The Scoundrel and the Debutante

The Cabot Sisters #3

by Julia London

The dust of the Cabot sisters' shocking plans to rescue their family from certain ruin may have settled, but Prudence Cabot is left standing in the rubble of scandal. Now regarded as an unsuitable bride, she's tainted among the ton. Yet this unwilling wallflower is ripe for her own adventure. And when an irresistibly sexy American stranger on a desperate mission enlists her help, she simply can't deny the temptation.

The fate of Roan Matheson's family depends on how quickly he can find his runaway sister and persuade her to return to her betrothed. Scouring the rustic English countryside with the sensually wicked Prudence at his side—and in his bed—he's out of his element. But once Roan has a taste of the sizzling passion that can lead to forever, he must choose between his heart's obligations and its forbidden desires.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Audiobook, Historical Fiction, Regency Romance

345 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 28, 2015

About the author

Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today best selling author of more than two dozen romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular historical romance series, the Cabot Sisters, including The Trouble with Honor, The Devil Takes a Bride, and The Scoundrel and the Debutante. She is also the author of several contemporary romances, including Homecoming Ranch, Return to Homecoming Ranch, and The Perfect Homecoming.

Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon

Reviews

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Well, Prudence?" he asked as his gaze slid to her mouth, his expression reminding her of a man who had not eaten all day and was seeing a morsel before him. "What have you to say for yourself? Now your adventure has become mine."

I haven't read the previous Cabot sisters' books but I had no problem diving right in to this one; the author does a good job of summarizing why Prudence is acting the way she is here because of her sisters' previous actions. The bulk of the story and Prudence and Roan's romance takes place over only two or three days, so there's a bit of insta happening. I can't say I ever felt their love or deep attraction for one another. It was kind of hard to enjoy their budding romance when at every turn both were decrying how it was never going to last, Roan has an almost fiancee in America and Prudence can't imagine marrying an American (how rude! ;).

However, I thought the writing was pretty good and their bumbling about journey was fairly entertaining and was liking it until the last 30% or so. The secondary characters consisting of Prudence's sisters and Roan's sister brought this down a whole star. I don't know how they acted in their own stories but Honor and Grace were cold, stuffy, and unsympathetic wenches to their sister. It seems their actions brought a bit of scandal to their younger sisters, Prudence and Mercy, and they refuse to let Prudence marry who she wants to because it would be scandalous (I guess because, again, he was an American? I don't really know why they wouldn't want her to marry the man she was traipsing around England with, other than missing her if she moved). They were so mean and rude to her! Prudence seemed a little oblivious throughout the story to how her actions could really affect her, or seemed to really cognitively distance herself from it, that I was a bit annoyed with her but dang, her sisters took the cake. Roan's sister Aurora, however, takes the crown for being the most unlikable, rude, selfish, and oblivious character, just ugh.

Not a lot of emotional or relationship build up but if you like your characters to journey around and get into shenanigans, then Prudence and Roan get into their fair share. I will also say, the following line was almost worth reading the full book on its own:
"I want to conquer nations and make you their queen."

SWOON.

[Pepa · Rating 1 out of 5]

No me ha gustado, me ha parecido una historia, tópica y un sin sentido total.
Los personajes sin chispa y el amor ha sido algo muy físico e instalove total.
A ver, en realidad, creo que la autora ha juntado una serie de situaciones "hot" que no cuadran ni con calzador en la época en la que transcurre la historia. Ha cambiado totalmente el personaje de Prudence. Roan me ha parecido una caricatura, la verdad, y lo podría entender más si fuera de otro sitio que no New York,... vamos que ni que allí no hubiera sociedad para desconocer tanto tanto el mundo londinense.
Tema aparte también el motivo por el que él cruza el charco...
Vamos, que no me ha gustado.

[Telma Pedro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dos três livros da trilogia The Cabot Sisters, este foi aquele de que gostei menos. Não senti empatia pelas personagens, nem muito interesse pelo enredo. Leu-se bem, mas ficou a faltar qualquer coisa.

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truth be told, I am very happy that I am now done with the Cabot sisters.

The older 2 Cabot sisters, Honor and Grace, continued to annoy me in this book, even though their appearances were sporadic. Prudence, the "good" 3rd sister with shining beauty, takes a turn at love in this book with an American. I like Prudence. I KNOW Prudence, because I AM Prudence (sans shining beauty, to my regret): Always doing the right things and never having fun but never being rewarded for the good behaviors.

Prudence is a character with a very genteel disposition. She is kind and polite, reasonable and responsible. I like everything about her and I am outraged for her, for her plight of being unweddable because of her older sisters' wayward scandalous behaviors.

Julia London paired Prudence with Roan, an American from New York. Roan is easy to like, nothing assholey about him. An upright industrious hardworking American citizen looking for his impetuous younger sister in England.

I truly adore Julia London's style. I love her characters, except Honor Cabot. And I just want to read on. I can't help it. This book is a little on the meh side, because there are rather a lot of unnecessary details. But whenever the spotlight is on Prudence and Roan, I am glued to the story. I love how clear-headed and practical Prudence was and how Roan was so steadfast in his affections. Their love story was a sweet one but made difficult because of their obligations and backgrounds. They both started the affair knowing that it would have to end one day and that made this story kind of sad. But they were rather devoted to each other, it somehow took away the desperation and hopelessness and made the story less exciting. I feel for the writers, it's a no win scenario. We don't want meaningless fights but when they don't fight we are bored. For being a hard-to-please reader, I am sorry!

