A Common Scandal

The Grantham Girls #2

by Amanda Weaver

Finishing school taught Amelia Wheeler how to put on a well-mannered performance—when she’s not bored and looking for trouble. Lady Grantham’s is behind her and now it's time for Amelia to keep her promise to her dying mother: marry a title and leave her wild days behind.

That promise would be much easier to keep if Nate Smythe hadn’t just reappeared in a London ballroom. The son of an impoverished sailor, Nate—Natty, as he used to be called—has grown up to become handsome, rich and polished. He claims to be looking for a proper bride who can advance his business interests, but that doesn’t stop him from seeking out Amelia every chance he gets. Challenging her. Kissing her.

Suddenly, struggling against her simmering passion is the least of Amelia's problems—one of her titled suitors is hiding a desperate secret that could stop Amelia from pleasing her parents or finding happiness with Nate. As a weeklong house party threatens to derail her hard-won future, Amelia must decide: fight against disaster or act like the lady she's promised to become?


Book two of The Grantham Girls

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

255 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 30, 2016

About the author

Amanda has loved romance since she read that very first Kathleen E. Woodiwiss novel at fifteen. After a long detour into a career as a costume designer in theatre, she’s found her way back to romance, this time as a writer.

A native Floridian, Amanda transplanted to New York City many years ago and now considers Brooklyn home, along with her husband, daughter, two cats, and nowhere near enough space.

Reviews

[Norah Una Sumner · Rating 5 out of 5]

"As a weeklong house party threatens to derail her hard-won future, Amelia must decide: fight against disaster or act like the lady she’s promised to become?”

Sooo…I thought I wouldn’t love “A Common Scandal” as much as I loved A Duchess in Name. Amanda proved me wrong because I loved “A Common Scandal” even more. The story is absolutely interesting, funny and full of unexpected twists! The characters are wonderful and provoking – especially Amelia and Nate, of course. The chemistry between them is undeniable and I loved their banters. The supporting characters are quite interesting as well and you never know what to expect from them. I’ve read this book in one sitting and loved every moment of it. And that ending…woah, I did not expect that! Also, GIRL POWER!



I am really looking forward to the next book in the series. CAN’T WAIT!

*E-copy provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.*

You can read this review on BookishFever.

[Preeti ♥︎ Her Bookshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

This hs based series is really good and I could get (into) their world better than the usual wallflower /spinster/ bluestocking/ duchess/ modiste ones we get. All the three girls (plus their mentor/teacher, Lady Grantham) are unique in their own way, either from wealthy, non-noble families or from an impoverished bg, and friends from school (take that, boys!). Okay, so it is a finishing school and they are churned out to marry a title and no, love is out of the question.

Where the first book is about an abandoned merc bride, this one has a kickass h who tries to conform and root out her Portsmouth roots and tomboyish tendencies. She fails for most parts.
The H is her childhood friend/love from the same world - a sailor's son who sails away at 15 to earn a living. And now they meet again, after 11-12 years - in a ballroom.
Both are trying to marry into the upper ten thousand. The (re-)connection is instant but they try to stick to their charted routes - and of course, fail eventually. The chemistry is sweet and scorching.

After a super sweet prologue, the book maintains a good pace for the first half but then flounders with the repetitive feel and nothing new happening. The book also misses out by not doling out a little more angst. A house party can only provide so much entertainment. The ow is intersting, the villains boring - the h easily manages (all of) them on her own. No knights needed, thank you!
Overall 3.65*

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

I received an eARC, from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
This is book two in "The Grantham Girls" series by Amanda Weaver. I have read the first book 'A Duchess in Name' but I still felt this was a standalone book...although I loved the first one so I would recommend that book also!
Amelia Wheeler and Nate Smythe used to be good friends when they were little. Amelia father made is fortune and raised them up in society some but they remained friends. Then Nate at the age of 15 took of to find his fortune and said he would be back. But years later Amelia has started her third season and her father is going to see her settled this year along with her sick mother wanting her to get a title, Amelia knows she must make this her last season. Then at a ball she meets Nate again and we find that Nate has made his fortune but now is wanting to get married to the daughter of a titled ship owner. Nate tries to fight his feelings for Amelia and so she tries to as well but do they have success? Not if true love is there!

[Lisazj1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book! I have a complete girl-crush on Amelia Wheeler. Gah! I've thoroughly enjoyed every book I've read by Amanda Weaver but she really wrote a gem with this one.

Amelia Wheeler is the daughter of a highly successful, very wealthy merchant and a well bred English lady. Only, Amelia's mother was disowned by her family for marrying so far beneath her. Now in poor health, it's her mother's only wish to see Amelia make a titled match, thinking that this will force her estranged family to acknowledge Amelia, and make sure she would never be without family should anything happen to her mother & father.

