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Seduction Diaries #3
[The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel : The Seduction Diaries] (By (author) Jennifer Mcquiston) [published: October, 2016]
New York Times bestselling author Jennifer McQuiston continues her enchanting Seduction Diaries series as a bookish spinster and an unrepentant rogue unite to unmask a traitor.Every girl dreams of a hero . . .No one loves books more than Miss Mary Channing. Perhaps that’s why she’s reached the ripe old age of six-and-twenty without ever being kissed. Her future may be as bland as milk toast, but Mary is content to simply dream about the heroes and adventures she reads about in her books. That way she won’t end up with a villain instead.But sometimes only a scoundrel will do.When she unexpectedly finds herself in the arms of Geoffrey Westmore, London’s most notorious scoundrel, it feels a bit like a plot from one of her favorite novels. Suddenly, Mary understands why even the smartest heroines can fall prey to a handsome face. And Westmore is more handsome than most. But far worse than the damage to her reputation, the moment’s indiscretion uncovers an assassination plot that reaches to the highest levels of society and threatens the course of the entire country.When a tight-laced miss and a scoundrel of epic proportions put their minds together, nothing can stand in their way. But unless they put their hearts together as well, a happy ending is anything but assured.
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First published September 27, 2016
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1499 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer McQuiston
10 books731 followersA veterinarian and infectious disease researcher by training, Jennifer McQuiston has always preferred reading romance to scientific textbooks. A New York Times and USA Today bestseller, her books include WHAT HAPPENS IN SCOTLAND, SUMMER IS FOR LOVERS, MOONLIGHT ON MY MIND, DIARY OF AN ACCIDENTAL WALLFLOWER, and THE SPINSTER'S GUIDE TO SCANDALOUS BEHAVIOR. She also has a novella, HER HIGHLAND FLING. Visit her website at www.jenmcquiston.com or follow her on Twitter @jenmcqwrites.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
October 5, 2016
4.5 stars
If you love historical romance but haven’t yet tried this author’s writing, you’re missing out and need to take the plunge. Even though this is the 3rd in the Seduction Diaries series, I can assure you it can easily be read as a standalone.
Blurb…
The entire supporting cast is a delight, but Mary and West are wonderful! Each has a strong, independent determination (AKA stubbornness) about them that had me not only laughing and sighing, but also falling in love with them and cheering them on to their happily ever after!
An ARC was provided by Avon Books. In appreciation I’m giving them an honest review.
If you love historical romance but haven’t yet tried this author’s writing, you’re missing out and need to take the plunge. Even though this is the 3rd in the Seduction Diaries series, I can assure you it can easily be read as a standalone.
Blurb…
Every girl dreams of a hero . . .It’s no surprise that Ms. McQuiston has a loyal following of readers, and it’s the way she brings her characters to life and draws us into their world that keeps us coming back for more – and what a world it is! The tales she tells are not your run-of-the-mill historical romances, they are unique, compelling, exciting, and sure to entertain, first page to the last.
No one loves books more than Miss Mary Channing. Perhaps that’s why she’s reached the ripe old age of six-and-twenty without ever being kissed. Her future may be as bland as milk toast, but Mary is content to simply dream about the heroes and adventures she reads about in her books. That way she won’t end up with a villain instead.
But sometimes only a scoundrel will do.
When she unexpectedly finds herself in the arms of Geoffrey Westmore, London’s most notorious scoundrel, it feels a bit like a plot from one of her favorite novels. Suddenly, Mary understands why even the smartest heroines can fall prey to a handsome face. And Westmore is more handsome than most. But far worse than the damage to her reputation, the moment’s indiscretion uncovers an assassination plot that reaches to the highest levels of society and threatens the course of the entire country.
When a tight-laced miss and a scoundrel of epic proportions put their minds together, nothing can stand in their way. But unless they put their hearts together as well, a happy ending is anything but assured.
The entire supporting cast is a delight, but Mary and West are wonderful! Each has a strong, independent determination (AKA stubbornness) about them that had me not only laughing and sighing, but also falling in love with them and cheering them on to their happily ever after!
An ARC was provided by Avon Books. In appreciation I’m giving them an honest review.
October 7, 2016
“I’ve never really much liked the strutting peacock heroes. They tend to beat their chests and belittle
the heroine and generally get too many people killed. No, I’d rather find myself in love with a reluctant hero.” She turned
her head. Pressed her lips against the cotton of his shirt, right above his heart. “Someone who shuns the honor, but steps
up when the circumstances demand it.”
This was another new to me author in the historical romance genre and I was pleasantly surprised by the story and how it played out. We have an unconventional heroine whose nose is always buried in a book. She lives in a fantastical world where danger lurks around every corner and the only way to stay safe is to keep to her books, stay home, never venturing out into society.
Mary is an adventurous soul but her spark has been dimmed by the pain and loss she experienced when she lost her brother and father. When her married twin sister convinces her to visit her in London she hesitatingly agrees. And proceeds to be caught in a damning situation with a well known scoundrel. This is where the story starts and where the strong mystery theme comes through.
West might be very young but he's time spent in Crimea has scarred him deeply, although it isn't very obvious to the rest of society. By today's terms West would probably be diagnosed with PTSD, but being that this was the Victorian era he drowns his pain, sorrow and guilt in alchohol and acting the rake hell along with his friend Grant.
When West and Mary overhear a plot to kill the Queen, they form a tentative alliance in order to find the ones responsible. I will admit that I knew who the guilty party was, but the author puts a spin on the entire tale surprising the reader even while confirming their suspicions.
This was a very plot based storline although there were also some steamy moments for smut lovers. If you're a fan of headstrong and heroines who would rather save themselves than be saved, you should probably give this one a go.
September 21, 2021
This was my first Jennifer McQuiston and it definitely won't be my last. I LOVED this entire book!
October 3, 2016
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
This book was just a whole lot of fun to read! I enjoy a good historical romance every now and then so when this book popped up on my radar, I decided to take a closer look. Once I read the summary, I knew that I had to read this book since the main character always seems to have her nose in a book. I felt an odd kinship with the heroine before I even started reading the book based on the books description.
Mary has spent her life safely tucked away with her books. She goes to London to spend time with her sister who is in the later stages of pregnancy. When she seeks the safety of the library at a crowed event, her life takes a sudden turn and not only is her reputation destroyed but she has overheard an assassination plot. West is scoundrel known for all of his ill deeds. When he sees the lady from the garden go to the library during the party, he follows her. Now he must deal with the ramifications of tarnishing the reputation of an innocent while trying to figure out the assassination plot that they overheard.
The characters in this book were great. Mary had a lot of spunk and was not at all afraid of saying no to others. I loved how she seemed so educated on just about every subject just from reading about it. West was fun. He didn't make apologies for his prior behavior and owned up to everything when questioned. He seemed like he was actually a much more caring man than he showed through his behavior. It was really nice watching his character develop throughout this book.
I ended up really liking this pair as a couple. West treated Mary with a lot of respect and honestly valued all of her opinions. I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between them at the start of the book but as their relationship developed so did their chemistry. I loved how each of these characters seemed so much stronger together than they did apart. There was enough heat in some parts of the book to keep things interesting.
I would highly recommend this book to fans of historical romance. This is the third book in the Seduction Diaries series but it really can be read perfectly fine as a stand alone novel. I have read any of the prior books in the series and had no trouble keeping up with the story. I definitely plan to look for more books from this author in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Avon Books via Edelweiss for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
I had a lot of fun reading this one!
This book was just a whole lot of fun to read! I enjoy a good historical romance every now and then so when this book popped up on my radar, I decided to take a closer look. Once I read the summary, I knew that I had to read this book since the main character always seems to have her nose in a book. I felt an odd kinship with the heroine before I even started reading the book based on the books description.
Mary has spent her life safely tucked away with her books. She goes to London to spend time with her sister who is in the later stages of pregnancy. When she seeks the safety of the library at a crowed event, her life takes a sudden turn and not only is her reputation destroyed but she has overheard an assassination plot. West is scoundrel known for all of his ill deeds. When he sees the lady from the garden go to the library during the party, he follows her. Now he must deal with the ramifications of tarnishing the reputation of an innocent while trying to figure out the assassination plot that they overheard.
The characters in this book were great. Mary had a lot of spunk and was not at all afraid of saying no to others. I loved how she seemed so educated on just about every subject just from reading about it. West was fun. He didn't make apologies for his prior behavior and owned up to everything when questioned. He seemed like he was actually a much more caring man than he showed through his behavior. It was really nice watching his character develop throughout this book.
I ended up really liking this pair as a couple. West treated Mary with a lot of respect and honestly valued all of her opinions. I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between them at the start of the book but as their relationship developed so did their chemistry. I loved how each of these characters seemed so much stronger together than they did apart. There was enough heat in some parts of the book to keep things interesting.
I would highly recommend this book to fans of historical romance. This is the third book in the Seduction Diaries series but it really can be read perfectly fine as a stand alone novel. I have read any of the prior books in the series and had no trouble keeping up with the story. I definitely plan to look for more books from this author in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Avon Books via Edelweiss for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
I had a lot of fun reading this one!
December 18, 2016
I've given this a B at AAR
The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel is your basic rake-meets-wallflower story, and while that’s a very oft-used trope, Jennifer McQuiston has done an excellent job of creating a readable, light-hearted romp that has just enough depth to keep it from feeling insubstantial. There’s an element of mystery to the story, too, which is well played-out and which doesn’t get in the way of the progression of the romance or detract from it.
Readers of the first book in this series, Diary of an Accidental Wallflower, will probably remember the heroine’s younger brother, Geoffrey Westmore, as a teenage terror; forever getting into scrapes, playing practical jokes and generally causing mayhem. Around a decade later, with university and a short stint in the Navy (during which time he saw active service in the Crimea), behind him, not very much has changed. Geoffrey – or West, as he now prefers to be known – is still a hellraiser although the nature of some of his exploits has changed somewhat, as the eagerness displayed by half the ladies in theton to leap into his bed will testify. That’s not to say he’s lost the taste for playing practical jokes, though. Many of those are as legendary as his reputation with women, with the result that there is a two-inch thick file with his name on it in the office of the local constable
From that description, West sounds an absolute fright and the sort of “hero” one might not want to touch with the proverbial ten-foot-pole. Fortunately however, for all his inappropriate behaviour, he’s a loveable rogue; there is something endearing about him which saves him from coming across as a complete arsehole, and, as soon becomes clear, there is more substance beneath those rakehell ways than it would at first seem.
Miss Mary Channing (sister of Patrick Channing, hero of Moonlight On My Mindhas left her Yorkshire home and travelled to London to be with her very pregnant twin sister in the final months of her confinement. Mary is quiet and self-effacing, much preferring to immerse herself in the romance and adventure she finds in her favourite books than to get out there and live her own life. To be fair, she has some reason for her caution, having lost both her eldest brother and father to violent deaths and almost having lost Patrick when he was accused of murder. But she has become extremely introverted over the years and has, as her sister remarks “lost her spark.”
At Eleanor’s insistence, Mary attends a literary salon at which Mr. Dickens will be in attendance, but before she can greet the great man, she slips away from the crush, needing to find some peace and quiet. Finding the comfort of the library, she starts to relax, only to discover she is ensconced in a darkened room with a veritable scoundrel. Mary isn’t partial to scoundrels, recognising that the villains in her books are almost always handsome, charming and up to no good – and she is sure that this man, with his golden good-looks and raffish smile is a complete villain. When he whisks her behind a curtain she is even more sure of it – until a group of people enters the room and starts to discuss a plot to assassinate Queen Victoria (which isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds – she actually survived several attempts on her life during her long reign).
Once the schemers have left, Mary wastes no time in making her escape – only to run into several people in the doorway who immediately assume her to have been alone in the room with one of the worst rakes in London – Geoffrey Westmore.
If Mary is not to be ruined, West will have to offer for her – which he duly does, only to be soundly rejected. Mary is far more interested in discovering who is behind the assassination plot and wonders why West hasn’t already gone to the police. In fact, West has done that very thing – only to discover that his reputation for playing outrageous practical jokes has preceded him and that no-one at Scotland Yard will take him seriously. When Mary tried to explain to Eleanor, she accused Mary of having her head too stuffed-full of plots from her books and refused to believe her, which leaves West and Mary with only one alternative.
They will have to find the wrong-doers themselves.
While West is keen to keep Mary out of his investigations because he doesn’t want her to come to any harm, he soon realises that her insight and general knowledge – gleaned from books, of course – is useful and that she is probably safer by his side than left to her own devices. The sexual tension between them bubbles along nicely, their verbal sparring – peppered with West’s naughty double-entendres – is fun and their romance proceeds at a sensible pace, although I admit that West’s transformation from bed-hopping lady-killer to one-woman-man does happen rather quickly. I do, however, applaud the author for including the fact that West’s brother-in-law is a physician who made sure he knew about the importance of using condoms! It’s not something that comes up all that often in historicals so readers often have to ignore the probability of the experienced hero’s having caught something nasty in the course of his – er – exploits. Thankfully, there’s no need to suspend disbelief on that count here.
The identity of the plotters is fairly easy to work out, but there’s a nice twist at the end which reveals that there was rather more going on than West and Mary had at first thought. And while the book is a fairly light in tone overall, the emotional depth I mentioned earlier comes from the way in which Ms. McQuiston takes a look at the trauma faced by combatants returning from war. Once an easy-going young man with a bright future and ambitions to study architecture, West’s year in the Navy affected him profoundly; and once that becomes apparent, it makes it easier to understand his unwillingness to grow up and act like a responsible adult. Mary, too, has her demons to conquer and the way she and West support each other to help overcome their fears is very well done.
The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel is an entertaining, well-paced story told with intelligence and humour and I’m sure anyone looking to read a scoundrel/bluestocking romance with an added dash of mystery will enjoy it.
The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel is your basic rake-meets-wallflower story, and while that’s a very oft-used trope, Jennifer McQuiston has done an excellent job of creating a readable, light-hearted romp that has just enough depth to keep it from feeling insubstantial. There’s an element of mystery to the story, too, which is well played-out and which doesn’t get in the way of the progression of the romance or detract from it.
Readers of the first book in this series, Diary of an Accidental Wallflower, will probably remember the heroine’s younger brother, Geoffrey Westmore, as a teenage terror; forever getting into scrapes, playing practical jokes and generally causing mayhem. Around a decade later, with university and a short stint in the Navy (during which time he saw active service in the Crimea), behind him, not very much has changed. Geoffrey – or West, as he now prefers to be known – is still a hellraiser although the nature of some of his exploits has changed somewhat, as the eagerness displayed by half the ladies in theton to leap into his bed will testify. That’s not to say he’s lost the taste for playing practical jokes, though. Many of those are as legendary as his reputation with women, with the result that there is a two-inch thick file with his name on it in the office of the local constable
From that description, West sounds an absolute fright and the sort of “hero” one might not want to touch with the proverbial ten-foot-pole. Fortunately however, for all his inappropriate behaviour, he’s a loveable rogue; there is something endearing about him which saves him from coming across as a complete arsehole, and, as soon becomes clear, there is more substance beneath those rakehell ways than it would at first seem.
Miss Mary Channing (sister of Patrick Channing, hero of Moonlight On My Mindhas left her Yorkshire home and travelled to London to be with her very pregnant twin sister in the final months of her confinement. Mary is quiet and self-effacing, much preferring to immerse herself in the romance and adventure she finds in her favourite books than to get out there and live her own life. To be fair, she has some reason for her caution, having lost both her eldest brother and father to violent deaths and almost having lost Patrick when he was accused of murder. But she has become extremely introverted over the years and has, as her sister remarks “lost her spark.”
At Eleanor’s insistence, Mary attends a literary salon at which Mr. Dickens will be in attendance, but before she can greet the great man, she slips away from the crush, needing to find some peace and quiet. Finding the comfort of the library, she starts to relax, only to discover she is ensconced in a darkened room with a veritable scoundrel. Mary isn’t partial to scoundrels, recognising that the villains in her books are almost always handsome, charming and up to no good – and she is sure that this man, with his golden good-looks and raffish smile is a complete villain. When he whisks her behind a curtain she is even more sure of it – until a group of people enters the room and starts to discuss a plot to assassinate Queen Victoria (which isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds – she actually survived several attempts on her life during her long reign).
Once the schemers have left, Mary wastes no time in making her escape – only to run into several people in the doorway who immediately assume her to have been alone in the room with one of the worst rakes in London – Geoffrey Westmore.
If Mary is not to be ruined, West will have to offer for her – which he duly does, only to be soundly rejected. Mary is far more interested in discovering who is behind the assassination plot and wonders why West hasn’t already gone to the police. In fact, West has done that very thing – only to discover that his reputation for playing outrageous practical jokes has preceded him and that no-one at Scotland Yard will take him seriously. When Mary tried to explain to Eleanor, she accused Mary of having her head too stuffed-full of plots from her books and refused to believe her, which leaves West and Mary with only one alternative.
They will have to find the wrong-doers themselves.
While West is keen to keep Mary out of his investigations because he doesn’t want her to come to any harm, he soon realises that her insight and general knowledge – gleaned from books, of course – is useful and that she is probably safer by his side than left to her own devices. The sexual tension between them bubbles along nicely, their verbal sparring – peppered with West’s naughty double-entendres – is fun and their romance proceeds at a sensible pace, although I admit that West’s transformation from bed-hopping lady-killer to one-woman-man does happen rather quickly. I do, however, applaud the author for including the fact that West’s brother-in-law is a physician who made sure he knew about the importance of using condoms! It’s not something that comes up all that often in historicals so readers often have to ignore the probability of the experienced hero’s having caught something nasty in the course of his – er – exploits. Thankfully, there’s no need to suspend disbelief on that count here.
The identity of the plotters is fairly easy to work out, but there’s a nice twist at the end which reveals that there was rather more going on than West and Mary had at first thought. And while the book is a fairly light in tone overall, the emotional depth I mentioned earlier comes from the way in which Ms. McQuiston takes a look at the trauma faced by combatants returning from war. Once an easy-going young man with a bright future and ambitions to study architecture, West’s year in the Navy affected him profoundly; and once that becomes apparent, it makes it easier to understand his unwillingness to grow up and act like a responsible adult. Mary, too, has her demons to conquer and the way she and West support each other to help overcome their fears is very well done.
The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel is an entertaining, well-paced story told with intelligence and humour and I’m sure anyone looking to read a scoundrel/bluestocking romance with an added dash of mystery will enjoy it.
October 28, 2016
This is not a historical romance. They act very modern.
The hero pees all over the heroine's sister's rosebush. He's really drunk.
The heroine meets the hero and lets him unbutton her dress in the library of a hospital. A bunch of people see her bare breast including her nipple, and she ends up in the scandal sheets. The hero proposes to her to save her reputation and she says no.
Then they go to a brothel to find out who is planning an assassination. The hero tells the madam that he and the heroine want a threesome with Vivan, and the madam kisses the heroine and says she'd be happy to be their 3rd. And gets lipstick all over the heroine's mouth.
I stopped reading at that point. I didn't like either the hero or heroine.
The hero pees all over the heroine's sister's rosebush. He's really drunk.
The heroine meets the hero and lets him unbutton her dress in the library of a hospital. A bunch of people see her bare breast including her nipple, and she ends up in the scandal sheets. The hero proposes to her to save her reputation and she says no.
Then they go to a brothel to find out who is planning an assassination. The hero tells the madam that he and the heroine want a threesome with Vivan, and the madam kisses the heroine and says she'd be happy to be their 3rd. And gets lipstick all over the heroine's mouth.
I stopped reading at that point. I didn't like either the hero or heroine.
August 16, 2017
4 Stars
The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel is the third book in the Seduction Diaries trilogy and focuses on Geoffrey Westmore, the younger brother of Clare (Diary of an Accidental Wallflower) and Lucy (The Spinster's Guide to Scandalous Behavior). I found this book to be my favorite of the three, mostly due to the two main characters. It also doesn't hurt that the romance was one between opposites which I found very entertaining.
Geoffrey joined the military shortly after leaving school and came back to London as a hero. But, his experiences did not leave him mentally unscathed and he began to devote his time to drinking and cavorting around town. His life is changed once again when he stumbles across the bookish Mary at a fundraiser and the two of them get involved in a search for a traitor who is trying to kill the queen. Of course, things are further complicated when they begin to have feelings for one another despite their obvious differences.
Geoffrey has been a character that I have been intrigued by throughout the series and I was happy that he got so much development. At first, it felt like he hadn't changed at all from the prank-loving and immature young man that stole every scene he was involved with in the earlier books. But, it is quickly established that there is much more to his rakish ways and that his actions are more of a coping mechanism than a true desire to cause havoc. His relationship with Mary allowed him to dig deeper into his past and find the charming, protective nature that had been hiding for years.
I thought Mary was a sweet and intriguing heroine. She is a major bookworm who believed she was content with living a quiet life in the country alone. Her sister's confinement forces her to temporarily move to London and, when she stumbles across Geoffrey, she finds herself caught in an adventure she never thought possible. I liked how she was shown becoming more confident in herself and that she wasn't afraid to do what she thought was right, no matter the consequences. She also had a bit of an overactive imagination which got her into trouble, but I found it to be charming personality trait.
Geoffrey and Mary's relationship started with a scandalous liaison that was complicated further by their determination to prevent the assassination of Queen Victoria. They have very different ways to go about discovering the truth, but eventually figure out that they work better together than apart. This forced proximity aspect allows them to get to know each other as well as help them see that maybe their relationship could be something more permanent. I did get bored with the mystery plot, but appreciated what it did for the romance.
The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel is just a sweet romance between a wallflower and a rake that I found to be very engaging. The characters are well-written and go through enough development for me to feel like they earned their happy ending. Jennifer McQuiston has an easygoing writing style that I thoroughly enjoy especially paired with her intelligent heroines and loving heroes.
I received an eARC of this book from Avon via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel is the third book in the Seduction Diaries trilogy and focuses on Geoffrey Westmore, the younger brother of Clare (Diary of an Accidental Wallflower) and Lucy (The Spinster's Guide to Scandalous Behavior). I found this book to be my favorite of the three, mostly due to the two main characters. It also doesn't hurt that the romance was one between opposites which I found very entertaining.
Geoffrey joined the military shortly after leaving school and came back to London as a hero. But, his experiences did not leave him mentally unscathed and he began to devote his time to drinking and cavorting around town. His life is changed once again when he stumbles across the bookish Mary at a fundraiser and the two of them get involved in a search for a traitor who is trying to kill the queen. Of course, things are further complicated when they begin to have feelings for one another despite their obvious differences.
Geoffrey has been a character that I have been intrigued by throughout the series and I was happy that he got so much development. At first, it felt like he hadn't changed at all from the prank-loving and immature young man that stole every scene he was involved with in the earlier books. But, it is quickly established that there is much more to his rakish ways and that his actions are more of a coping mechanism than a true desire to cause havoc. His relationship with Mary allowed him to dig deeper into his past and find the charming, protective nature that had been hiding for years.
I thought Mary was a sweet and intriguing heroine. She is a major bookworm who believed she was content with living a quiet life in the country alone. Her sister's confinement forces her to temporarily move to London and, when she stumbles across Geoffrey, she finds herself caught in an adventure she never thought possible. I liked how she was shown becoming more confident in herself and that she wasn't afraid to do what she thought was right, no matter the consequences. She also had a bit of an overactive imagination which got her into trouble, but I found it to be charming personality trait.
Geoffrey and Mary's relationship started with a scandalous liaison that was complicated further by their determination to prevent the assassination of Queen Victoria. They have very different ways to go about discovering the truth, but eventually figure out that they work better together than apart. This forced proximity aspect allows them to get to know each other as well as help them see that maybe their relationship could be something more permanent. I did get bored with the mystery plot, but appreciated what it did for the romance.
The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel is just a sweet romance between a wallflower and a rake that I found to be very engaging. The characters are well-written and go through enough development for me to feel like they earned their happy ending. Jennifer McQuiston has an easygoing writing style that I thoroughly enjoy especially paired with her intelligent heroines and loving heroes.
I received an eARC of this book from Avon via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2023
The queen assassination plot kinda took over for a bit there but still really enjoyed it!
September 14, 2016
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2cf4DDL
A scoundrel and a bookworm. A man hiding deep pain and the woman who just might heal his troubled soul. Gah, yes! The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel was quite the adventure. Starting with a cute meet to end all cute meets. Yeah. The hero? He totally peed on her gate. And got caught doing so. ::snort::
The quick of it is that Mary has come to town to help her pregnant sister and, well, to have a little adventure. She's been hiding away in the country for too long and now London is at the tips of her fingers. So adventure she'll have. Assassination plots, scandal, scoundrels....yeah, that wasn't quite what her family had in mind when they encouraged her trip.
Alright so Mary and West. She's a spot timid and shy....he's brazen and every inch the ne'er-do-well. But they do have one thing in common. No one in their lives takes them seriously. Mary is given to flights of fancy--she just loves her torrid novels-- and Geoffrey is a total jokester. You just had to lovingly shake your head at each of them but they were pretty fun. Oh, she's a total bookworm, too! Woot!
The romance was rather lovely in the end. They had some rocky moments along the way and, oh yes, they could butt heads. But I loved watching them pull together and try to eliminate a threat no one else would believe. They had some nice banter and chemistry and things got nicely heated as well. There was a good spot of humor in the mix, too.
The adventure was entertaining. The two overhear a nefarious assassination plot and because of each of their reputations not a damn person will take them seriously. Everyone figures she's just dreaming up another crazy storyline straight out of the novels she so loves and that he's just joking around pulling their legs. So it's up to the two of them to figure out who is behind the plot and save the day. While I did figure out most of it fairly early on it was still fun watching them piece things together and fall in love in the process.
All in all, a good time was had by all. McQuiston always tells an interesting tale with unique elements and captivating characters. The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel gave me all of that and left me smiling, too. Nicely done!
May 23, 2018
DNF 60 %. Unimpressive hero who has no credential and respect in society because he spends his time whoring, getting pissed, pissing into random garden beds, and staging infantile pranks. Older heroine (26 to his ?23-24 years) whose seniority unfortunately does not translate to greater judgment when it comes to conduct, and who in fact manages to make him seem almost cerebral and sensible. I really enjoyed McQuiston's earlier books. I hope, her future books will see her return to initial form.
April 25, 2017
What book lover hasn’t pictured herself as one of the heroines she’s read about? Read a mystery and think herself as canny as an inspector? Compared a man to one she’s seen on page? Miss Mary Channing has done all of that. But she hasn’t done much living in the real world. It’s easier to live vicariously through characters she meets on the page. A visit to her sister in London, though, is about to change everything.