This book isn't the best you would find in the genre. I liked it well enough because I love Julia London's writing. But out of all Cabot sisters, I like Grace and Merryton's story best, my favorite heroine is Prudence and my favorite hero would be Merryton.

p.s. I think it would help if the author reads up on the English society of this time period. I am no expert but even I am bothered by some historical inaccuracies in this series. E.g. what is a debutante? Prudence Cabot was 22 and had been out in society for a while. At 22 with no offer she was well on her way to be a spinster. How does one become a spinster (said so in the book) while still being a debutante? I would imagine these 2 terms are mutually exclusive.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review-The Scoundrel and the Debutante Summary 
Prudence Cabot, knows that her future is looking more bleak than ever. With the two scandals that her two older sisters have caused, Prudence has no prospects or suitors, and she knows that she will end up a spinster. She is tired of seeing her family embracing their husband and children, without realizing what their actions have done to her. So when she has an opportunity to have a adventure for the first time in her life, she takes it. She then meets an american man who makes her want to live life…Roan Matheson. Roan, has come to England in search of his wayward sister, and bring her home to her fiancée. When he bumps into beautiful Prudence, he is overwhelmed with desire, As they find themselves forced to survive on their own through a set of circumstances, Prudence and Roan discover a fierce desire, a desire that develops into something more, and soon Prudence will have a difficult choice to make…Roan or her life in England…
 
The Hero 
Roan Matheson is a man of responsibility, he is devoted to the family business, and working as hard as possible, to make sure he doesn’t disappoint his father. When he learns that his younger and very spoiled sister, has run off to England, he is furious and goes out in search of her. Roan is a character that you come to enjoy quite a bit. He is a bit of a rogue…but a honorable one. He is an American, so he has that rough and gritty exterior, but he will do anything for those he loves. I love how dedicated he is to finding his sister, that despite her foolish actions…he still wants her to be happy. Roan is a hero that I fell in love with, because even though he has certain “scoundrel” traits, he also has honor and integrity, and is fiercely loyal.
 
The Heroine 
Prudence, grew up with three sisters, two older and one younger. Prudence has always been especially close to her mother, but following a carriage accident her mother goes mad. Prudence is by the book on what is proper, she has always followed the rules and never entered into any kind of scandal. She has done everything she could to make a good and decent match and secure her future. But when her sisters make horrendous scandal…Prudence is left with the consequences. What I loved about Prudence is how practical she is…she isn’t a day dreamer like her sisters who tend to see things as they want them to be rather than as they really are. She knows she is destined to live a spinster life, and her future seems bleak…but she doesn’t back down…instead she wants to live life for once in her life…to experience and have some adventure. Because she knows that she will live a life alone for the rest of her life. I love how she goes after what she wants, despite what her family says. From the very beginning, my heart ached for her…because in the previous two books we have seen what scandal has done to her. Prudence although very logical and practical, wants love and a home and children, she is fierce and passionate, and wants to spread her wings.
 
Plot and Story Line 
The Scoundrel and the Debutante was a bit different to read for me, since the previous two books I was able to get through whispersync and Audible…but this story, since its fairly new wasn’t available in that form yet, so I had to go with E book. The beginning really grabbed at me, from the first page I was hooked because of Prudence. I was warned by my lovely friend Anna about the sisters. Now since I had read the previous two books, I was not surprised by how they treated Prudence. Because quite frankly they tend to be a bit self-absorbed at times. At the beginning, they act like Prudence hasn’t been touched by scandal….basically they are very ignorant in this story. And toward the end there….I will be honest I wanted to wring their necks…they are just awful to Prudence. But what was most fun was seeing Prudence and Roan come together and have a bit of adventure together and fall in love along the way. This story’s theme is a bit of star-crossed lovers…one is British and the other is American….and their lives are so different from one another. But they both know that they can’t be together. Although if I was Prudence I would so cross the sea to be with the man I loved….but she is a bit more reserved and thinks too much (which is a quality that I can easily relate with) Roan has the patience of a saint though, he puts himself out for Prudence and puts his heart and trust to her, but we see how Prudence has to make a decision that if she decides Roan her family will suffer even more…and she knows exactly what that is like. She would never to do that to them. But what became most endearing was seeing how eventually her family comes through and earns back a little respect in my eyes…I love the way the story wraps up and boy definitely a tear jerker!! Oh boy I just fell in love with these two as a couple, and even there were a couple of times in the story I had a hard time keeping my attention to….seriously my favorite couple so far!! They won me over heart, body and soul!!  And sweet lil ole’ Mercy…she is still so crazy and full of energy and passion. I hope we get her story soon…I have a feeling it will be a whopper. Because she is a bit wild and would love to see what she is like when she become an adult.  They won me over heart, body and soul!!
 
The Cover 
What I love most about the cover is how sensual yet tender at the same time. It just makes me what to look at it forever. And I love the blue tones.
 
Overall View 
This is a story that is bound to captivate its reader, a tale of spreading your wings, embracing life, and finding the most fierce love along the way in the journey, and hold nothing back from going after what you want most. A BREATHTAKING ROMANCE!!

[Izzah ꒰Duchess of Cabria ಇ ⭑✧ ᴏɴ ᴘᴀᴛʀᴇᴏɴ ✧ ⋆꒱ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Low angst, slice of life vibes
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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[Kathie (katmom) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Available now

Goodness, this book made me nuts. I did finish it, but was not fond at all. If you like characters who constantly fall into predicaments because of making bad choices, then you may like it very much. I do realize that not every book is written for every reader, and that has to be the case here.

First, Prudence has had two seasons. How can she still be considered a debutante?

deb·u·tante
ˈdebyəˌtänt/
noun
an upper-class young woman making her first appearance in fashionable society.

Second, she has reached the end of her patience. She is not married, has no prospects, and is pretty much blaming her sisters for their wild schemes for putting her on the shelf by virtue of the scandals they have both brought upon the family. She is incredibly whiny to begin with. And she keeps mentioning how she has been the good girl, always obeying the rules. So, after kissing Roan at some point, she mentions having kissed someone else. When would that have happened? She's been a wallflower because of her sisters since her come out!

Once she decides to step away from that role, by riding on a coach so she can keep her eyes on the gorgeous Roan, she never steps back into the good girl role. One mishap after another, brought about by her bad choices, and Roan's, too, mean that the scandals her sisters created might be considered pale compared to hers.

Roan is an American. He is in England to drag his sister back to her betrothed in New York. He is quite thrilled and flattered when he realizes Prudence has followed him because she likes him.

There were many people and situations that didn't work for the times. Roan's aunt and uncle have just left his sister in some strangers' hands. She only wanted to stay an extra month. Why didn't they stay with her?

Time lines: It took the aunt and uncle 40 days (about) to get back to NY. Then it took Roan about that long to get back to England. So...80 days when Aurora was "on her own." Really?

Prudence's sisters and her step-brother. Okay, they all married well. Why didn't they trot some nice young men around so that Prudence could choose one? None of them did anything to help her find a husband. Weird.

Sigh. I wish I had liked it more. It felt too contemporary, instead of historical. And too many mishaps just made it feel cluttered and overwrought. So many other reviewers have loved this, so this has to be a case of this book not being written for me.

I do thank Harlequin and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

[Alba Turunen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 Estrellas y porque no creo que merezca más. A ver, es una lectura entretenida, pero debo decir que no sé qué narices le ha pasado a Julia London en sus últimas series. Antes la tenía como una autora segura, pero lo último que ha escrito es tan malo que no parece ni escrito por ella, o seré yo que he madurado como lectora y me he vuelto exigente.

Desde el principio sabía que las "Hermanas Cabot" no eran su mejor serie, pero es que no encuentro la misma calidad que ha habido entre ella y otras series como "Los Granujas de Regent Street" o "Las Debutantes desesperadas" ¿Tanto cuesta ceñirse a un esquema e investigar para hacer algo creíble? Porque temo que se busca la originalidad, a costa de la calidad de la lectura.

Entonces ¿Qué ha pasado con "Placer prohibido"? Esta vez tenemos la historia de Prudence, la tercera de las hermanas Cabot, y parece que la última, si no hay libro de Mercy, la menor. Prudence se ha visto relegada a una existencia vacía y aburrida por culpa del escándalo que armaron sus hermanas mayores para casarse. Pru siempre fue la más buena, dócil y obediente de las hermanas. Aunque su bienestar está asegurado gracias a los matrimonios de sus hermanas, pese a lo escandalosos que fueron, no tiene ninguna buena perspectiva de matrimonio, y se siente sola y vacía; está harta de ser la hermana buena, y quiere vivir y hacer algo arriesgado. La oportunidad se le presenta al inicio de éste libro, cuando va a viajar al norte a casa de una amiga que acaba de dar a luz, y en la casa de postas del pueblo, se encuentra con un desconocido encantador a quien ayudará con toda su dulce inocencia.

Roan Matheson acaba de llegar a Inglaterra desde Estados Unidos, sus motivos para viajar son ni más ni menos que encontrar a su rebelde hermana menor, cuyo prometido la está esperando en América para casarse. Aurora, su hermana, viajó la temporada anterior con sus tíos a Inglaterra para que conociera mundo y disfrutara antes de contraer matrimonio, pero Aurora no volvió en el plazo convenido, si no que se quedó en Inglaterra con una familia que la acogió como amiga. Solo Roan puede encontrar a su hermana, y recorrerá Inglaterra de cabo a rabo hasta que dé con ella y la arrastre de vuelta a América.

Pru y Roan se conocerán cuando ambos coincidan en el pueblo, y su primer contacto será tan especial para Pru que cambiará todos sus planes y decidirá seguir al señor Matheson donde vaya. A Pru ya no le importa su reputación, quiere vivir y hacer algo arriesgado, y la aventura que le presenta el señor Matheson será suficiente para irse con él.

Si lo pensamos, el libro no tiene ningún punto lógico, si no que es una sucesión de escenas, sobre las que podemos pensar que su fin es divertirnos, y hasta puedes entender que ésa es su intención, pero es tan vano e inverosímil que la historia no tiene ni pies ni cabeza.

A su favor puedo decir que lo dividiría en dos partes: una primera, donde conocemos a los protagonistas, y su relación empieza a desarrollarse, con todos los inconvenientes que pueda tener, porque los tendremos en los caminos polvorientos de la campiña inglesa; de repente el libro se nos ha convertido en un road trip de la Regencia, y ha sido esta primera parte la que menos me ha gustado, porque me ha parecido tan manida, falta de emoción, sin giros y aburrida, que no sabía ni cómo continuarlo pese a ser un libro tan cortito. Y finalmente, una segunda parte donde la trama empieza a tener interés, giros, donde el romance se va fraguando, pese a que siga siendo igual de increíble, pero al final me ha convencido.

Si la segunda parte no me hubiese arreglado en cierto modo el libro, le habría dejado con una estrella; pero como Julia London lo ha resuelto bien, le he levantado un poco la mano. Aún así, no paro de decirlo, esta Julia London no es la de antaño, parece que se ha acomodado a lo fácil, a que si tienes lectores fijos o fieles puede bajar la calidad de sus obras, pero no, esto no funciona así, si escribes churros malos, la gente no los comprará, picará con el primero y probablemente con el segundo, pero no querrán más. Así que lo digo por ella y por otras cuántas autoras más, consagradas en el mundo de la romántica; las lectoras no somos estúpidas, y aunque la gente crea que leemos lectura fácil, no nos equivoquemos, somos exigentes y pedimos calidad, y lo que está claro es que el mundo editorial ha cambiado mucho y para peor en los últimos años.

[Aou · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was unbelievable in the first place then practical to be romantic. 🙄

[Ivy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was beautiful. Just wonderful ! It's an unusual love story with a heroine who throws conventional caution to the winds to enjoy a once in a lifetime fling with the man of her dreams. This couple had a very unconventional journey of love that was so sweet, sexy and filled with pathos because they both know that family obligations mean that they may not be able to end up together.
Prudence is my second fav of the Cabot sisters, after Grace ( and Grace is my fav because she has a dog named Bother ). Pru also resembles Grace physically but she's not as light hearted and happy go lucky as Grace had been. Pru is faced with the horrible fact that she may never receive a marriage proposal, because the stuffy members of the Ton have condemned her for being a sibling to her infamous sisters Honor and Grace. The snobbish Ton have never allowed the old scandals in the Cabot family to die down and as a result of this, all the eligible aristocratic men are unwilling to propose marriage to Grace ( in spite of her beauty and the impressive dowry provided by her 2 brothers in law ). There's also the fact that her mother is insane and that comes with its own stigma in these times.

The H Roan, is a visiting wealthy American who is searching for his erstwhile rebellious little sister to take her back home to New York. He and Pru are both at literal and figurative crossroads in their lives and both are weighed down by the burdens of familial duty and obligation. Roan's parents expect him to marry a rich but plain woman so that both dynasties could be merged. He is not in love with this woman but is willing to buckle down and take one for the team. Both MC's meet at a stage coach rest stop and there's a bit of insta-lust between them. Roan keeps comparing Pru's beauty and effervescent charm to his intended fiancee's lacklustre personality and mousy looks. Pru, meanwhile, is captivated by the free spirited American who likes her for herself and doesn't know or care that she's one of the infamous Cabot sisters. Pru decides that since she will probably never get married, then she just ought to have a wild adventure with this sexy foreigner.

The MC's build their relationship while they're travelling on the road on their way to locate Roan's sister. They have fun, they get robbed, their lust overcomes them a few times and they fall in love. The author gives the reader separate insights into each character's thoughts and it is around the same time that each MC acknowledges that he/she is in love with the other. Roan is a wonderful H. He is charming, gallant, sweet with a mixture of alpha and beta qualities. I still think that Geoffrey from The Devil Takes a Bride is the hottest H in this series. There were some sad times too and it almost made me tearful. This was a couple who really loved each other but couldn't see how they would ever be able to be together in a permanent relationship. The hero's selfish bitch sister should have gotten some form of punishment for lying to the heroine and causing them to separate. But the hero's love for the heroine was just so romantic and intense and his poor heart was broken when Grace ( because of the lies his bitch brat sister had told her ) had not given him her truthful response when he told her he loved her. Their parting was so sad but their HEA made up for it all in the end. It was also nice to see the heroine's sisters, especially Grace from The Devil Takes a Bride who was now the mother of a son and daughter.

[Mary - Buried Under Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good writing (as expected from London), though the insta-love comes off as a bit too strong. The conflict is mainly from the insta-love and two people who are from different countries...in other words, not strong either. But it's a decent read nonetheless. The characters are likable.

[Pam Bereznak · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I met someone here on Goodreads who recommended book 2 of this series. I like to start a series from beginning so wanted to read all 3. What I didn’t realize was as I was listing the 3 books in my book list, I had actually already read this book. Why just 3, not sure. I looked it up here on my Goodreads and saw I had read back in 2015. Back then I wasn't keeping notes or doing reviews but I had assumed I didn't like it because I never got anymore of her books. I do see she can be expensive and that may be one reason. I read at least 300 books a year so the cost can add up. I’m so glad Lori recommended this series. I am really enjoying it. All 3 books have been great.

I have to say, not sure what I was thinking in 2015 but I actually think this book was my favorite of the series. I just loved Prudence and Roan. I loved their story and their personalities. Their adventure together was great reading. Maybe I liked it more because he was "American". :) He seemed super hot. The sex in all 3 books has been good. Just an overall great read. I would recommend this series.

[Desi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Estuvo mejorcito que los otros 2.... pero solo por Roan!! me encantó este personaje... de resto la protagonista igual de bichita que sus hermanas!!

[Shauni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally Reviewed For: Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy

The Scoundrel and the Debutante is book three in Julia London's Cabot Sisters Series. The story of four sisters worried about finding a place. Knowing that their stepfather is dying, their mother is fading to some sort of dementia and their stepbrother is planning to marry a woman who would prefer to not have to see them around.. at least not to have to pay for them to be around.

The first two book dealt with women who weren't perfect but would do just about anything to save their sisters and managed to fall in love in spite of it. But this one? Well it's a bit jarring. It's more about "Me, me, me". I found the heroine rather self centered and obnoxious with little or no thought about her family. Of course big sisters didn't come off all the perfect either.

Prudence Cabot, the pretty one, has been out for two years and has yet to receive a proposal. She knows she won't. Her sisters were too scandalous. No one wants to be attached to a scandalous family. Since she needs a break, the family suggests she head out to visit a friend who just had a child. Bored, Prudence agrees.. But instead of meeting the couple that was supposed to chaperon her, Prudence decides to go off on a bit of an adventure.

Roan Mattheson is a really decent brother and son. When is scatterbrained sister remains in Europe instead of returning home to marry.. Roan goes after her. Being a stranger in England, he is constantly lost and frustrated but when a pretty passenger at a Whey station helps him out, he's a bit smitten. When he discovers she is also a passenger on his stage, he begins a slight flirtation..

Oh my... One Wild and Crazy Weekend where two people who shouldn't have anything to do with each other fall in love, fall in scandal and fall apart.

I liked the premise, I liked the fun but I felt this book was a bit forced. Prudence and Roan fit but their story didn't. I also realized that sisters Honor and Grace have turned into boring society matrons more worried about what people will think than what is best for Prudence.

Ms. London, paid careful attention to detail, made realistic interactions and did her usual stellar job when it comes to creating her world. But this time, it just didn't mesh. Had I not read the previous two books I would have absolutely loathed Honor and Grace. Prudence was a flibbergibbet and the youngest sister, Mercy? Well she was totally self centered and even more obnoxious than Prudence.

I wouldn't recommend this book unless, like me you are finishing the series and need to see what happens.

Shauni

This review is based on the ARC of The Scoundrel and the Debutante, provided by netgalley and is scheduled to be released on April 28, 2015

[Nanou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah Roan... *soupirs* un américain dépassé pas la subtilité des accents (weslay, wesleigh, pas pareil xD), qui croit que tous les lord et lady font partie de la royauté xD ... Qu'il est chou ❤️

Et Prudence est cool, elle en a marre des convenances et quitte à devenir vieille fille, autant s'offrir une petite aventure juste parce l'américain est TROP BEAU... Des fois faut pas réflechir hein xD

Enfin bref ensemble ils sont mignons, et ils se protègent l'un l'autre durant leurs péripéties *aaaawwww*

Maintenant y'a plus qu'à lire les deux précédents hihi

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review from 2015

A for narration / B- for content.