For her part, there isn't anything that Amelia wants less than a titled match. She was allowed to run about as a little wild hellion, combing the docks in the port town she grew up in with her best friend Natty Smythe. Amelia is bold, intelligent, accomplished and fearless. None of which are attributes appreciated in a young lady by the English gentry. Her parents have spent large sums having her manner polished for society at Lady Grantham's finishing school, but....Amelia doesn't want to be a member of the boring, largely empty-headed gentry. She wants to travel and see things and have adventures, as she and Natty always planned before he suddenly moved away. But she has agreed to behave *coughcough* and make an effort to land a good match for her mother's sake.

Until one night, Nate Smythe shows up at a ball. Nate, who used to be her best friend Natty, until he disappeared from her life years ago. It doesn't take very long at all to figure out that Nate is here for the same reason she is, to marry a title and find his way into society to further his shipping business.

Of course, she and Nate are now at odds, instead of picking back up their close friendship as they both would like to. Though they understand where the other is coming from, neither can stand to see what the other is doing, having to marry someone they don't love to make a position of status. The harder they try to stay away from each other and do what each sees as their duty, the more awful the task becomes. Until it becomes impossible.

I can't tell you how much I loved this. Amelia was not only unwilling to be run over by the bitchy little society twits, she tried (most of the time) to do it with grace and not bring shame to her family. But when somebody put her back against a wall or threatened someone unfairly, she did whatever she had to. She was a young woman who knew what she wanted, and though she was willing to do her duty, I loved that she came to a point where she wasn't going to martyr herself and live her life miserable to do that duty.

I loved Nate as well. He was a good match for Amelia, and loved everything that made her so unconventional, all the very things that everyone else wanted to change. I loved how easy they were with each other, no matter what happened. Amanda Weaver made their friendship believable and true, even when passion became a part of that relationship. I really liked that, once they decided to be together, Nate was willing to put in time to win her parents over. Because Amelia was worth his time and effort.

As always, Ms.Weaver's writing is excellent, her plot moves along effortlessly, her characters are clear and rich and her story has great historical atmosphere. This book is a genuine favorite for me, and I look forward to re-reading at some point. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

[Dilushani Jayalath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindly received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Can I just mention the cover does not compare with the Amelia described in the book? The cover model is quite beautiful but I really wished the publication companies tried a bit more hard and at least make them quite close to the characters in the book.

Sorry to start the review with something inconsequential. Let me get to the review now. The story as well as many regency romance ( not sure if it’s regency exactly considering it’s the end of the 1800’s in the book so better to call it historical) took the turn of marriage market with the usual rake thrown in. But unlike the other historical romances this book brings the slight twist of childhood friends not exactly from the prestigious lines. Here we have both our H and h looking for agreeable companions for life within the high strata while they themselves albeit rich do not have that bloodline within themselves. In a way we can say this novel had a touch of modernism in it. With the introduction of the middle working class who have gone up the ladder by their own hard work rather than just the name. In the end we saw it’s not the name that matters but true love. One would say it was a typical HR (normally I would agree) but for some reason this book did make a small impression on me too. The writing compared to other HR was slightly different, what the difference is I cannot actually pinpoint but nonetheless this book did prove slightly different for me although the plot itself didn’t impress me completely.

[Jultri · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5. Not as good as the first one. I just cannot warm to the heroine, who is too scheming and at times a bit too nasty towards her fellow human beings. Granted they might not be as intelligent and interesting as she is, but there is no need to be so condescending and mean in her thoughts towards them. I don't like the fact that she deliberately gives herself to the hero, knowing that she will accept another man's proposal the next day. That is just not honourable action towards a perfectly decent gentleman, who holds her in high esteem.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've given this a B at AAR, in spite of some reservations about the plotline.

Having heard good things about Amanda Weaver’s début novel, A Duchess in Name(which I haven’t yet read), I was keen to read and review this second novel in her Grantham Girls series. In it, each of the heroines are young ladies who don’t quite fit the norm as far as English society is concerned, so they are taken under the wing of Lady Grantham, one of society’s most formidable ladies, and taught to navigate the minefield of social convention. I’m sure I’m not the only one for whom that name conjures the image of the great Maggie Smith!

I was very quickly impressed by the quality of Ms. Weaver’s prose, which is lively and intelligent, and by her ability to swiftly establish the personalities of her two leads in such a way as to start the reader rooting for them immediately. The romantic chemistry fairly smoulders between the couple and she clearly and skillfully shows that these two people are soul-mates through their interactions with together and with others. With so much going for it, then, it’s reasonable to ask why I haven’t rated the book more highly, and the answer is simple. The plot is horribly contrived and the characters’ motivations make very little sense.

