The Beautiful One

The Scandalous Sisters #1

by Emily Greenwood

The first book in a delightfully scandalous new Regency romance series from blossoming author Emily Greenwood…

Tomboy Anna Black has no idea how a book containing nude drawings of her is traveling around town. Everyone’s calling the woman in the drawings the “Beautiful One,” but Anna knows that if her true identity is revealed, she’ll be ruined. To escape scandal, she becomes a temporary companion to the outrageous teenage ward of Will Halifax, Viscount Grandville.

Will wants nothing but to be left alone. When cheeky Anna unexpectedly arrives with his scandalous ward, suddenly he has two intolerable women filling up his once-quiet manor. But as Anna’s charms begin to soften Will’s hard exterior and uncover his shrouded heart, she hopes that love can fully blossom before her scandal erupts…

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Fiction, Adult, Regency Romance

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 2, 2015

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Emily Greenwood worked for a number of years as a writer, crafting newsletters and fundraising brochures, but she far prefers writing playful love stories set in Regency England. She lives in Maryland with her husband and two daughters.

Reviews

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

The Beautiful One by Emily Greenwood
Book One of the Scandalous Sisters series
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: June 2, 2015
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

The first book in a delightfully scandalous new Regency romance series from blossoming author Emily Greenwood…

Tomboy Anna Black has no idea how a book containing nude drawings of her is traveling around town. Everyone’s calling the woman in the drawings the “Beautiful One,” but Anna knows that if her true identity is revealed, she’ll be ruined. To escape scandal, she becomes a temporary companion to the outrageous teenage ward of Will Halifax, Viscount Grandville.

Will wants nothing but to be left alone. When cheeky Anna unexpectedly arrives with his scandalous ward, suddenly he has two intolerable women filling up his once-quiet manor. But as Anna’s charms begin to soften Will’s hard exterior and uncover his shrouded heart, she hopes that love can fully blossom before her scandal erupts…

What I Liked:

Good but not great. That's what I was thinking, when I finished this one. I love historical romance novels a lot, and it's hard for historical romance novels to please me. I love the intriguing combination of simplicity and complexity in the romance, as well as the other pieces of the story that make historical romance novels interesting and entertaining reads. This one was okay... just not that good. Definitely not terrible, but not a new favorite.

Anna has been caught in a bit of a scandal, and she flees when she realizes that the scandal is catching up with her. Someone has been drawing her, naked, as she bathes. Anna wants no part of the scandal, so she agrees to escort Miss Elizabeth Tarryton Stillwell Hall, where Elizabeth's guardian resides. But Viscount Grandville wants no one to bother him as he continues to grieve (his wife died over a year ago). But Anna is persistent and refuses to let Will send Lizzie away. It's not long before attraction swirls between Will and Anna, but Anna doesn't want him to know about her being "The Beautiful One" - until it's too late.

This one was an enjoyable read. I don't know if I'd read it again or recommend it to anyone, but I liked the book. The romance is sweet, if a little insta-love-y. The protagonists certainly fell in lust and love pretty quickly, which annoyed me (see below). But I liked Anna and Will together, so I just enjoyed the romance when there were interactions between them.

I liked Anna - she's not a lady of royal or gentle birth, though she is a lady nonetheless. Her upbringing is a little unconventional - her father was a widow and never remarried, and her brother was her companion. Anna is intelligent and well-educated, but not entirely ladylike at times, though she has good manners. She is very blunt and honest, and I definitely liked that about her.

I really liked Will. He's a bit of an ogre at first, as all he wants it to be left alone. Come to think of it, this story and its protagonists reminded me of Elizabeth Boyle's The Viscount Who Lived Down the Lane. Will is very surly and almost rude, and doesn't want Elizabeth to live with him. Really, it's because he's still grieving, still recluse, and doesn't think it's suitable for anyone to live with him. But Will is quite thoughtful and a little wicked even.

The romance is what kept me reading. The other plot - the one with a marquess trying to find "The Beautiful One", didn't really interest me. The ending of this book is exactly as you would expect it, which is fine, but somewhat predictable. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book!

What I Did Not Like:

Even for a historical romance novel, the fall-in-lust and fall-in-love aspects happened fairly quickly. Will sees a soaked woman trying to get a carriage out of a ditch and is immediately attracted to her? It just seemed very odd and very sudden. I think the timing was a bit rushed, especially given the circumstances (rain storm? He and Anna barely interacted and then he can't stop thinking about her? Hmmm). I know people think historical romance novels have a lot of insta-love, but that's actually not the case. Most authors take care to have their characters fall in love slowly and surely. It's one of the things that really attracts me to these novels!

I feel like there was a whole layer to this book that was missing. I don't know how to describe this feeling, but it was like this story was very much on the surface. Something was missing. I couldn't really put my finger on it, but throughout the book, I was thinking, is that all you've got? Is that all there is? It's clear that Greenwood is a slowly rising author in the genre - she's not quite as artful and knowledgeable in the ways of writing these novels, it seems. I actually really enjoyed her novel Gentlemen Prefer Mischief, but this novel was not anywhere near the quality of that book. I'm surprised the books are by the same author!

I didn't connect with Lizzie at all. This book is written in third person, but we get Anna's, Will's, and Lizzie's perspectives throughout the book. I didn't like her from the start, and I can't say I like her now that I'm finished the book. Lizzie is snobby and stuck-up, and her character development is staggered at some times, and rushed at others. Towards the end of the book, it's like all of a sudden a light switch is flipped and Lizzie is a different person. I never connected with Lizzie, despite having her perspective.

The writing and the language is so modern. This isn't a good thing, because the quality and authenticity of this HISTORICAL fiction novel was quite lessened. Sometimes the language was so modern and pedestrian, I was shocked. But then at other times, the author did a good job of keeping the language to its time. Again, rising author. Not established.

In any case, this book was okay, but I don't know if I'll be reading any more of the books in the series.

Would I Recommend It:

Ehhh, probably not. I like supporting rising historical romance authors, and I love finding new ones. This book is the second one I've read by Greenwood, but it is easily the less flattering of the two. I do recommend Gentlemen Prefer Mischief though!

Rating:

2.5 stars -> rounded up to 3 stars. These "meh" reviews are so hard to write! Basically, just pass this one. Try something by Elizabeth Hoyt, Tessa Dare, Caroline Linden, or Julie Anne Long!

[Kathie (katmom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Release Week!!!

This is book one in The Scandalous Sisters Series. What a lovely cover. And she has her clothes on! Unfortunately, a rogue has a book of sketches that show poor, sweet Anna with nary a stitch on. She's appalled and mortified when a peer informs her that she will be posing, naked, for a painting that the original artist is doing for, and of, him and Anna together. Anna starts the book with her backbone firmly in place and no interest in the proposal.

While looking over her shoulder every step of the way, Anna finds herself a place in a girls' school. She's not very pleased when the headmistress sends her along as a chaperon to a young woman being sent to her guardian. At least she figures they are far enough into the countryside that hopefully no one near will have heard of The Beautiful One.

A first meeting with Will, the guardian, has them both annoyed with the other, but still rather attracted.

I enjoyed how these two fought their attraction for many reasons. But, as we've all come to expect from a romance (and that's why we read them) they do find their way into each other's hearts. It was bumpy along the way and I worried how the hunt for The Beautiful One would end. It was very well done of Ms. Greenwood! I liked that part very much.

There were a couple things that brought this one down a bookmark for me. The language is littered with contemporary words and sayings. At one point Will says, "Do what?" Stopped me in my reading tracks! Also, this book would have been many pages shorter if the repetition had been cut out. I didn't need to hear, over and over, how her father was unloving; how he hated his step-mother; how Lizzy hated Anna's clothes...and the list goes on. Readers get it the first time they read such things. Also, Lizzy...for 9/10ths of the book, she's all about her looks. We don't hear any deeper thoughts from her. Then...suddenly...she's going on about how balls, etc., are just about shallow things. I almost expected her to begin a speech about how she just wanted world peace. It was odd...like she had had a brain transplant. Would have been different if she'd even once mentioned liking to study, or...world peace. It came out of the blue. One more little quibble, the artist that did the sketches. Why did he have to have Anna right in front of his eyes to paint her? He had sketched her "on the fly," so to speak. He had the sketches of her, nude. Why couldn't he have painted her from them? I'm an artist, so this didn't make a lot of sense to me.

Having said all that, I did enjoy this. Will was charming as he came out of his grief. Anna was very original in looks and manners, and charming herself. I liked Tommy and Judith, too. I will be looking for more from this author, that's for sure. Hope you search her out, too.



Thank you, SourceBooks Casablanca and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this book.

[Sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the appeal of a new to me author, first in a new series and the inclusion of a favorite story trope impossible to pass up. I've always enjoyed the governess-lord of the manor plot. I had a fairly good time with this one, but it wasn't a complete win. There was a Jane Eyre feel to it at first which tickled me since I love discovering classical stories peeking out of newer ones.

The story opens with Anna Black, the seamstress for a school for young ladies accompanying one of the students to her guardian after the young lady got herself removed from the school. Anna is more than she seems as the daughter of a respected doctor and naturalist, but she must hide because an unscrupulous artist took advantage of his stay in her father's home and drew a serious of nudes with her the model. He compiled a book and sold it to a nobleman who shared his new prize so many men have seen and heard of The Beautiful One. She just needs to scrape up the funds necessary to get to the north where she can live in obscurity with her aunt. Unfortunately, the journey is only the beginning and she couldn't possibly leave her young charge in the hands of the cold, rude man who doesn't want his guardian at his estate nor her either.

Will Hallifax, Viscount Granville, is still deeply grieving the death of his wife a year from her death. He isolates himself on his main estate finishing projects that his wife set in motion so that he might continue to honor her wishes and keep just a bit of her alive. He has no desire to be invaded by his wife's niece of whom he is guardian or the outspoken, frumpy looking, companion who challenges him as no one ever does. Anna's brow-beating and attitude wake Will up like nothing has in a while. Anna and Lizzie are just the first invaders that he has to deal with. He wants to take care of Anna and he knows that she is carrying a secret, but she insists on independence and refuses to let him help. His feelings are engaged and he searches for any reason including using Lizzie if he has to for keeping her there.

Alright, I have impressions of enjoyable scenes, scenes that bugged me, and lots of skimming. The story is mostly divided into Will and Anna narrating, but occasionally Lizzie took over. I liked the switch in narrators. I never quite became an Anna fan. I loved Will, Lizzie, and Tommy. Judith was another that didn't do it for me. My thing with Judith was though she meant well, she was pushy and assumed she knew best. Anna was very guilty of this, too.

The progression that the author established in her detailing the setting and tone that changed from dismal to happy for the life at the estate was done very well. I enjoyed seeing that progression from stark and bare with little going on beyond work to a house made into a home and laughter and fun returning with tea on the veranda, boat rides, and preparations for a party.

I also loved the inclusion of Lizzie. She's willful and wayward, but so lonely and just wanting to find love and a home in her uncle. She works so hard to get Will to love her and I was cheering her on. Her skirmishes with Tommy cracked me up. And the loss of temper that made her break Will's statuary and then hide the evidence was a hoot.

Will's grief was the key issue that set me off when it came to Judith and Anna pushing him so hard. Maybe I'm looking at this wrong, but I seriously didn't see the problem with the man living quietly on his estate, puttering around doing physical labor as a release, and mourning his wife. He wasn't a drunk or a lech and he wasn't out hurting people or himself. He has a younger brother if he never chooses to remarry and get an heir though its not like he's on the shelf if he wants to wait a few years to try for another wife. I really couldn't see the need to force his hand. With those two women, it was like 'the years up so cut off your feelings, buck up, and get on with my plan for your life'. The only exception was that I was on board with Anna convincing him to take his guardianship responsibilities more personally because Lizzie needed him since she was essentially an orphan. This is a romance so of course I expected that he would move on and love the heroine which he does, but a part of me felt like he should have the right not to love someone else if he wanted, too.

Anna was a character for whom I had little patience. She plays the role of the mouse, but only as long as it suits her which isn't too long. She's got opinions about everyone else and butts in, but doesn't think this should be a reciprocal thing. She hemmed and hawed, holding onto her secret for way to long naively assuming that she knew best and nobody else could help. For all her sass to Will, she is naive at best considering what she is up against. Her hot and cold thing with Will drove me nuts. She would participate in trysts with Will which back then did make one a loose woman, but she couldn't admit that a guy did a Peeping Tom and drew nudies of her because she was worried about what Will would think. Didn't make sense to me. I was tired of her in the beginning and stayed that way. I didn't hate her and I'm glad she was there to make Will happy, but I didn't exactly take to her either.

Possibly its a mood thing and it very well could be. I didn't hate this story, but just felt irritated at times. Still, there were a few high points, too. The promised sharp witty dialogue between the sassy governess and the forbidding Lord of the Manor was an element I liked as was the tension and attraction. I thought the humor was deftly done and sprinkled through out.

All in all, I liked the story enough that I would recommend it to fans of passionate Historical Romance lovers.

[Liz F · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.

I love finding new authors through NetGalley. I've been on a bit of a historical romance kick lately and when I saw the cover and description of this book, I knew I had to try it!