The Scoundrel and the Debutante is the third in the series of books about the four Cabot sisters that began in The Trouble With Honor. The first two books saw the eldest two sisters, Honor and Grace, find love and happiness, albeit in rather unconventional ways – Honor proposed to her lover in front of a crowd at a gaming den, and Grace set out to trap a man into marriage and trapped the wrong one! But society being what it is, even four years later, the scandal surrounding her sisters continues to taint the reputation of Prudence, a conventional young woman who has always done what has been expected of her but who faces the prospect of spinsterhood at twenty-two, simply because of the damage done by her sisters.

Prudence is, naturally, more than a little put out by this, and the relationship between her and her older sisters is very strained as a result. She doesn’t like the increasingly bitter woman she is becoming, but being daily witness to the happiness of one or other of her sisters is only fuelling her frustration, and she jumps at the prospect of getting away for a short time – even if it is to visit a friend who has just had a baby and will be yet another reminder of the happiness it seems Prudence is to be denied.

The arrangements are made and Prudence travels to the nearest town where she is to be met and transported to her friend’s home. While waiting, she encounters an irascible, large and very handsome man whose accent is unfamiliar to her and who seems to have been mis-directed onto the wrong coach. Prudence is immediately smitten, and makes an impulsive decision – something she’s never done in her life before – deciding to accompany him on his journey instead of going to her friend’s as planned. After all, the poor man is lost, so making sure he gets safely to his destination is the right thing to do. Isn’t it?

Roan Matheson has travelled to England from New York in order to retrieve his younger sister and take her home. She had been staying with relatives in England, but instead of coming back with them, had elected to stay in England with some newly-made friends. Roan is alternately worried about and furious with her – not just because she has failed to stick to her original plans without a thought for how that might affect anyone else, but also because she has a fiancé waiting at home, a young man who is key to cementing the alliance between his father’s building company and the Matheson’s successful lumber business. Inaccurate directions have delayed Roan, and this only adds to his impatience to find Aurora so he can go back home to his business and, possibly, make an advantageous match of his own.

What follows is a road-trip story in which a series of mishaps leads to the pair being left behind, attacked by thieves and having to make their way to Roan’s destination on foot. Over the course of a couple of days, they get to know each other and grow closer together; and their relationship does progress quite quickly, especially when Prudence decides to throw caution to the wind and not live up to her name for once. When I read the book a few months ago, I will admit to not having been convinced by it, but it is much more believable in audio simply because of the emotional intensity Rosalyn Landor brings to both dialogue and narrative. She brings the characters’ feelings to life in a way I didn’t experience in print, which is why I’ve actually given the book a higher content grade here than I did when I read it.

The reasons why Roan and Prudence can’t be together are a little harder to believe in, however, in either version. I can certainly understand why the prospect of moving thousands of miles away from her family and the life she had known would have been a very daunting one – it’s daunting to think of today when travel is a familiar concept, so for a young woman in the 1820s, I’m sure it would have been almost unimaginable. But given the strength of the feelings between the couple, it’s difficult to understand that Prudence, who has, after all, spent quite some time bemoaning her prospective spinsterhood, would be prepared to turn her back on marriage to the man she loves so deeply.

There’s also a subplot which appears in the last part of the book which feels rather contrived and as though it’s been added to pad out the story somewhat, but fortunately, it isn’t allowed to go on for too long before everything is neatly wrapped up.

As I’ve already said, this is a book I found myself enjoying more in audio than I did in print. That’s one of the reasons I like to listen to books I’ve read; a good performance can usually bring out aspects of the story or characterisations I may have missed and contribute to a greater understanding and enjoyment of a book, and that is definitely the case here. Ms Landor’s beautiful voice and her amazing versatility are used to excellent effect, especially in the way she is able to give a depth to the romance which I just didn’t feel in the print version. Both characters are essentially decent people with no major hang-ups or emotional baggage, but they are saved from blandness by the performance, which highlights the humour in their dialogue and rounds them out as people.

Ms Landor excels in her portrayal of the secondary characters, too. An honourable mention must go to her performance in the scenes at Howston Hall; the interactions between Lord and Lady Penfors are hilarious, and her portrayals of Mrs Bowers, a sexually predatory widow who sets her sights on Roan, and the rather smarmy Lord Stanhope are equally good. She is also exceptionally good at differentiating between the four Cabot sisters in the scenes in which they appear together, and when they appear individually, her interpretations remain consistent. (By which I mean she never uses the “wrong” voice for one sister when the others are not present.) Roan is American, and while I don’t claim to be an expert on American accents, the one Ms Landor adopts certainly sounds accurate enough to my ears, and is consistent throughout.

The Scoundrel and the Debutante is definitely a book I’d recommend listening to instead of (or as well as) reading. Even though I am a huge fan of Ms Landor’s I almost didn’t pick up this audiobook because I didn’t love the story in print – but her name on the cover is such a draw that I did ask for it, and I’m pleased I did.

[Caz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This third book in Julia London’s Cabot Sisters series is set around four years after the first two. In those, the eldest two of the four sisters - Honor and Grace - found love (and husbands) in rather unconventional ways which led to much scandal and gossip, leaving their younger sisters, Prudence and Mercy, rather tarred with the same brush.

For her part, Mercy is not particularly bothered, being focused on making a career as an artist and caught up with all the excitement of getting ready for her first term at a prestigious art school. But for Prudence, the third sister, her sisters’ escapades have proved almost ruinous. Now twenty-two she has no suitors, nor the prospect of any. Thanks to Grace's husband, the Earl of Merryton, she has a suitable dowry, but even after four years, the name "Cabot" is besmirched and Prudence is resentful and thoroughly fed up.

In fact, at the beginning of the book, she is not an especially likeable character. She is petulant and whiny, blaming her poor prospects entirely on her older sisters – both of whom, incidentally, bear very little resemblance to the women who proposed to a known rake in a seedy gambling den (Honor) and who trapped the wrong man into marriage (Grace). Prudence has more than lived up to her name over the years; she has done exactly as she should all her life, protected her reputation, been circumspect in her actions and acted as the perfect young lady. But because of the actions of others, her prospects of having a husband and family of her own have been dashed, so her unhappiness is, at least, well-founded.

When the chance comes for her to make a short stay with a friend, she grabs it, willing to do anything - even visit someone who is happily married and in expectation of a child - to get away from home. While she is waiting for the coach, she encounters a handsome, somewhat irascible stranger, and Prudence is immediately smitten. Being the pattern card of propriety hasn't done her any good, so she decides to live dangerously for once, and on impulse, decides to abandon her plans and accompany him to his destination - just to make sure he gets there safely, of course.

Roan Matheson has recently arrived in England from America in search of his wayward, scatterbrained sister, Aurora. That young lady had been visiting relatives in England but has not yet returned home, having informed her brother that she had been invited to stay for longer by some other, newly-acquired friends. Roan is furious with her - not just because she has failed to stick to her original plans without a thought for how that might affect anyone else, but also because she has a fiancé waiting at home, a young man who is key to cementing the alliance between his father's company and the Matheson’s successful building and lumber business. Faulty directions have delayed Roan in his pursuit, and his frustration is only adding to his impatience to be off to find Aurora so he can go back home to his business and, possibly, to make an advantageous match of his own.

The Scoundrel and the Debutante (although to be completely honest, Roan is no scoundrel, and as Prudence is a couple of years past her come-out, she is no longer a debutante!) is a road-trip romance, the bulk of the story taken up with Roan and Prudence's journey and the various mishaps that befall them on the way. As they travel, they come to know and understand each other better, but heartbreak looms when they realise that they really are an ocean apart. Prudence can't envisage leaving the world she knows in order to be with him, and Roan has commitments which he can't, in all honour, ignore or abandon.

Roan is a handsome, honourable and devoted hero and I liked Prudence’s determination to break the mould and do something unexpected. Even though she is not very engaging to start with, she does grow up a bit during the course of the story and come to realise that not everything is about her.

The Scoundrel and the Debutante is as well-written as the two previous entries in this series, but I can't say that it's particularly gripping or memorable. The romance isn’t completely convincing, the conflict later in the story is contrived and the story lacks a certain deftness of touch and humour which makes it feel a little on the stodgy side. If you’re following the series, then you might want to pick this up for completeness, but if not, then I’d suggest the earlier books would be a better introduction to the Cabot sisters.

[Kimberly Rocha~ Book Obsessed Chicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penelope has always been the "good" Cabot sister on the straight and narrow following the scandals brought to the family by her older sisters, but she's done with it. She wants to finally live and see what all the fuss is all about. Guilty by association anyway, so why shouldn't she live?

On her way to a friend's estate to see her beloved friend and new baby, Penelope get waylaid by a handsome American in search of his wayward sister who remained in England instead of returning home to fulfill her marriage promise to a local man of means.

Roan Matheson needs to find his sister and soon. The financial stability of his family depends on it. When he finds the assistance of an unaccompanied woman at one of the stops on the road, he is taken with her but cannot be swayed from his given path. Unknowingly to Roan, Penelope gives up her seat on a private coach to her destination in lieu of an adventure with the handsome American. When danger strikes the public coach they have been traveling in, Roan and Penelope begin a journey that will change both of their lives forever.

Roan also has a planned destiny to fulfill, but Penelope is temptation in disguise. Together on the search for Roan's elusive sister the sparks between them ignite into a full blown love affair that threatens to change his plans as well as tarnish Penelope's reputation even further. Both Penelope realize that what they share can't go further than the now even though it hurts more than either could have ever imagine to admit. Once Roan finds his sister, their futures need to be secured and what Roan's well-meaning but misunderstood sister says to Penelope not only breaks her heart, but frees Roan from a future with her.

The third installment of The Cabot Sisters series, The Scoundrel and the Debutante by Julia London is a great addition to the series. Coming to know each of the Cabot sisters in their own rite is a pleasant journey, coming to understand their motivations and feelings is a wonderful surprise. I love Penelope's path to coming int her own and her throwing caution to the wind when it comes to her attraction to Roan. Even after his initial bout of arrogance, I found myself liking Roan immensely and hoping for the perfect HEA for this couple from two different walks of life who both deserve the love that has grown between them

[Arshia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried, I laughed, I sighed, and I worried. I swear I was an emotional wreck and that made me happy! I love books that wring all these emotions from me because it absorbs my attention completely. I live and breath the world the author has created. We all know the ending will be happy but the journey to that ending is what distinguishes a great author from a good one.

The scandals surrounding the older Cabot sisters' marriages have tainted Prudence Cabot's chances of a good marriage. Matter of fact there will never be a marriage because she hasn't received the attentions of any gentlemen much less an offer. She's stuck in one place and only hurtling towards spinsterhood. So when she sees the chance for some adventure she sets out without thinking of the consequences. Her lark turns into a head long dive into love, yet she knows nothing will come of it. He's an American, visiting England in search of his sister.

No matter how charming, sweet, and caring Roan Mattheson is he cannot overcome the societal pressures and expectations. He's the steadfast older sibling out to save his baby sister. He doesn't quite understand how Prudence's adventure becomes his own and how they fall in love. However, he does realize that he can never move to England and even though he tries to get Prudence to move with him to America it seems that will never happen. Their HEA does happen but it almost made me cry till it was finally resolved.

[Elise__h · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actuellement en pleine panne de lecture, j'essaie de me "soigner" en lisant ce qui me tombe sous la main et je suis justement tombée sur cette romance pas compliquée dans un dépôt-vente. C'était parfait ! Je l'ai lu en quelques heures : le style est facile à lire, l'histoire fluide, les personnages divertissants... Prudence a 22 ans et risque de passer sa vie vieille fille parce que les demandes en mariage n'affluent pas. C'est une jeune femme déterminée, qui n'a pas peur des conséquences de ses actes et ça fait du bien de voir une anglaise de cette époque aussi aventureuse. Le personnage masculin est l'exemple typique du beau gosse étranger qui débarque et devient synonyme d'aventures. Roan est Américain, pas compliqué, un peu brute de décoffrage et décidé à ramener sa soeur en Amérique. L'action principale se passe sur quelques jours et les évènements (parfois même les plus improbables) s'enchaînent.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Info
Kindle Edition, 384 pages
Expected publication: May 1st 2015 by HQN Books (first published April 28th 2015)
ASIN B00P5SOQ0C
edition language English
series The Cabot Sisters #3
other editions (1)
Source:Netgalley EARC

Book Buy Links
Amazon
B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS

When a man on a mission takes on a beautiful but unlikely ally, seduction and adventure are inevitable…

The dust of the Cabot sisters' shocking plans to rescue their family from certain ruin may have settled, but Prudence Cabot is left standing in the rubble of scandal. Now regarded as an unsuitable bride, she's tainted among the ton. Yet this unwilling wallflower is ripe for her own adventure. And when an irresistibly sexy American stranger on a desperate mission enlists her help, she simply can't deny the temptation.

The fate of Roan Matheson's family depends on how quickly he can find his runaway sister and persuade her to return to her betrothed. Scouring the rustic English countryside with the sensually wicked Prudence at his side—and in his bed—he's out of his element. But once Roan has a taste of the sizzling passion that can lead to forever, he must choose between his heart's obligations and its forbidden desires.

My Thoughts

Prudence is not happy with the fallout caused by the actions of her older siblings, especially when she finds herself to be thought to not be worthy of marriage by any of her families peers. When she is shipped off to visit a family friend who has recently given birth to her first child her normal obedience slips its leash and the most level headed of the Cabot foursome follows her heart for once instead of her head.

Roan Matheson has traveled to England from New York to fetch his sister home, little did he expect to come across a young English miss who is as headstrong and willful as his younger sister. When Prudence unexpectedly meets Roan she has no idea that the handsome American will make her heart race, none before him has ever come close. With this in mind she undertakes the next leg of her journey, not with the escort that her family planned for her to travel with but instead on the coach that is to take Roan to the last known place where it might be possible to find his sister.

The coach is overcrowded with passengers so Prudence and Roan share a seat, a very tight fit which allows them plenty of time to become aware of each other as well as to exchange a bit of conversation.

As the pair find themselves stranded by a broken wheel with their fellow passengers Prudence conceives the notion to find her own way rather than waiting for another coach to come along. This proves to be the second error in judgement on her journey as it results in her and Roan being left alone.

The following days prove to be even more of an adventure than our dear Prudence ever dreamed of having, she finds herself seduced by and seducing Roan in turn. Things are all well and fine until they end up meeting a member of the nobility who runs in the same circles as her sisters, will the consequences of her actions finally become more than Prudence can bear or will love prevail? The answer may not surprise you but the solution to preventing another scandal is rather neatly executed with the minimum of fuss.

The Cabot sisters are notorious in 1800's London High Society, the "Ton" have labeled the exploits thus far of the two oldest sisters Honor and Grace as scandalous. This time the exploits of third sister Prudence prove to top their escapades in spades but the question is whether or not the adventure she and American Roan Matheson share becomes gossip or a romance that will surely live on in the hearts of readers of their alluringly provocative tale.

For me this was a wonderfully acted out story that proved that even women in the nobility sometimes had to act out of character to achieve their fondest dreams, Prudence may not have lived up to her name but in the end being prudent was not the right thing to do.

[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Dearest Prudence,
It is three o'clock in the morning, and there is very little left of the candle. As I've lain in Bed, feeling the space beside me cold and empty, I composed a brilliant letter to you in my mind, one that I believe adequately conveyed my feelings for you. But when I rose to put pen to paper, all the elegance of my thoughts was lost. I am utterly incapable of describing the depth and breadth of my feelings. Is it love? I think it is, but I am no scholar when it comes to the heart. I know only that I adore you. I want to slay dragons and lay them at your feet. I want to conquer nations and make you their queen. My life has never lacked for anything, but from this day forward, it will always lack you."

Excuse my feels, I got ridiculously emotional typing up Roan's letter just then. I'm okay now.

5 LIFE CHANGING STARS (a bit overly dramatic but I don't care).

Having read, and LOVED, Honor and Grace's books and now Prudence's, I think what I've come to love most about the Cabot sisters is that they are not your everyday, run of the mill HR heroines. They're rebels. They break the rules. They seek fulfillment and go after what they want damn the consequences, and boy were there consequences. But they always faced wherever their actions led with their heads held high and their hearts on their sleeves.

Prudence was the one sister however who did follow the rules. Who did what was expected of young women of her rank. And yet still she was ruined anyway by no fault of her own but by her sisters' scandalous marriages. The irony was not lost on poor, miserable Prudence who in turn decided to say to hell with her humdrum existence and threw caution to the wind, but quickly discovered she's not very good at it. Stuffy American Roan Matheson meanwhile is a man on a mission: to bring his impetuous, wayward sister home with him to New York. Roan was the type of person that always followed that straight and narrow path in life so the last thing he needed was another beguiling female distracting him from what he was supposed to do. But Prudence proves irresistible when a series of mishaps throws the unlikely pair together for a life changing adventure.

Prudence and Roan were great characters and I absolutely loved the road trip aspect of this book. It was reminiscent and kindled similar feelings of that of Tessa Dare's wonderful A Week to be Wicked, a great favorite of mine. I was laughing and gasping and choking back tears as Prudence and Roan discovered not only love, but also themselves as individuals. I love when couples throw each other off balance, only to later realize they're better together. The Scoundrel and the Debutante made me literally weep from its hijinks and perfection (I'm totally serious. I cried multiple times throughout). It was daring, enchanting, funny, heartfelt and just plain amazing. Thank you Julia London!

[Shelagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Scoundrel and the Debutante is the third in Julia London's Cabot Sisters series and just as good as the first two books. It stands alone really well but it's worth reading the other two books first both for context and because they, too, are really good books.
I really liked the way this book sneaked up on me. It started quite benignly with Prudence Cabot preparing to visit a friend who had recently given birth, but before long her adventure begins and what an adventure it is!
I identified with Prudence. She's the good girl, the dependable member of the family, the one everyone relies on to do the right thing and the girl least likely to do anything scandalous. Prudence, however, feels trapped by her life, by the scandalous ways her older sisters went about meeting and marrying their husbands, and by the responsibility of caring for her mother. When she meets Roan Matheson and decides that for once in her life she'd like to do something adventurous, just for herself, I rejoiced for her.
Roan too bears the responsibility of family expectations. He's in England to find his sister and take her back to America to marry into a family with which there are strong business ties. Roan is also expected to marry to benefit his family business and despite feeling nothing for his chosen bride Roan expects to do the right thing ... until he meets Prudence.
Julia London has the uncanny ability to create really believable characters, who remain believable even when faced by a string of improbable circumstances. Even the supporting characters are well rounded, displaying both good and bad characteristics so that while you might not like a particular character for his choice of actions you can understand the motivation behind them.
Overall this book has been just a delight to read. It is essentially a feel good historical romance with just the right amount of substance. Read it on its own or as part of the series and I can guarantee it will leave you smiling.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been a pretty good story if not for some editing issues and and historical inaccuracies. It's a different writing style than some of her other series, which I enjoyed until the word "cock" jumped out of the page (I know that's being picky, but it just didn't seem to fit). Below are a few of the issues that kept distracting me through the book, but if you're not interested in the details, this book is a solid three stars.

Where are the chaperones? Pru doesn't have one, ever, and Roan's sister is suspiciously without as well.

Gentlemen had shown Pru zero interest (a fact that she emphasized at the beginning of the story), but when Roan first kissed her she claims to have been kissed before.

Roan throws his hat on the road, then kicks it into a muddy ditch, where he decides to leave it. Later on Pru mentions his lack of hat. Then, the next day he pulls his hat off his head to run his fingers through his hair. Where'd the hat come from?

When Pru and Roan are attacked by highwaymen, the thieves beat the snot out of him. He has a swollen eye, a bloody nose, and broken ribs. Somehow, nobody at the house party notices this. Equally suspect, is that Pru's family doesn't notice (where Roan gets smacked in the face again).

The timeline (and passage of time) doesn't add up. Even a little.

[Sina & Ilona Glimmerfee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prudence hat es schwer. Mit ihren zweiundzwanzig Jahren und einer skandalösen Familie, sind ihre Aussichten auf einen Heiratsantrag sehr gering. Um den Diskussionen im Haus ihrer Schwester zu entgehen, nimmt sie das Angebot einer Freundin an, sie für eine längere Zeit zu besuchen. Auf dem Weg dorthin, trifft sie den attraktiven Amerikaner Roan und wirft kurzerhand ihre Pläne über den Haufen.

Von der ersten Seite an, habe ich mich in dem Buch wohlgefühlt, obwohl dies bereits der dritte Teil der Reihe ist und ich die beiden anderen Teile nicht kenne. Prudence und Roan sind Charaktere, die mir sehr schnell ans Herz gewachsen sind. Ich habe all die peinlichen, brenzligen, abenteuerlichen und romantischen Momente mit dem Paar durchleben können und so kam nie Langeweile auf - ganz im Gegenteil. Ich habe mich gut unterhalten gefühlt und hatte richtig Spaß an dieser Geschichte.

Humor: 7 / 10 Punkten
Wohlfühl-Feeling: 7 / 10 Punkten
Liebe & Romantik: 8 / 10 Punkten
Action & Spannung: 7 / 10 Punkten
Drama: 2 / 10 Punkten

Dieses Buch wurde mir als Leseexemplar zur Verfügung gestellt.

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roan amused me, "see? Right as rain," he said breathlessly, and threw a heavy arm around her shoulders. "Where's the gun? We should keep it close, I think. And the knife, if you can find it." Prudence she's a curious little thing when it comes to her man, "Prudence startled him by popping up and smiling down at him. "Do you think that...Mightn't we do this all over again? It's not morning, is it?" I liked how these two negotiate with each other:
Roan grinned and nipped at her bottom lip. "Will you let me in the tub with you?"
She kissed his mouth and slid her hand down his chest, to his c****. "Will you allow me to put my feet wherever I like?"
I liked this book I loved Roan he came off as stuck up but I guess it takes the right girl to make a guy less stuffy and Prudence was that for him.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a 3.5 bumped up to a 4 star because of fab narrating by the talented Rosalyn Landor! A sweet, light little story about a young English miss on the lookout for excitement. Enter a large, handsome American and we have a perfect recipe for disaster! It's all rather far fetched but as this is romance land I suppose anything goes. Rosalyn Landor has the most incredible range of voices - I would go so far as to say possibly the best I have heard. She does female and male equally well and when humour is called for her interpretation is hilarious. I would recommend this book as it is a light enjoyable read but also simply because it's worth listening to everything Ms. Landor has done, a rather unexceptional story made memorable by a great narrator.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prudence knows she´s not coveted on the marriage scene after all the scandals surrounding the Cabot name, so when she gets a chance to do something for herself, she jumps in with both feet first.
Meeting a stranger, from America to boot, the temptation is too much, and she promptly joins him on an adventure via horse carriage all over the country.
Roan is in England to fetch back his sister and not really looking for anything else, until he encounters the lovely Prudence who seems to be up to something. Will he help her, or make his own way and return to America?
Historical romance, smutty fluff and angst in a great combo. Listened to the audio version and the narrator was great too.

[Jamie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've never been disappointed by a Julia London book before this one but I spent the majority of it feeling awkward and uncomfortable reading through the endless encounters for the hero and the heroine. I found it difficult for cheer for them since there were so many poor decisions being made throughout the book. Frankly I couldn't force myself to finish it. Hoping that the last book in this series is an easier and more enjoyable read.

[Fani *loves angst*]

DNF at 60%

Julia London is one of my favorite authors, so the fact that I couldn't even finish this book, came as a surprise to me. It's not bad writing or lack of chemistry that made this unreadeable, it's the sheer lack of plot and consistency with the time era that made me put it down. If this was written as a contemporary romance, I think it could be a very nice book.