The heroine of the previous book was an American heiress; the heroine of this is an English one, Miss Amelia Wheeler, whose father made his fortune in manufacturing. As any regular reader of historicals will know, breeding always trumps money, so while the Wheeler’s fortune means they are tolerated within the upper echelons of society, their lowly origins mean that they will never be fully accepted. And, naturally, the brunt of that disapproval falls upon Amelia, whose spirited nature and unwillingness to meekly swallow the insults she is regularly dealt have only added to her reputation for being something of a hoyden. For herself, Amelia couldn’t care less about the behind-hands-sniggering, but she knows that her invalid mother’s dearest wish is for her to make a good marriage to a titled gentleman, so she has put up with the snide comments and censure for three seasons, knowing all the while that the only title she is going to attract is an impoverished one, and that the man bearing it will be interested only in her money.

Amelia grew up near the Portsmouth docks, and had been used to running wild with the other local children, even though, aged ten, her father had already begun to rise above his humble origins and to make his fortune. Her mother, the daughter of a viscount, fell in love with and ran off with a man far below her in station, and even though she has never regretted her decision, she now wants Amelia to have the life she didn’t have. Having been disowned by her family and given that Amelia is an only child, Mrs Wheeler naturally wants to see her daughter well married and securely provided for, and for some reason, believes that only a man with a title will be able to do that.

Amelia’s father is just as keen as her mother for his daughter to marry a title and makes it clear that this must be the season in which she clinches the deal. But a large, ruggedly handsome spanner is thown into the works in the form of Nathaniel Smythe, a childhood friend from Portsmouth who went to sea when Amelia was ten and whom she had thought never to see again.

Amelia and Nate always shared a special bond, and even though they haven’t seen or heard from each other in ten years, that connection has never broken and, even from their very first interactions, is clearly as strong as it ever was. Yet now, that connection is complicated by the stirrings of physical awareness and attraction, and Ms Weaver does a tremendous job here of portraying their visceral reactions to each other and that instant, inner recognition that yes, here is “the one”.

The problem however, is that neither of them is placed to be able to be anything more than mere acquaintances. Amelia wants to please her mother by marrying a man with a title; and even though Nate has made a fortune in shipping, he can’t afford to marry a girl like Amelia, whom society will never accept. He aspires instead to the hand of the Lady Julia Harrow, daughter of his main business rival, the Earl of Hyde. As a member of the aristocracy, Hyde has access to lucrative government contracts that are awarded principally by other peers and the old-boy-network – something of which Nate can never be a part. He had thought initially to approach the earl to propose a business merger, but on realising that the man is fairly ignorant of his business and leaves all of it to his manager, knows that the only way he is going to get a foot in the door is to marry Lady Julia.

So here we have two people who are wildly attracted to each other, who know each other on an instinctual level and who share a deep and strong connection. Yet they decide they can’t be together because they are supposed to marry someone else. It’s not a particularly strong premise, especially as both characters are wealthy; often in stories where one character has to marry someone other than their heart’s desire, it’s because they are in need of money, but that’s not the case here. It’s not really clear why Amelia’s mother thinks an impoverished man with a title will be able to provide for her better than a wealthy man without one and I also had to ask myself why two people who obviously care about their daughter as much as Mr and Mrs Wheeler do aren’t principally concerned that the man she marries is one who will make her happy.

When the story moves from London to a country house-party, the canvas broadens and we are introduced to a cast of well-drawn secondary characters, from the spiteful Kitty and her set to the worthy but dull Lord Radwill, whom Amelia thinks would make a decent – if boring – husband. Then there’s smarmy Mr. Cheadle, who has set his sights firmly on Amelia and isn’t above resorting to underhand means to secure her, and the lovely Lady Julia, who turns out to have unexpected and hidden depths. All of them have a part to play, and the scenes that take place at the country estate are never less than entertaining. In fact, the same is true of the whole book, and the fact that I’m able to rate A Common Scandal as highly as I have in spite of major misgivings about the premise is surely testament to Ms. Weaver’s ability to tell a story and to her talent for creating attractive and compelling characters. She’s definitely an author to watch, and I plan to go back to read A Duchess in Name while I wait for the next book in this series.

[Vika aka ♔ of GIF & Grumpy Smut-ateer *P/T Freebie Fairy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Click HERE

Squeee... sorry for the ear & glass shattering glee but this book has left all too pleasant tingles that quickly escalated into full-blown case of glee. I am sad for this book to end (in HEA may I mention) but I will surely miss Amelia the spitfire and Natty--- err I mean Nate the proper gentleman who is not a gentleman (and boy is he not). Although my first loves of Amanda's The Grantham Girls Series are --- were Victoria and Andrew (See my Review here) it was impossible not to fall in love with Amelia and Nate.