I liked Anna, the heroine, right from the start. She's accompanying a young lady, Lizzie, from the boarding school where Anna works to Lizzie's uncle. It's a journey/task that Anna doesn't want to undertake because she's sort of in hiding. But at the start of the book, the coach that they're riding in has gotten stuck and Anna is contemplating the viability of just running from the carriage and living off wild berries in the woods for the rest of her life. Since she realizes that one needs more than berries to survive and that she has very little money on her person, she decides that exiting the coach and trying to help is the only real option available to her. I found that whole thought process of hers was pretty hilarious. So Anna's pretty funny at the start of the book and she seems pretty strong and confident too. It took no effort at all to like her. Later, when she meets Lizzie's uncle, the Viscount, she stands her ground and does right by Lizzie, which solidified her awesomeness to me. As the book progresses though, Anna totally loses her humor. I felt like she also lost a lot of her confidence and strength as well. I supposed she was probably pretty tired in general due to her feeling like she's being pursued and being nervous. I just really wished she had retained some of that humor I saw at the start. She was a character that sorely needed some.

Will, Viscount Grandville and Lizzie's uncle, was pretty interesting. He not even a little happy about having visitors, especially not the niece of his late wife. He's been a bit of a recluse since his wife died and he prefers the solitude of working on his tenant farmers' future homes to interacting with people. I definitely felt bad for Will because he really loved his wife and she died suddenly in a horse riding accident. As sad as it was, I felt it was sweet and refreshing that he actually loved his wife so much. I mean, she was in the middle of sprucing up the interiors of the estate but Will missed her so much that he took out everything that she had placed around the home and put it away in the attic. I guess it could sound like he's a total jerk but he did those things because he couldn't bear to be reminded of her. Maybe I'm really sappy but I just loved that about him! They had also worked together to design the new houses for the tenant farmers and Will spends most of his days working on those houses. I thought that he was doing that manual labor as a way of NOT dealing with the pain of her death. While it's certainly not a healthy way to cope, it did feel pretty romantic. But I liked that even though Will was this rich, important man, he was out there, working with his hands in the hot sun, doing back breaking work. I suppose I like when heroes secretly do and enjoy manual labor because it makes their manly chests seem more believable! LOL! But seriously, if all they do is sit around all day, how do they get such great bodies!? ;)

I really liked Anna and Will together. I felt like she needed someone to give a damn about her and maybe to protect her a little or make her feel safe, which Will could certainly do. And Will needed a kind and practical woman, which I thought Anna was. But I was disappointed because I didn't truly feel their connection. I think I felt the friendship but I never felt any heat or passion between them. Was I maybe looking too hard? I don't know. I do know that the romance between them fell flat for me.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this book. There was very little Sexy Time and I just wasn't feeling the romance between the hero and heroine. But the writing was fabulous! There's this little side story of Lizzie and Will's younger brother, Tommy, that was fun and may possibly be a set up for a future book. There's also a side theme about forgiveness between Will and another family member, which I absolutely loved. There was great tension regarding the bad guys that were looking for Anna and oh how I hated them and I was super scared for Anna so that was all a lot of fun! So although I didn't love this book, I would certainly give this author and the next book in this series another chance!

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

First reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf

Anna had no choice but to go into hiding. Unfortunately, the place she picked to hide in has sent her back out into the world at large as a companion to the young ward of Viscount Grandville. Not that she minded Lizzie’s company, but she had good reasons for hiding from the ton and certainly did not need to be traveling to the country home of one of its members.

Will is far from pleased to find his recently deceased wife’s niece upon his doorstep… and to discover she is now his ward and is expecting to reside with him to too much to bear. Will loved his wife very much, so much that the sight of any of her things or the improvements she had started around the estate simply could not be looked upon without wrenching pain – so he had them removed, hidden away in the attics. Because out of sight meant that he only had his memories to bring him heartache. Now, with Lizzie to consider, his personal grief only increased. He had put all of his strength, time and energy into improving his tenant’s homes – it was mind numbing work, and that was exactly what he wanted. Will had no idea of what to do with a teen ward, so he did what was now normal for him – he convinced Anna to remain and look after Lizzie.

His plan might have worked out well if Will and Anna hadn’t started to feel something for each other and if there weren’t nude sketches out there of Anna as The Beautiful One.

I enjoyed The Beautiful One and look forward to the next novel in The Scandalous Sisters series. Will and Anna were well suited, and she certainly deserved someone to love and protect her. The story was engaging, entertaining and had me rooting for this couple to overcome obstacles in the way of their happy ending. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys Historical or Regency romances or simply a fun love story. I rated this one as 4 and 1/2 stars for one reason – the modern American speak brought me out of the story on several occasions. While I do not expect to read verbatim ancient Regency London dialogue, it felt awkward to have an American styled comment come out of an Historical Romance character’s mouth, so to speak. I do not mean that as an insult, so please no one interpret it as such – it is an observation that I fell out of the story at times because of it and that was unfortunate, as it broke the spell for me. Yet, I will up my rating to 5 stars on the various review sites as it was a personal thing that had nothing to do with the loveliness or entertainment value of the story of Will and Anna.

*I received an e-ARC of The Beautiful One from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

~Any review is just one person’s opinion. You might feel the same or totally different. The only way to know for certain is for you to read it. This was my opinion of this particular book.~

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out more reviews at Little Miss Bookmark!

The Beautiful one follows a woman named Anna. Anna has never been fully immersed into English society since her father was a local doctor and she was able to have free reign of the countryside with her brother. But all of her hopes and dreams of someday teaching and wedding someone were dashed when a wretched man took it upon himself to draw scandalous pictures of her. Anna grabbed her ugliest dresses, a big hat and ran off to hide herself as a seamstress within a local girls school. Keeping her identity hidden didn't last long enough, soon she is found to be within the presence of someone who could blow her cover to kingdom come.

I'm always on the lookout for a new historical romance author and I think that I've found one that I will follow from now on. The Beautiful One is the first book in a new series from Emily Greenwood. I've not had the opportunity to read anything from her before this but I will be making sure that is corrected very shortly.

All in all, I really enjoyed this novel. I loved how you are just dropped into the middle of an ongoing story and it takes you a few chapters to figure out what in the world is going on. Starting a novel that way definitely kept me intrigued and wondering what would happen next. The way that Greenwood developed the characters was pretty perfect. I wouldn't have changed one thing. The brooding way about Will was endearing and you felt nothing but compassion for this poor man. I think that some of my favorite parts were when Will was stumbling all over himself trying to say and do the right thing and the way that Anna interacted with him was EXACTLY what I was wanting when I met these two characters.