That’s where she first stumbles across the handsome reprobate Geoffrey Westmore. He’s a future viscount whose only interests lie beneath a skirt or at the bottom of a glass. He’s known for epic pranks and even more epic conquests. He and Mary could not be less suited to one another. But the two of them are thrown together when get trapped in a library and overhear an assassination plot. Unfortunately, no one believes Westmore because of his history with practical jokes. And it doesn’t help that their time in the library ruined Mary in the eyes of society.
So they have to solve the mystery themselves. The story follows their adventure as they try to unmask the villains –and just happen to fall in love in the process.
I liked the story well enough. It’s got some tender feelings happening. Mary and Westmore definitely bring out the best in each other. I like that Mary finds an inner strength she didn’t know she had and that West manages to get past some of the self-loathing and doubt that has driven him for so long. (It’s also hard not to love a bookworm heroine.)
But I did have some issues. The degree of Mary’s naiveté strained credibility at times. I understand that her life experience was limited, but book-living isn’t real-living and at a certain point, a grown woman should recognize that. I’m also not a big fan of such a sexually prolific hero. I know they’re all supposed to be gangbusters in bed, but this guy really was a bit more promiscuous than even your average rake. It was a little bit of a turnoff.
As for the mystery, it was fairly good. But I saw the “big reveal” coming –the who, not the why– which made it a bit of a letdown.
Overall, though, the romance is good. There’s solid sexual tension and some enjoyable payoff. And the ending satisfies.
Rating: B
*ARC provided by publisher
That’s where she first stumbles across the handsome reprobate Geoffrey Westmore. He’s a future viscount whose only interests lie beneath a skirt or at the bottom of a glass. He’s known for epic pranks and even more epic conquests. He and Mary could not be less suited to one another. But the two of them are thrown together when get trapped in a library and overhear an assassination plot. Unfortunately, no one believes Westmore because of his history with practical jokes. And it doesn’t help that their time in the library ruined Mary in the eyes of society.
So they have to solve the mystery themselves. The story follows their adventure as they try to unmask the villains –and just happen to fall in love in the process.
I liked the story well enough. It’s got some tender feelings happening. Mary and Westmore definitely bring out the best in each other. I like that Mary finds an inner strength she didn’t know she had and that West manages to get past some of the self-loathing and doubt that has driven him for so long. (It’s also hard not to love a bookworm heroine.)
But I did have some issues. The degree of Mary’s naiveté strained credibility at times. I understand that her life experience was limited, but book-living isn’t real-living and at a certain point, a grown woman should recognize that. I’m also not a big fan of such a sexually prolific hero. I know they’re all supposed to be gangbusters in bed, but this guy really was a bit more promiscuous than even your average rake. It was a little bit of a turnoff.
As for the mystery, it was fairly good. But I saw the “big reveal” coming –the who, not the why– which made it a bit of a letdown.
Overall, though, the romance is good. There’s solid sexual tension and some enjoyable payoff. And the ending satisfies.
Rating: B
*ARC provided by publisher
October 18, 2016
4 "The Mystery Solving Mouse & Her Jokester Rogue" Stars for the story & 4.5 narration stars.
September 30, 2016
Miss Mary Channing is visiting her pregnant sister in London, little does she know that coming to London would lead to adventures that she reads about.
Geoffrey ‘West’ Westmore years ago, had quite a few dreams of being an architect but that was before the navy. Even though he had managed to save some lives, the lives of those who he couldn’t save continue to haunt him. Now more of a rake than anything, he is wasting away his life drinking and partying with his best friend.
I think this book had a surprise of having the most unusual way for a heroine and the hero to meet.
Also while West was a complete Rake and freely admitted it I loved that the man was smitten with his ‘Mouse’ Mary. She made him laugh, intrigued him and ultimately made him want to return to the man he used to be before crumbia.
I loved Mary as well, she was bookish, kind and naive but in such a way that you couldn’t help but like her. She was intelligent and very versed in all manner of things alas she preferred the company of her books. She also loved romance or tragedies where the heroine falls in the love with the villain. Her commentary on that whole villain/hero/heroine was cute and I loved the glimpses of her diary I wish we could have gotten a bit more though with her diary back when she was younger.
I loved how determined Mary was with a reluctant West who didn’t want Mary to get involved to find the suspect. I loved their romance, it was unique and adorable at times.
Overall it was funny, lovely and entertaining story with a dash of suspense!
ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Geoffrey ‘West’ Westmore years ago, had quite a few dreams of being an architect but that was before the navy. Even though he had managed to save some lives, the lives of those who he couldn’t save continue to haunt him. Now more of a rake than anything, he is wasting away his life drinking and partying with his best friend.
I think this book had a surprise of having the most unusual way for a heroine and the hero to meet.
Also while West was a complete Rake and freely admitted it I loved that the man was smitten with his ‘Mouse’ Mary. She made him laugh, intrigued him and ultimately made him want to return to the man he used to be before crumbia.
I loved Mary as well, she was bookish, kind and naive but in such a way that you couldn’t help but like her. She was intelligent and very versed in all manner of things alas she preferred the company of her books. She also loved romance or tragedies where the heroine falls in the love with the villain. Her commentary on that whole villain/hero/heroine was cute and I loved the glimpses of her diary I wish we could have gotten a bit more though with her diary back when she was younger.
I loved how determined Mary was with a reluctant West who didn’t want Mary to get involved to find the suspect. I loved their romance, it was unique and adorable at times.
Overall it was funny, lovely and entertaining story with a dash of suspense!
ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2017
DNF'd This book was horrifying to me. I've read everything that this author has written and I really like her a lot. I gave the first two books in this book 4 Stars each! But this book was just a big no. It starts with this guy peeing all over our main female's bushes. And then he says some gross, lewd things to her and then gets mad at his friend for peeing on his front bushes 2 minutes later. So he's rude, nasty and a hypocrite! Yay!! Then he sees the girl again and with no regard to her or her reputation he follows her into a room, closes the door and then comes onto her. Then I DNF'd. I'm all for redemption but just no. I hate this character and don't want to read anymore of his creepiness. The main character is reminiscent of Cathy from Northanger Abbey but not in an appealing way.
September 30, 2016
Rounding up.
Ferreal.
This isn't the shittiest book I've ever read, but damn. I did not enjoy this. And I gave the first two in the series 4 stars. So.
Two biggest issues:
1) West literally turns everything into a goddamn innuendo. We get it! You fuck a lot! KUDOS!
2) Mary "has read lots of books" and somehow thinks that qualifies her to..... chase after terrorists and murderers. ಠ_ಠ
Smaller issue is that I couldn't really GET how invested West and Mary were in discovering this assassination plot. Does that make me unpatriotic? lol
Ferreal.
This isn't the shittiest book I've ever read, but damn. I did not enjoy this. And I gave the first two in the series 4 stars. So.
Two biggest issues:
1) West literally turns everything into a goddamn innuendo. We get it! You fuck a lot! KUDOS!
2) Mary "has read lots of books" and somehow thinks that qualifies her to..... chase after terrorists and murderers. ಠ_ಠ
Smaller issue is that I couldn't really GET how invested West and Mary were in discovering this assassination plot. Does that make me unpatriotic? lol
December 3, 2016
The main couple was cute but they were addled with Plot Induced Stupidity. The mystery in this novel was sort of laughably easy to figure out -- I called the main culprit and the "twist" before 50%. The fact that they couldn't put the obvious pieces together while it was staring them right in the face was frustrating. Like I said, though, they were cute as a couple.
(Also, hooray for realistic sex and an exploration of bondage in a healthy way! Their wedding night made me laugh out loud on the bus in a good way.)
(Also, hooray for realistic sex and an exploration of bondage in a healthy way! Their wedding night made me laugh out loud on the bus in a good way.)
December 2, 2016
Really liked the interactions between West and Mary, although Mary really annoyed me at first with how ridiculously naive she was. The whole mystery plot to kill the Queen was interesting at first but then it got really convoluted and I still don't understand the motivation of the "villains".
September 11, 2016
The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel is the third book in the Seduction Diaries series by Jennifer McQuiston. I haven't read the previous two books, so can easily confirm that this book can be read as a stand alone one. But if you are anything like me, after reading this one, you will be keen on reading the others!
This is the story of Miss Mary Channing, and Mr Geoffrey Westmore. She is a shy woman who would rather be reading a book or writing in her journal than being sociable. She has even refused to have a season in London. Her sister and brother in law despair that she will ever find love because her head is too often stuck in a book. They plot between them so that Mary has to go to London to look after her heavily pregnant sister, while her brother in law has been called away. Although it's true that she is needed by her pregnant sister, the latter hopes to push Mary into society at least a little. Mary needs to learn that there is more to life than books and journals.
Mary doesn't like London, she feels claustrophobic because she is scared to go outside, believing all she has read about the streets of the place. She expected to get attacked, kidnapped, or something like that the minute she left the house. She's always been an early riser, and one morning she decided she would like to read in the small rose garden outside. Surely that early in the day nobody would be around to frighten here? Turns out that she is horribly wrong, she notices a man urinating against one of the rose bushes along the fence outside. A rich gentleman at that by the look of his clothes. She is horrified when he notices her watching him and when he makes some lewd remarks.
The man in question is Geoffrey AKA West, and he is, as he often is, quite drunk. He thinks Mary must be a maid and is quite flirtatious with her! So that is how the first unofficial meeting goes between the two.
The next time he sees Mary is at a social function that he didn't particularly want to be at. She is dressed beautifully and stands out from the crowd. She is feeling very hemmed in because of the crowds, and decides get away from them. She rushes out of the hall and aims for the library, a safe haven. West follows her and not realising her relations are of the aristocracy, he has no qualms about a possible seduction happening behind the closed door of the library. Before he even gets a chance to get fresh with her, they hear somebody trying to get into the library and they quickly disappear behind a curtain. Their up close and personal hiding situation is less than ideal, although both of them must admit to a certain stirring of physical feelings upon their person. Admit to themselves at least.
While they are hiding, they overhear 4 people plotting the murder of a prominent person. They can't be sure who the person to be killed is, nor who the plotters are. Once the schemers have left the library, Geoffrey decides to kiss Mary before they leave. A stolen kiss turns into quite the seduction, and he even gets to have a quick fondle of her breasts. Unfortunately they are interrupted when somebody else comes into the library. Not just one person, but a whole crowd of people who all catch poor Mary in a state of deshabille, even with a hint of nipple poking above her bodice! She is mortified. Her first foray at a social gathering in London and already she is ruined. West knows he must do the right thing and offer marriage, and he begrudgingly does so. To his shock she says NO.
When Mary calms down she realises she cares less about her reputation than she does about finding out who is plotting the assassination, and stopping them. West has the same idea and despite him thinking Mary should not put herself in danger, she insists on helping. They both try telling the people who might help, what they heard. Nobody believes Geoffrey because he is a known prankster, and nobody believes Mary because her head is always in a book and she thinks of life as an adventure from a story. So with nobody to help them, they set themselves the task of investigating and stopping the crime.
Of course that means they spend a lot of time together, time where they learn more about each other, and like what they learn. West still wants to marry Mary, but not just because of saving her reputation, and when her life is at risk, he convinces her to give in and become his wife. Does he love her, is she falling in love with him? There is certainly a healthy amount of lust between them, and their wedding night is very emotional and passionate. Will they be able to stop the murder that's planned, will they keep safe themselves while investigating, can they have a happy ending??
This was a great book because along with the great romance between Mary and West developing, you also have the mystery and suspense of them attempting to thwart the assassination plans they overheard. It's an exciting read, and the conclusion of the story was nearly perfect. I only wish that we got to see an apology forthcoming to Mary and West from the people that didn't believe about an assassination being afoot. Some serious humble pie needed to be ate! Apart from that the story was perfect and definitely worth reading.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This is the story of Miss Mary Channing, and Mr Geoffrey Westmore. She is a shy woman who would rather be reading a book or writing in her journal than being sociable. She has even refused to have a season in London. Her sister and brother in law despair that she will ever find love because her head is too often stuck in a book. They plot between them so that Mary has to go to London to look after her heavily pregnant sister, while her brother in law has been called away. Although it's true that she is needed by her pregnant sister, the latter hopes to push Mary into society at least a little. Mary needs to learn that there is more to life than books and journals.
Mary doesn't like London, she feels claustrophobic because she is scared to go outside, believing all she has read about the streets of the place. She expected to get attacked, kidnapped, or something like that the minute she left the house. She's always been an early riser, and one morning she decided she would like to read in the small rose garden outside. Surely that early in the day nobody would be around to frighten here? Turns out that she is horribly wrong, she notices a man urinating against one of the rose bushes along the fence outside. A rich gentleman at that by the look of his clothes. She is horrified when he notices her watching him and when he makes some lewd remarks.
The man in question is Geoffrey AKA West, and he is, as he often is, quite drunk. He thinks Mary must be a maid and is quite flirtatious with her! So that is how the first unofficial meeting goes between the two.
The next time he sees Mary is at a social function that he didn't particularly want to be at. She is dressed beautifully and stands out from the crowd. She is feeling very hemmed in because of the crowds, and decides get away from them. She rushes out of the hall and aims for the library, a safe haven. West follows her and not realising her relations are of the aristocracy, he has no qualms about a possible seduction happening behind the closed door of the library. Before he even gets a chance to get fresh with her, they hear somebody trying to get into the library and they quickly disappear behind a curtain. Their up close and personal hiding situation is less than ideal, although both of them must admit to a certain stirring of physical feelings upon their person. Admit to themselves at least.
While they are hiding, they overhear 4 people plotting the murder of a prominent person. They can't be sure who the person to be killed is, nor who the plotters are. Once the schemers have left the library, Geoffrey decides to kiss Mary before they leave. A stolen kiss turns into quite the seduction, and he even gets to have a quick fondle of her breasts. Unfortunately they are interrupted when somebody else comes into the library. Not just one person, but a whole crowd of people who all catch poor Mary in a state of deshabille, even with a hint of nipple poking above her bodice! She is mortified. Her first foray at a social gathering in London and already she is ruined. West knows he must do the right thing and offer marriage, and he begrudgingly does so. To his shock she says NO.
When Mary calms down she realises she cares less about her reputation than she does about finding out who is plotting the assassination, and stopping them. West has the same idea and despite him thinking Mary should not put herself in danger, she insists on helping. They both try telling the people who might help, what they heard. Nobody believes Geoffrey because he is a known prankster, and nobody believes Mary because her head is always in a book and she thinks of life as an adventure from a story. So with nobody to help them, they set themselves the task of investigating and stopping the crime.
Of course that means they spend a lot of time together, time where they learn more about each other, and like what they learn. West still wants to marry Mary, but not just because of saving her reputation, and when her life is at risk, he convinces her to give in and become his wife. Does he love her, is she falling in love with him? There is certainly a healthy amount of lust between them, and their wedding night is very emotional and passionate. Will they be able to stop the murder that's planned, will they keep safe themselves while investigating, can they have a happy ending??
This was a great book because along with the great romance between Mary and West developing, you also have the mystery and suspense of them attempting to thwart the assassination plans they overheard. It's an exciting read, and the conclusion of the story was nearly perfect. I only wish that we got to see an apology forthcoming to Mary and West from the people that didn't believe about an assassination being afoot. Some serious humble pie needed to be ate! Apart from that the story was perfect and definitely worth reading.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
April 11, 2022
I’m actually super bummed by this book. I just really didn’t like the characters and the plot. Such a shame because the 2nd was fantastic!
October 19, 2016
I wasn't sure I was going to end up reading this one or not but with "scoundrel" in the title how could I resist? Once I got started I found The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel fun and completely delightful. This was my first story by McQuiston and I can already say it wont be my last. Her story telling had a way of capturing me and taking me to the brilliant world she created.
Mary has a love for books and always has (which I loved) and she was passionate about them. When she goes to London to help with her sisters pregnancy she never thought she would met a man who would destroy her reputation. While hiding in the library she comes face to face with West, but she has in fact seen him before peeing in her sisters rose bushes. These two embark on a journey on finding out who is going to be assassinated since they over heard it.
I thought the plot was fun and interesting. I kept wondering who these individuals were and why they were set on that course. The writing was a dream to read and it flowed really well. I didn't find an over use of wordage or maybe I was just that involved in the story to even notice. The characters really stood out and took center stage through the entire book. I couldn't have picked a better pairing of West and Mary. I loved how they started a friendship and slowly moved their way into falling in love with one another.
At first West came off as a uncaring sod but the more I learned about him and what he went through I did get why he was the way he was. I liked the little changes he made and it was all because of Mary. I found I really liked their relationship and felt they were one of the best historicals couples I have read in a long time. By the end of this book I was wanting more and have already purchased the first two books in this series, I don't know when I will get to them but they are definitely on my TBR list.
Mary has a love for books and always has (which I loved) and she was passionate about them. When she goes to London to help with her sisters pregnancy she never thought she would met a man who would destroy her reputation. While hiding in the library she comes face to face with West, but she has in fact seen him before peeing in her sisters rose bushes. These two embark on a journey on finding out who is going to be assassinated since they over heard it.
I thought the plot was fun and interesting. I kept wondering who these individuals were and why they were set on that course. The writing was a dream to read and it flowed really well. I didn't find an over use of wordage or maybe I was just that involved in the story to even notice. The characters really stood out and took center stage through the entire book. I couldn't have picked a better pairing of West and Mary. I loved how they started a friendship and slowly moved their way into falling in love with one another.
At first West came off as a uncaring sod but the more I learned about him and what he went through I did get why he was the way he was. I liked the little changes he made and it was all because of Mary. I found I really liked their relationship and felt they were one of the best historicals couples I have read in a long time. By the end of this book I was wanting more and have already purchased the first two books in this series, I don't know when I will get to them but they are definitely on my TBR list.
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November 7, 2016Review posted at http://fictionvixen.com/dnf-review-pe...
Bookish, overlooked heroines are a favorite of mine in historical romance. I also love when rakish, wicked, powerful men fall hopelessly in love with them. From reading the above blurb I decided that The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel needed to be put on my TBR list.
Unfortunately, this book didn’t work for me as I’d hoped. I didn’t care for the main characters much at all. The hero, more so than the heroine. Their first meeting happens quite by accident, when the heroine, Mary, goes looking for a quiet place to read and happens upon an inebriated Lord Westmore relieving himself in her sister’s rose bushes. He makes a rude joke, she stands there mouth agape, and I immediately had the sense that Geoffrey Westmore might not be my type of hero.
As I continued to read, West got even more irritating as his past shenanigans and prank pulling ways were revealed. He hides inflated bladders under stair steps which release farting noises when stepped upon, he lists false advertisements in local news sheets, he sneaks into houses in order to romance the ladies… I didn’t find any of it amusing. Or endearing. Or cute in any way. It felt juvenile and ridiculous. Which means I just couldn’t put him in the hero category in my head.
When the hero and heroine overhear an assassination plot and realize that neither of them will be taken seriously because he’s a prankster and she’s a dreamer with her head always in a book, I decided that maybe this book wasn’t my cuppa and I should bow out. That was at about 20%. I had no interest in witnessing this hero’s transformation from grown man acting like a child into a responsible adult. Final Grade-DNF
Bookish, overlooked heroines are a favorite of mine in historical romance. I also love when rakish, wicked, powerful men fall hopelessly in love with them. From reading the above blurb I decided that The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel needed to be put on my TBR list.
Unfortunately, this book didn’t work for me as I’d hoped. I didn’t care for the main characters much at all. The hero, more so than the heroine. Their first meeting happens quite by accident, when the heroine, Mary, goes looking for a quiet place to read and happens upon an inebriated Lord Westmore relieving himself in her sister’s rose bushes. He makes a rude joke, she stands there mouth agape, and I immediately had the sense that Geoffrey Westmore might not be my type of hero.
As I continued to read, West got even more irritating as his past shenanigans and prank pulling ways were revealed. He hides inflated bladders under stair steps which release farting noises when stepped upon, he lists false advertisements in local news sheets, he sneaks into houses in order to romance the ladies… I didn’t find any of it amusing. Or endearing. Or cute in any way. It felt juvenile and ridiculous. Which means I just couldn’t put him in the hero category in my head.
When the hero and heroine overhear an assassination plot and realize that neither of them will be taken seriously because he’s a prankster and she’s a dreamer with her head always in a book, I decided that maybe this book wasn’t my cuppa and I should bow out. That was at about 20%. I had no interest in witnessing this hero’s transformation from grown man acting like a child into a responsible adult. Final Grade-DNF
September 30, 2016
A few years ago, I read and loved Jennifer McQuiston’s debut, What Happens in Scotland. It was an original and well-written page turner and, since then, she has consistently contributed to the genre with interconnected novels (and a charming novella) set in early Victorian England.
The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel is the third in her newest series, the Seduction Diaries. Featuring the younger brother of Clare (heroine of the first book), Geoffrey Westmore once held much promise and a bright future. But his time in the Crimea changed all that as war often does.
Mary Channing is a bookish spinster quietly and contentedly living in Yorkshire, when she is summoned to London by her twin sister, Eleanor, to be with her for Eleanor’s final months of pregnancy. Mary is ambivalent because she would much rather stay at home with her books and quiet life but feels she cannot refuse because, after all, it is her beloved sister. But, as Mary notes in the very first entry in her diary, she’s also afraid to see Eleanor’s fulfilling life, with her anticipated child and her loving husband, a life she secretly longs for but assumes will never ever be hers.
For my full review on my blog: http://austenstudent.tumblr.com/post/...
The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel is the third in her newest series, the Seduction Diaries. Featuring the younger brother of Clare (heroine of the first book), Geoffrey Westmore once held much promise and a bright future. But his time in the Crimea changed all that as war often does.
Mary Channing is a bookish spinster quietly and contentedly living in Yorkshire, when she is summoned to London by her twin sister, Eleanor, to be with her for Eleanor’s final months of pregnancy. Mary is ambivalent because she would much rather stay at home with her books and quiet life but feels she cannot refuse because, after all, it is her beloved sister. But, as Mary notes in the very first entry in her diary, she’s also afraid to see Eleanor’s fulfilling life, with her anticipated child and her loving husband, a life she secretly longs for but assumes will never ever be hers.
For my full review on my blog: http://austenstudent.tumblr.com/post/...
September 15, 2017
Since my first Jennifer McQuiston read was a success, I thought I'd give her another try. And I enjoyed this novel, which follows the exploits of the ne'er-do-well brother of the heroine in the previous book I read, but maybe not quite as much? It was fun and unique and I liked the characters, but it was missing that certain je ne sais quoi that charmed me in the previous story. Still, I appreciate this author's writing style and content, so I'll definitely be checking out the first book in this series, as well as anything else my library has of her work.
May 6, 2020
Once again, a fun story by the author that I enjoyed, but with characters that frustrated me. Mary was quite the mousy country girl who....transforms when she’s with the idiot who peed in the roses behind the house? And West is clearly traumatized by his past but puts every effort into acting like a fool six ways from Sunday. I was very disappointed with him the majority of the time.
May 12, 2022
3.5? Not a new favorite but a fun, quick read
October 1, 2016
When I picked up book 1 on a whim, I was really interested in how different the storyline was. This series has kept up with that theme and given us something new and fun in this genre. And I find that refreshing and enjoyable, which keeps me coming back for more.
THE PERKS OF LOVING A SCOUNDREL definitely has that, but while it was entertaining it also wasn't my favorite in the series. That is not to say I didn't enjoy the crazy adventures our hero and heroine find themselves in. They are caught in a somewhat compromising position and believed to have been fooling around when in reality they had overheard a plot to kill the Queen. Now, amidst the personal scandal, they also have to try to uncover who is plotting this and how to stop them.
This was a sweet read, and the author has a great talent for making you feel that connection to the characters. Really like them and care about what happens to them. But also to enjoy the little details in their day to day lives. The heroine in this story is more bookish and it was a lot of fun to see her paired up with such a carefree hero. Or so he seemed in appearances. But they both have more substance than just that and I liked that about the story. I wish his issues would've been explored more because once they are revealed I felt they were big enough that they shouldn't be swept under a rug and quickly solved or dismissed.
And then there's the bad guy. I had to admit that although I didn't suspect the why, I had the who pegged from the very beginning. So when the big reveal comes in the end I wasn't shocked and I also felt that could've been done a bit better. A more dramatic resolution.
But overall, this story keeps a nice and steady pace. These two are totally adorable and they were really fun to read about. I can't wait to see what Ms. McQuiston comes out with next.
*ARC provided by publisher
Reviewed by Francesca
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April 24, 2017
When I first started the book, I was pretty scared that I wasn't gonna like it. The last book from this series was a DNF for me. And the first couple of chapter did not impress me much either. But I was really happy how Mary made a comeback with a new and improved personality when she and West first became privy to the assassination plot. After that, the book maintained its momentum and was very entertaining all round. I do however feel like the Duchess and her circumstances were not properly addressed. The author focuses on the trauma that returning soldiers face and how they should not be victimized but rather treated so that they could be healthy again. But what about the trauma that women in domestic abuse have to deal with? Should they not be extended the same courtesy instead of being labeled as villains or flat out ignored? I will say though that there were some good thoughtful points in the story relating to domestic abuse so kudos for that.
August 4, 2017
(Apr) I swear I thought I wrote a review of this. Oh well - it's been too long for me to remember any great detail, but this was a perfectly nice, somewhat forgettable historical romance. I do recall that Mary first spies Westmore when he's taking a piss in her garden after a night of carousing. Do love a somewhat scandalous meet-cute! Mary is addicted to books and mysteries and overhears what she thinks is a plot to harm the Queen. She and West team up (since no one will believe the spinster or the prankster) and do a bunch of stuff and God Save the Queen! It all ends well. This was a nice book, and easy read, nothing too frustrating about the story or the characters, nice people to spend time with. While this is #3 in a series, I think it can be read on its own.
April 8, 2023
This was such a ridiculous and over the top book yet at the core of it, it was a couple who were helping each other overcome trauma. The overarching plot of the assassination was so fun, it did drag on at times especially in the middle section when West and Mary weren't communicating at all. The push and pull of the couple at the beginning was soo frustrating (but in a good way!) and I was begging for them to kiss or something. Also, the fact that Mary got caught with West at the beginning of the book by a group of very famous authors had me dying. The characters were a bit caricature-ish in terms of Mary being an innocent bookish person and West being a rake but if you go into the book accepting that it's a bit over the top, then you should be able to still have fun with it.
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