Dear Miss Penelope Essex, on account of your unforgivably bookish ways and abysmal attempts at conversation, Her Majesty has deemed your Season a failure. With no marriage proposals, no dowry and no prospects, you are hereby ordered to attend The Monsters Ball. Confirmed wallflower Penelope Essex has every intention of tending her brother’s library for the rest of her days. But first, she must survive the Monsters Ball. Held at a remote gothic estate, the three-day ball is rife with monstrous nobles all determined to claim a mate. They’ll do whatever it takes to seduce her into hidden corners, to tempt her into signing a marriage contract. Escaping with her spinsterhood intact seems impossible, until she spots her childhood crush: the now monstrous Duke of Roth. Lord William Warwick is normally as cool as the cold fire covering his body. When he became a frost-flame demon, he swore he’d never take a mate. Yet when he sees Penny Essex struggling to resist three monstrous nobles, he rushes to her side and pretends to be her fiancé. A fake betrothal is the perfect cover. Except the longer they’re together, the more she wants his fire to claim her. But will her duke treasure her heart and her beloved books, or will their passion send them both up in flames?

Her Majesty has deemed your Season a failure. With no further prospects at this time, you are hereby ordered to attend The Monsters Ball. Imogene Dalloway’s Season on the Marriage Mart has been a disaster. However, unlike other young ladies of her station, she prefers the freedom of spinsterhood. Her plans change when she discovers that the bulk of her parent’s inheritance will go to her father’s first son, leaving Imogene and her younger brother without any income or support. With little time to secure her future inheritance, she finds her tattered invitation to the Monster's Ball. Much to his dismay, Viridian, the Viscount Casselon needs a wife. His first wife’s family is contesting his rights to his lands–and his son!–and if he cannot find a suitable mate soon, he will be left with nothing. It is convenience-at-first-sight when he encounters a human female at the Monster’s Ball who abhors the thought of marriage as much as he does. Together they sign a contract with lofty rules in order to keep their respective families intact. The only thing they don’t account for is falling in love. Now they each must convince the other that there may need to be some amendments to their agreement... Taming the Viscount Viper is a spicy regency monster romance with ball gowns, bridal hunts, and breeding. This story is part of The Monsters Ball collection and links to the Obsidian Rift Universe.