There weren't any lags in the story or any need to skip long-winded sections. I actually found myself rereading certain passages because I just liked the way things were worded and while I couldn't get back that first-read magic, these sections still made me smile or laugh.

I'll be picking up another novel by this author and she's been put on my list of must-read authors. I'm excited to see how she will continue the story with other characters.

* I received this novel in exchange for an honest review *

[Kimia Safavi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved It!
The Beautiful One is the first book I read by Emily Greenwood and I loved it.
The story and characters were engaging and I couldn't put the book down. I am looking forward to read more books by this author.
Thank you Emily Greenwood

[Adria's Musings · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally posted on Adria's Musings and Reviews (Blog post MAY have additional content such as playlists, interviews, giveaways, etc).
* A copy of this book was and provided by the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. All conclusions are my own responsibility and I was not compensated for this review.

What’s it About? A scandalous book of nude sketches is basically setting the ton on its ears but the identity of the woman in those sketches is a mystery to everyone except two men who are desperately looking everywhere to find her. Anna Black is the woman in question and though she didn’t actually pose for those sketches, she has to leave her home so that she won’t be discovered. Then Will Halifax, the Viscount Grandville insists that Anna act as a chaperone of sorts for his teen ward Elizabeth. Spending so much time together forces Will and Anna to confront their individual demons and to learn to depend on another person for comfort.



Overall reaction to the story? The Beautiful One had so much potential that it didn’t quite live up to. I felt that the plot needed more depth, and the characters needed more development. Some of the personality traits of both characters were too convenient to the story and made it a touch unbelievable. I found the conflict of the nude sketches to be an interesting one but the explanation of how Anna was watched too unbelievable. To me reading this book felt like I was only touching the surface of a bigger and better story. If the author had spent more time developing everything then this would have been a winner of a story.

Describe the hero in five words: Grumpy. Grieving. Noble. Intelligent. Stubborn.
Did you like him? Yes.
Why? I love a grieving hero because it shows he’s capable of emotions and that’s what Will is. He’s grieving someone to the point where he just wants to shut everyone out but at the same time he won’t ignore his responsibilities which is how he ends up all but demanding that Anna act as a chaperone to Elizabeth. Will is the type of character that breaks your heart and makes you root for him as he finds love with the heroine. I do think with some more fleshing out Will would have made a dashing, tragic figure of a man who lost someone he loved.

Describe the heroine in five words: Smart. Unconventional. Caring. Determined. Brave.
Did you like her? For the most part yes.
Why? Anna was raised by a widower father and with mostly her brothers for company. She’s a bit of a tomboy which I loved about her. She’s quick to say what she really thinks and doesn’t let much stand in her way when she’s got a goal in mind. I will say that I found some aspects of her personality a bit too modern and unbelievable but I guess the author felt they were necessary to further the plot. Anna still lacked a bit to me though, almost like she was reaching for a point in character development and didn’t quite get there.

Let’s talk about the romance: Will and Anna made a good couple and they balanced each other out, Will was steady and serious while Anna was the one with the blunt way of speaking and a rebel at heart. I do think their love was too instant and needed more development in order to be believable and less fluffy but on the surface they were a good couple.

How about that supporting cast? Will’s ward Elizabeth wasn’t an easy character to like, in face I don’t think I did like her. She’s just too much and a little too modern for a historical romance. If I had to describe her in one word I’d use the word brat.

Click It or Skip It? I would skip this one there’s not enough depth and development in this really. The author had a good, solid idea but didn’t really bring it to life like she could have. Now if her follow up books are more developed and grounded in the time that they take place then she would easily be a force to be reckoned with. The possibility is there, it just needs a bit of polishing.

[Tin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclosure: I received this ARC through Netgalley. Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Emily Greenwood for the opportunity. Yes, this is an honest review.

* * *

Anna Black has had her image stolen from her, and the villain wants more. Her trust and privacy betrayed, Anna is now hiding under a different name and identity, hoping to shake off the men who are pursuing her. The Beautiful One is a painting of Anna, that she had neither willingly posed for or known about -- until it was presented to her by the Marquess of Henshaw, who plans to showcase the painting and reveal Anna's identity during his annual ball. But the painting is not complete, and Henshaw wants Anna back. Anna has hidden herself safely at Rosewood, a finishing school and she'd been content with her life -- until she was tasked to accompany a student back to her guardian.

Anna had hoped to deliver the student and then quickly return to Rosewood, but the situation proves to be more complicated: the Viscount Grandville is still grieving over the death of his wife, and wants to be left alone. Lizzie is his late wife's niece, and the daughter of Will's best friend. He had thought he could keep the girl at arms length by sending her away to school and paying for her bills, but Lizzy has a different plan for herself. Unhappy with Rosewood, she planned a rendezvous with a gentleman, knowing that she would be caught and then expelled. She had hoped her uncle would allow her to stay with him -- but his response wasn't what she had expected.

Anna has to serve as mediator between uncle and niece, and finds herself getting slowly and more deeply involved with both her ward, and her ward's guardian. With the unveiling of The Beautiful One drawing ever closer, Anna realises just how much she stands to lose if she doesn't act quickly.

My favourite aspect of this book is that Emily Greenwood decided to take a different approach to her heroine's problem -- indirectly. Like the Sword of Damocles, the threat of Anna's identity revealed (and ruined) loomed menacingly over her, Instead of focusing on the pursuit/chase and the thwarting of the villain, the author decided to show that Anna had other problems (and the other aspects of her life) to consider as well -- making the threat a shadow that followed Anna. I think it added to the suspensefulness of the story: When would Will discover Anna's true identity? When would The Beautiful One be unveiled? What will happen next?

In the meantime, life went on. Emily Greenwood weaves a complex domestic drama:

Lizzie is Will's niece by marriage. It's difficult for Will to have Lizzie in his house, a constant reminder of his beloved wife. Will can't help his attraction and fascination for Anna, and vice versa. Anna tries to maintain a respectful distance between her and Will, because of her secret and out of respect for Will's late wife, who is portrayed as a paragon. Then Will's stepmother, Judith, and Will's brother, Tommy, enter the picture.

I thought the author was planning to pursue a secondary love story between Tommy and Lizzie, because their initial meeting had sparks -- but it doesn't seem to be the case. Which leads me to one of the few problems in the story:





***** SPOILER ALERT *****
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Lizzie overhears a conversation between Will and his brother, and it devastates her. This scene scream for a confrontation between Lizzie and Tommy, but it never happens. There is a resolution to this particular issue, but it seemed vague -- I'm not sure if there was an apology, but I'm certain there was no forgiveness. I don't know if this is something the author plans to develop in future stories, but this felt a bit lacking in this particular story.

Lizzie confused me, actually. And I think I'm meant to be confused. She is 17, and an orphan. Her closest living relative is a man who doesn't want her, so I understand her outrageous behaviour, but there doesn't seem to be anything consistent about her. (Except her desire to go back to Malta.) Does she have hidden depths, and only pretending to be vapid and shallow? What is it that she truly wishes to happen? I ask these questions because I wondered about her behaviour in some chapters of the book. (When she dressed and acted seductively. When, in anger, she broke that part of one of Will's statues. Etc. We know there's brokenness within her, but I'm trying to figure out what is her motivation.)

With the generous allowance she began receiving from her uncle, she'd buried her grief under mounds of pretty clothes, the kinds of things a poor churchman's daughter would never have owned. And she'd set herself learning every bit of the reviled deportment. The girls at Rosewood didn't laugh at her anymore, but by then she hadn't wanted their shallow friendship. Gentlemen were better.
- loc 403

***** END OF SPOILER *****

I was also a bit concerned about how the love story between Will and Anna was developing. I loved, loved, loved their initial meeting and was expecting the sort of sparky chemistry you see when grumpy meets sassy. I started wondering about Will during their second encounter -- Will isn't really a hero I could sympathise with. I was very surprised when he propositioned Anna (and believed she could be "bought" if the price was right.) I could not shake the feeling that he never saw Anna as anything more than ...

"Not for my ward," he said, wanting to stop himself from saying one more wicked word even as he gave in to the despair that told him nothing mattered anymore. "For me."

A pause as realisation dawned and color flooded her face. "I cannot believe you would propose such a thing."

Her breathing had quickened, and a distant part of his mind was shouting that he was a devil and he'd shocked her horribly. But he was unmoored from that man now. He reached up and put his palm against her cheek. Dear God, the soft warmth of a woman's skin, the give of her smooth flesh.

He read mutiny in her eyes as she pushed his hand away. "How dare you!"

"I'm willing to make it worth your while. You have the look of someone who would put a hundred pounds to good use."

His answer was a forceful slap that left his cheek burning, as alive to sensation now as the hand that had touched her.
- loc 288

On the other hand, I really appreciated how he saw through Anna's drabness and found Anna's beauty. I have to say that one aspect of Will that I really appreciated was his sense of responsibility to his family. He maintained a good relationship with his brother and their cousins, which is a contrast to Anna's own relationship with her father.

It's interesting to see how Anna never saw herself as beautiful -- her father was more interested in Anna's brain than her physical appearance, and Anna never had to worry or fuss about herself. I loved how she slowly came to the realisation of her full value -- not just her mind (her father). Not just her face and body (the Marquess of Henshaw). But her full being. Will is partly responsible for this, but I think Will's stepmother, Judith, and Lizzy also contributed to her awakening.

Her gown really did look like boiled dust. And for the first time, she cared.
- loc 1841

I'm trying to think of how to conclude this review. Did I like the book? Yes. While it wasn't without flaws, I could see the author's intentions and the story was resolved well. Anna, especially, was an interesting heroine and, perhaps, the greatest asset of this story. Of all the characters, hers was the most fully formed and most understandable.

The Beautiful One is book 1 of Emily Greenwood's new The Scandalous Sisters series, and releases on July 2, 2015.

[ChristineZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot going on in this book:
1. Daughter of distant father, not in touch with feminine side
2. The drawings
3. Grieving nobleman…majorly grieving
4. Potential evil stepmother
5. Headstrong ward

That might be it. The description of the book makes it seem it’s all about the drawings but they are a very small part of the book.

Oh yeah…..
6. Heroine is a governess to ward

That’s it! Some nice characters and fairly good writing, but too much going on for me. And why the heck does the heroine, who hates to sew, redo her ugly dresses only to have the guy throw them out and give her new ones the next day?! It was was really jarring.

Would I try this author again? Based on the backs of books, no, because they are not tropes I like.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one of the Scandalous sisters series. It starts off with Anna Black having to leave her home because some peeping tom has been spying on her while she was bathing and drawing pictures of her to sale. She changes her name and flees the area only to end up broke in a all girl's school. She is tasked with seeing one of the pupils home so off she goes to meet Viscount Halifax. Where neither she nor the girl is received well. She throws a fit and the book begins. LOL... I like it! Great little piece of historical fun.

[Elizabeth Fontaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

While The Beautiful One has an excellent plot I could not enjoy the book due to a number of issues including anachronistic dialog sounding like 1990’s self-help columns, an implausible employer-employee relationship and anachronistic vocabulary such as “bet” vs “wager. Ms. Greenwood would have benefited from a good editor.

[Zaida Barranco · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not enough romance

I wanted more scenes between Will and Anna, more dialogue and romantic situations. The plot development was too fast for me

[Lacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read, good romance, interesting characters.

[Morgan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I will never read this book. It hardly kept my attention. If I didn't pay for this book, I would have stopped reading

[Brennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. Liked the characters. The ending was a bit cheesy.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 PBS copy

[Susan W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well done

[Eileen Dandashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read and reviewed three of Emily Greenwood’s works from The Mischief Series. I’ve enjoyed every one of them. This begins a new series which appears to be just as fun. Ms. Greenwood weaves lovely Regencies with very enticing, unusual plots, a bit out of the ordinary. She further entertains with sizzling love between hero and heroine enough, mind you, to curl your toes.

Anna Black, a rather free spirit brought about by her mother’s early death, had also recently lost her father, a medical doctor. He had passion for the study of birds, using Anna’s talent to illustrate their appearance. She loved to draw and her wish was someday to have a school to teach drawing.

Anna was allowed to roam freely with her brother since her father was so absorbed in his own work. Left to her own devices she followed her brother around doing things a girl wouldn’t normally do nor did she have the guiding hand of a woman to teach her proper deportment. Anna long fended for herself. She possessed an inner strength, sensitivity, kind heart, direct and frank speech with a tongue which spoke her thoughts readily.

Her father had an apprentice, a Mr. Rawlins, who saw the inner beauty and grace the willowy Anna possessed, even though she dressed very shabbily. He captured her beauty in several nude drawings, secretly spying on her through a peep-hole into her bedroom. After Anna’s father passed, Mr. Rawlins no longer was employed. He sold them to Marquess of Henshaw. The marquees knew if he had an additional painting of her posed nude with him, he would be famous. He was a man craving attention by the ton. Once Anna was approached by Marquess of Henshaw with the drawings, she fled and ‘hid’ in the lower levels of a school of young ladies, doing menial sewing, dressing in baggy clothes so no one would find her. Her plan was to make enough money for a journey to live with her aunt. She saw her ruin in those drawings. Who would believe she hadn’t posed for the nudes?

Fate had a kinder destiny for her. Elizabeth Tarrington, a rather precocious and devious child acted improperly one too many times and was sent home to her guardian, Viscount, Will Halifax, Lord Grandville. They asked Anna to chaperone her to his estate and return to the school.

But Lord Grandville was not the kind man Elizabeth remembered years before. Widowed a year, his heart was torn, his spirit in tatters and he was one miserable creature whose temper simmered, ready to explode if provoked. He had dismissed society, no social niceties and remained at Stillwell doing manual work.

When his young ward, Elizabeth, came to Stillwell, he was much the monster he’d become. Anna, with her spirit of right and frank speech, championed Elizabeth and told him he wasn’t fair with the girl. This was a great scene with spitting words from Lord Grandville ending in propositioning her, just out of the blue. Yes, indeed, a great start to a loving relationship, don’t you think?

Chaos further ensues when Lord Grandville’s stepmother comes for a visit as well as his younger brother Tommy. The house is full of guests where previously there were none. Lord Granville detests his stepmother. His world is unraveling and reader, it couldn’t happen to a more deserving man!

Now, dare he face his demons? Can Anna escape her ruination? Will Elizabeth find peace at Stillwell? Can Judith, Will’s stepmother soften Lord Grandville’s heart?

[Book Gannet · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was an enjoyable Regency read that’s a little light on historical accuracy but richer in decent characters. Anna is a strong woman who hasn’t had much luck with the men in her life. Her brother died at sea, her father ignored her, her father’s apprentice spied on her, a creepy marquess is stalking and threatening her, and then along comes Will who is rude and grumpy and actually kind of lovely.

Despite the constant use of Americanisms littered throughout and the fact that the deceased viscountess was called Ginger – I kept hoping that this was a nickname, but if so it’s never mentioned. Never mind that it’s a highly unlikely name for a well-born lady, but Ginger will always be the one that made me cry in Black Beauty, so in my head he used to be married to a horse. Which wasn’t distracting at all, no no – and the unlikeliness of a random woman being employed as seamstress at a school when she has neither references nor any particular sewing talent, there’s something so easy and charming about this book that I didn’t mind too much.

Anna is a likeable heroine, on the run for valid reasons, kind to people who don’t always deserve it, loyal to those she cares for and utterly undaunted by grumpy viscounts. The isolated setting of Will’s estate definitely helped with keeping the historical inaccuracies at bay, leaving me free to enjoy the story. I also appreciated a range of complicated female characters, although a little more detail on Lizzie’s abrupt personality transplant would have been nice. I know it has a lot to do with what she overheard Tommy say, but no one even asks her about it.

Which leads onto the main problem I had with this book – the villains. What was done to Anna is a horrible invasion of privacy. The idea of the book being shown around was nauseating and I could see why the creepy marquess went after her – he’s that sort of man. However, it takes them ages to track her down despite the apparent ease with which they’re doing so – how were they travelling, on foot? It removed all the tension from that side of things from me and left me annoyed whenever that side of the plot raised its head.

The rest of the book, however, I thoroughly enjoyed. I liked Will underneath all his gruff and bluster and felt a bit sorry that everyone was always bothering him. I would have expected it to have been longer than a year since he’d lost his wife, since they all seem so determined he must get on with his life. Despite the instant attraction on both sides, the romance has a nice steady pace to it, heating gradually up to some surprisingly romantic moments. Yes, I could have done with less waffling from Anna about how he doesn’t love her and never could because of his sainted wife, but on the whole it’s well handled and enjoyable.

If you’re looking for something light and easy to read, and you prefer a flavour of history rather than accuracy, then you should hopefully like this. The characters are interesting, the setting is lovely and the romance is enjoyable. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)

[Kiltsandswords · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Beautiful One by Emily Greenwood
Overview by Amazon:
A PICTURE SAYS A THOUSAND WORDS...
The ton is buzzing about The Beautiful One, a striking figure in a scandalous book of nude sketches. Only two men know the true identity of The Beautiful One, and they are scouring the countryside, determined to find her.
BUT NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES
The unlikely center of the scandal, Anna Black is forced to flee home as disaster looms. Her tomboy's heart and impertinent tongue serve her well when she meets the most brooding viscount ever to darken a drawing room. Will Halifax, Viscount Grandville, has his reasons for pushing people away, and when his tempestuous teenaged ward arrives on his doorstep, he presses Anna to take on her care. As Anna begins to melt the Viscount's frozen heart, she knows the more she loves, the more she has to lose. For although Will cares nothing for what makes Society titter, he has yet to see The Beautiful One.
One of my favourite tropes is the runaway who is hiding a secret. Anna is certainly hiding a whopper in this story. The story of the scandalous sketches is the motive for Anna to be searching for a hiding place in England from the contemptible men who hunt her, but it is only a part of this story.
This book revolves around the love connection between Anna and Will. Through circumstances, Anna finds herself at Stillwell, a beautiful country estate. The Viscount is difficult. That’s almost an understatement as when they first meet he is downright rude and insulting. Slowly Will begins to transform from a grief stricken shell of a man to a man who has come alive again.
What I liked about this book was the dance between Anna and Will. She is not afraid to challenge him and does so repeatedly. Is there a better way to catch the attention of a reluctant man? Not that Anna is trying to catch his attention for herself. She wants him to take responsibility for his ward and be the man she knows is buried under the grief.
I always enjoy books where the lead characters frustrate, excite and challenge each other. This book definitely has my favourite elements. Anna and Will are really well developed characters. I liked that they worked through their issues and didn’t just forget the past. They helped each other deal with the problems before them, so that when they final got together, it felt natural. The author writes love scenes really well. They are titillating and creative. The author makes you see the characters through a beautiful lens.
The secondary characters in this story are great! The ward and the stepmother not only create drama that forces the lead characters into action, but they show their humanity. The author is really skilled at using these characters as a method of provoking the characters. Plus, they added moments of great humour.
This story was a lovely story to read. One thing I really liked about it was that Anna was such a strong character. In the end, when she receives help from Will, it didn’t feel like he was a hero and taking over her life, but rather that she finally had someone she could count on. The author has created a wonderful plot that is entertaining and emotional.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cast of Characters:

Anna Black – Governess, seamstress, and artist. She is running from impending scandal, having been made the unknowing model for a book of drawings of a lovely nude woman. The book is called The Beautiful One.

Elizabeth Tarryton (Lizzie) – Orphaned niece and ward of Viscount Grandville. She was kicked out of Rosewood School and sent to Grandville with Miss Black as her companion.

Will Halifax, Viscount Grandville – Widower, loner, unwelcoming toward Anna and Lizzie. Wants nothing to do with his ward or her lovely companion.

The stage is set. The Viscount's home has been invaded by two women that refuse to leave. Will is bound and determined that Lizzie does not belong in his house, but as long as she is there, Anna must stay as her governess. For Anna and Lizzie, one month is the predetermined maximum length of their stay. By the end of the month, Lizzie will have a new school and Anna will be on her way to her Aunt's house. The Viscount will have the mansion to himself again.

Before she leaves, Anna plans to make sure the Viscount realizes his familiar responsibility is more than just duty. After all, Lizzie is the daughter of his dear friend. And Lizzie will use all her youthful powers of persuasion to endear herself to her uncle. Both Anna and Lizzie resolve to thwart Will's plans.

There is some instant physical attraction between Will and Anna. Attraction that is intensified when Will experiences Anna's impertinent manner and her disinclination to back down from a Viscount. Anna's affection toward Will grows as she learns more about him. What she learns reveals a heart that the dour Viscount would endeavor to keep buried.

In the meantime, the threat of The Beautiful One – the possibility of being exposed – looms over Anna's head. The threat to Anna and anyone that is associated with her is one that must be avoided at all costs.

There is chemistry between Anna and Will. That much is certain. It is revealed in the dialog – which I enjoyed, as much as in their more amorous scenes – which I also enjoyed! It will take a lot of pages to work through all the issues though - class, loss, and secrets.

While Anna and Will are sparking, Lizzie is coming into her own. She stumbles several times, which endears her to those around her even more. There is a funny scene with garden statuary that I adored. I really liked the relationship between Anna and Lizzie. Both orphans, both intelligent, both with unladylike upbringings. And both running from something. Or is it running to something? It was nice to see this friendship develop between the two of them. I would have liked to see a similar development of the relationship between Lizzie and Will, but it was a bit choppy.

The verdict. I'm not raving about it, but I did like it. For historical romance readers, The Beautiful One has a nice balance of troubles, humor, and, of course, romance.

Netgalley ARC provided by Publisher

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out the full review on Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous.

Note: This ARC was provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review.

The Beautiful One is the first novel in The Scandalous Sisters series by Emily Greenwood and, heading into the ebook edition of this publication, I must admit that I was rather taken aback by the three hundred seventy-six pages that I saw staring back at me when I looked at my tablet. I was half-prepared for their to be parts that would be dragging and absolutely unnecessary, thinking those explained the length of the book. Surprising though, I was able to finish this book in one sitting and never felt bored or at all. As a matter of fact, I hadn't realized just how far I had gotten when I did take a peek at the page number at one point of my reading experience. It didn't disappoint and left me looking forward to the next book, which I hope will be about Lizzy Tarryton and Tommy Halifax, Will's ward and brother, respectively.

This was a good regency romance with an interesting story of a young woman trying to escape looming humiliation at the hands of two men bent on exposing her identity as The Beautiful One and whose images in various states of undress were unknowingly put on paper. Even with everything that was weighing on her, Anna Bristol/Anna Black was a character that showcased inner strength and fortitude and a genuine need to protect and stand up for those she felt were being mistreated. The character of Will Halifax, also known by his title of Viscount Granville, is one that I couldn't help but feel empathy for, especially after having lost his wife in a riding accident. I liked how Anna and Will's relationship evolved over an extended period of time. Theirs was a slow burn type of romance and, fortunately, it was worth the wait.

Regency and historical romances were among my top favorites growing up, though I have noticed that I haven't read as many of them recently. Books like The Beautiful One make me miss those old pocketbooks that I have lining some of my bookshelves and make me want to read even more of the sub-genres now. I enjoyed this book and loved its tale of the power of love and that accepting someone for their past and present will enable you to have a more promising future as a couple. This is my first Emily Greenwood novel but it certainly won't be the last. Aside from book two in the series, I'll be checking out her list of past work and will be adding on to my to-be-read (TBR) list and will hopefully have as good a reading experience as I did this time around. I'm going to be giving The Beautiful One four stars. ♥

[Rose Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna Bristol, now using the name of Anna Black, is running to try to stay one step ahead of the scandal that is following her. Her recently deceased father, who was a doctor, had a young protege, who spied on Anna in her room and bath. He prepared a book of several scandalous drawings of her without her knowledge or consent. He then sold the drawings to a sleazy nobleman, who becomes determined to have Anna pose nude for him This man now threatens to reveal Anna's name, as he has shown the drawings, and they have caused quite a stir. Anna runs away from her home, looking for anonymous employment. She finds it at a school for girls, where she is hired to be a seamstress.

At this same school, sixteen year old Lizzie sneaks out at night to meet a man and steal a kiss. She is caught, and expelled from the school. She is to be sent home, and because there is no one else available to chaperone her on the trip, Anna is selected. Lizzie is an orphan, and is being sent to her guardian, Will Halifax, Viscount Grandville. Will has also recently suffered tragedy. His beloved wife was killed a year ago, and he has never recovered. He goes through the motions of running his estate, and exhausts himself doing manual labor. He desires no company, he only wants to be left alone to wallow in his grief. When his ward shows up unannounced with her companion, he is less than pleased. Will first attempts to immediately send Anna and Lizzie to an inn until he can make arrangements to find another school. Anna manages to convince him to let them stay for a month.

Anna's boldness and her willingness to stand up to him intrigue Will. For the first time in a year, he feels desire, and that causes him to feel guilty. Each day Anna chips away at the walls around Will, and he, in turn enchants her with glimpses of the charming man he used to be before his loss. Passion soon flares between them, and Will proposes marriage. While Anna realizes she's in love, she also realizes that Will is not. There is also the difference in their stations, and the scandal that could ruin her.

I enjoyed this read very much. It has a unique story line, and the characters were wonderful. It was lovely to watch Will come to terms with his grief, and decide to live again. He is a loyal, honorable, and sexy man. Anna had strength, but she wasn't hardened. She was also generous, and determined to do the right thing, even at the expense of her own happiness. They were perfect for each other. The romance was emotional and encompassing, and the story well written. I look forward to future books by Emily Greenwood, and give The Beautiful One my solid recommendation.

Review appeared at Roses Are Blue http://wp.me/p3QRh4-bG

[Pansy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I chose this book because of the “Scandalous Sisters” tag. A historical romance that alludes to scandal just needs to be read. They are so much fun! Since I did not see any sisters, well unless the author means the sisters of various male characters in the book, it bodes well that the rest of the series will do well as stand-alone reads.

