up most of the book, but that is probably what Harlequin wants.
I enjoyed it, and give it four stars. You can only do so much with a few thousand words, and Ms. McCabe manages to create a high-spirited heroine capable of admitting her mistakes and attracting and keeping a husband who loves her!
Not being a huge fan of Regencies, I wasn't sure what to expect. This is a simplistic but enjoyable story about a young woman who runs away on a whim to Gretna Green to marry her newfound lover, and is briefly accosted by the villain, a man she was once romantically involved with.
I read this book in less than an hour -- it is brief and apparently the third book in a series with two longer books.
It almost seems the love scenes take up most of the book, but that is probably what Harlequin wants.
I enjoyed it, and give it four stars. You can only do so much with a few thousand words, and Ms. McCabe manages to create a high-spirited heroine capable of admitting her mistakes and attracting and keeping a husband who loves her!
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May 3, 2014Miniseries: Bancrofts of Barton Park
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January 12, 2016Miniseries: Bancrofts of Barton Park
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews