First Lines Friday: September 25, 2020

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First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
  • Finally… reveal the book!

First Lines:

Lucas Mandeville hesitated at the entrance to the ballroom and thought of cannonballs crushing masts and setting sails ablaze. Bellowing sailors and hand-to-hand combat with pistols and cutlasses. In his Royal Navy days, he’d fought his share of sea battles with the French, had almost died in one. And he’d rather be on a burning deck than in this ballroom.


Can you guess the book?

Hint: It’s an historical romance that due to release next week.

Still Unsure? Here’s Another Hint: It’s by bestselling author Mary Jo Putney.


The First Lines Friday Book Is:

Title: Once Dishonored

Author: Mary Jo Putney

Series: Rogues Redeemed (Book 5)

Page Length: 368

Publication Date: Sept. 29, 2020

Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation

Synopsis: Bestselling author Mary Jo Putney’s romantic Regency-set series features soldiers, spies—and the special redemption only love can bring…

A man who has lost his honor has nothing…

London, 1816. As a Royal Navy officer, Lucas Mandeville, Lord Foxton, has fought his share of battles on the high seas, followed by long years of imprisonment. But on this night, he’d rather be on the burning deck of a ship than in a ballroom, where it is just a matter of time before someone challenges him because of what happened on the Continent.

A woman who has lost her reputation is nothing…

When dark-haired beauty Kyla Douglas arrives, a whisper of scandal ripples through the ton. The disgraced divorcee’s entrance is an act of daring. Which is exactly why Lucas asks her to dance…

A couple who stands together has everything…

Unexpectedly, Lucas offers Kyla his aid in finding the evidence to regain her good name—and her beloved young son. Together they investigate the wicked conspiracy that destroyed her life, and in the midst of danger, find a deep love that will redeem them both—if only they can live long enough to build a future together.

LINKS:     Goodreads     |      Amazon     |    Book Depository

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon, and I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase through my links.


This is such a great historical romance! Have you read it, or do you plan to? What do you think of the first lines? Comment below!

9 thoughts on “First Lines Friday: September 25, 2020

      1. I honestly haven’t read a lot of historical romance, so I can’t wait to read this… I still haven’t had the time with school :((

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