The historical romance part of this book was something that I believe every fan of the genre looks for. The grandeur. The elaborate ball gowns. The autocratic aristocrats. The not so autocratic aristocrats, that still seem to be just as arrogant. The impoverished gentle woman being taken advantage of by unscrupulous aristocrats. Meddling family – whether by blood, marriage, or chosen. And of course, the scandal! It was all here and put together in a very entertaining story.

I loved Anna. She was strong and intelligent during an era where those qualities were not necessarily considered desirable by a good portion of elite society. She was raised by a widowed father who was more involved with his work and hobbies than in seeing that his kids were “properly” seen too. Consequently, Anna enjoyed the more “mannish” endeavors that she learned with her brother. Didn’t make her very popular with local society, but she didn’t really care or see the point of becoming vapid and “girly” just to please others. I rather liked that about her, even if it did ultimately cause her some major problems.

Will Halifax, Viscount Grandville, had kind of dropped out of life after his wife died. I understood this concept and thought it worked for this story. I found it inspiring how being forced to actually embrace some unwanted responsibilities ultimately brought him back to life. Of course Anna kind of had to hit him over the head about it all, and his unexpected and unwanted desires for Anna did kind of help that along. I liked how the author still had him thinking about everything and ultimately coming to things on his own rather than Anna being the instant cure.

The secondary characters were well thought out and added nicely to the story. The story itself moved along well and kept me engaged. I especially liked how the title of the book was worked into the story. It was a bit of a surprise and gave the story some added dimension and excitement.

Any lover of the historical romance, ala Barbara Cartland and/or Georgette Heyer will enjoy this book. It has the romance with a bit of suspense. A very enjoyable read.

I was provided a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Gaele · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first of a new series, Anna Black is shocked to discover that a book of nudes is being circulated through society, and if the woman in the sketches, The Beautiful One, is discovered, she will be ruined. Taking the obvious and easy way out, she agrees to escort a young woman, Lizzie, to her guardian’s home.

Anna is a bit of a conundrum: raised unconventionally, she is socially awkward at times, and wholly plain spoken, ignoring many of society’s conventions. Unlike other heroines I’ve read, Anna’s discomfiture is sporadic and feels convenient, not an integrated part of her personality. Lizzie, on the other hand, felt flat and more contrived: her attitude and antics are far too modern for a young girl of the era, and that kept her a bit hard to know or engage with. Although the third person POV allows for Anna, Lizzie and Will to have input, Lizzie’s was the least engaging for me, and her sudden change of character did not feel plausible or possible.

For his part, Will was an engaging character: first for his determination to be left alone and undisturbed – think of the Beast in Beauty and the Beast. Underneath the bluster is someone that is wanting to be loved and cared for, but he’s afraid of being hurt yet again. Still grieving, it takes the appearance of Anna and Lizzie to bring out the humor and tinge of wickedness he hides so well.

Anna and Will’s chemistry is solid and instant, perhaps a bit too instant for the time. But, their romance is most certainly the best part of the story. The secondary plot involving the search for the model that is The Beautiful One, and the secret that Anna holds too closely isn’t the focus of the story, and feels that way. The story is suffering from a touch of distraction in the plotting arc, with the romance being far stronger than the mystery, and that effects the emotional impact and accessibility of the story for me. With a somewhat awkward mix of historic and modern elements and language, the story ended up missing some ‘oomph’ for me, that would take it from entertaining fluff to solidly good.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Amy Alvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 1 in the Scandalous Sisters series.

Finding out the someone has made nude drawings of her, Anna Black must find some way to hide from society. She takes a job as a seamstress at a girl's school, but soon finds herself acting as the companion to the ward of Viscount Grandville.

Will Halifax, Viscount Grandville, doesn't want his ward (Lizzy) and her companion in his home. Lizzy reminds him too much of his dead wife. Having closed himself off on his estate, he doesn't like his solitude taken away from him. Realizing that he has no where to send Lizzy, he convinces Anna to stay until he can find another companion or school to send her to.

Anna soon realizes that Will and Lizzy need each other. They are both in pain from losing loved ones. What happens when Anna realizes she needs Will too?

I enjoyed this story. The tension of Anna being found by the owner of the sketches added another dimension to it. You're never quite sure when it will happen, but you know that it will cause some drama.

Will has closed himself off after losing his wife. He had been in love with her and didn't want to go through the pain of losing another loved one, so he closed himself off from everyone else. We see Anna trying to break through that hard exterior to get Will to connect with Lizzy and in turn she falls for him herself.

I look forwarding to reading book two in the series, which comes out in March 2016.

Thanks go out to Sourcebooks via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

[Sissy's Romance Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in " The Scandalous Sisters" series. I will be honest and say that I was kind of hesitant to read this book due to the story line. But I have read all of Emily Greenwood's book and found that I like them a lot. So with her name on the book I wanted to read it. I was happily surprised that I really enjoyed this book. I would almost say it is her best book so far. I found that I like the secondary characters and hope that their is a story there to come. Our heroine is Anna Black, who is using a false name and trying to out run two gentlemen that are trying to make her pose for a painting based on the drawings were done of her. The drawings were done without her knowledge and she feels hurt and violated by them. She basically has been on her own as her mother died at a early age and her father was a Dr. that kept busy with his patients. Anna is asked to escort a young lady to her Guardian. Which leads her to meet our hero, Will Halifax, Viscount Grandville. Will has lost his wife and has settled into life of a hermit. At first he tries to get Anna and Lizzie (his ward) to leave. But slowly things come together and Will starts to get over his hard and hurtful ways. Of course Anna feels there is no hope for her since she is on the run from her past, which starts the story of her overcoming the past and Will becoming more accepting to having a future. I really enjoyed this book and hope that you do too!!

[Zili · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 Stars in my Sky!

If you're looking for a fun historical story then you'll most likely enjoy Emily Greenwood's The Beautiful One. The story focuses on Anna Black and Will Halifax (Viscount Grandville). They are two people who are trying to hide. Anna is fleeing from potential scandal and Will is hiding from society, whilst not dealing with his grief after a tragic loss.

Anna is the unwilling subject of a series of naughty drawings, facing potential ruin if her name is revealed. She finds herself working as the guardian for Will's young ward, Elizabeth. She sets herself the task of getting them to bond with each other.

I really liked Anna who had a fairly modern attitude for a young woman of her time and circumstance. I found Will's brooding manner quite entertaining and he never failed to make me smile. I liked them together and wanted Anna to figure out where her HEA was.

There were a couple of incidents that seemed a little convenient at times, but in terms of historical fiction I would happily let them slide. It would have been nice to have seen a little longer ending because I really wanted to know what happened next.

The secondary characters including Lizzie, Will's brother and stepmother were fun additions to the book. I'm hoping Lizzie gets her own book.

I received a copy from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review!