“I may have learned to slip in alongside them, but I have never—not once—claimed to be a gentleman.”
One long arm shot out to wrap around her waist, pulling her up tight against his chest. Her lips parted in shock, but before she could utter a single word, his mouth came down on hers.

As the series is based on the concept of New Money marrying into Old English titles to elevate the status of New Money the series takes a bit of a turn as we have two New Money legacy "children" looking into securing a future with a title. While Amelia and Natty grew up running on the docks and causing all kinds of trouble it is a completely different ball game during The Season in London as adults. One must behave to preserve their reputation. Concept that our fireball Amelia is not too familiar with. If she was born during our time she would have fit in perfectly but alas she is not and therefore sometimes says some things that shock the Society and casts her out even more. All the qualities that made me fall in love with her and I was not the only one. Nate Smythe spent his childhood with rambunctious Amelia and once he comes back into the society having elevated his status and earning quite bit of money he finds his dear Amelia has not changed.

When she dared to look up at his face, Nate was gone and he was Mr. Smythe again, the veneer of proper Society firmly in place. Genevieve’s training was so ingrained in her, it took only a moment for her to do the same, for Miss Wheeler the heiress, to step forward and leave Natty’s Amelia behind for the last time.

Puppy love no more now being 2 grown adults it was a pleasure seeing both of them fight off their attraction and blossoming love. Which in my opinion was only reinforced because it bordered on forbidden. It was entertaining and exciting to see their battle of wills and self-restraint once they were put into a house party setting. Now British house parties last a week and they basically become an episode of Bachelorette/Bachelor... all the hormones and all.

“It’s not nonsense and it’s not flattery. You’re the only woman I see, the only one in my heart, the only one in my soul. And I think you always have been.”

While I have enjoyed the story of the first book in the series, I fell in love with events of this book. So much laughter, so much high brow fun, a bit of scandal and the ever happy HEA. If you enjoy a good Historical Romance look no further than a week at Lady Evelyn's house of courtship. Another fact why this book has became my favorite (so far) in the series is the pushing of the boundaries of old and traditional ways. Confused? Well read the damn book and you will completely understand my meaning.

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[Susan (susayq ~) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been familiar with Amanda Weaver's writing for a long time and it never fails to make me a little jealous that I can't write novels to save my life! Her words flow sooo easily and weave into a tale that sucks you in and refuses to let you go.

Amelia jumps right off the pages from the very beginning with her spunk and ability to find a little bit of trouble. Time doesn't temper that either. And then we have her Natty, or Nate as he prefers to be called when he's all grown up. He grew up as a son of a sailor who worked his way up from being a sailor himself to gaining access to London's ballrooms because of his fortune. When he shows up he sends Amelia into even more of a whirlwind than she usually is in because she can be herself with him; even if it goes against what both of Amelia's parents want. Will she do the right thing and find a husband who's titled or will love prevail? Read the book and find out :)

*thanks to Tasty Book PR for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review*

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not usually crazy about scenes of children. But this book opened with Amelia and Nate as children. Amelia was 10 and Nate appeared to be 15. I thought the prologue very very well done. It showed us who Amelia was, a merchant's daughter who could swear but still every inch the girl that she was and showed us her relationship with Nate, which was, a little more than just friends even back then. I was very intrigued. So I forged on.

The adult versions of Amelia and Nate somehow were less appealing to me. I don't know what I was expecting but their attraction fizzled out a little bit once they grew up. They had a connection when they were children, which they seemed to have lost a little bit. But it was still there. So the book still had hopes. Amelia's parents wanted her to marry a lord and Nate had set his eyes on an earl's daughter for the earl's connections. But now they had reunited. What to do, what to do?

I liked that Nate and Amelia remained friends throughout the book, and even tried to help each other further their relationships with their respective potential future spouses. The chemistry was never quite strong, but it was there. I liked Amelia well enough even though I never liked a heroine who was rough around the edges. I think it is because Amelia never lost her femininity even though she could swear like a sailor and wasn't exactly ladylike. Nate was a sweetheart, quite tamed for my taste but it was easy to like him.

Their first real intimate scene came rather abruptly for me and I was thinking what??? And I kind of speed-read that chapter. Like I said, the chemistry wasn't exactly strong so I couldn't quite imagine passion between them. Amelia's abduction and their pleading with Amelia's parents to let them marry in the last 20% of the book were a bit too much for me. By then I finally gave up hoping that the book would be more than 3 stars and accepted that it would be just it was: a comfortable, entertaining read which doesn't necessarily make me root for the lead couple but I did not mind reading on.

I think the biggest problem I had with this book was that at some point the story segwayed into "how do we convince your parents to let us get married" instead of being "I love you but we can't be together". The focus switched to all the secondary characters: the abductors, Amelia's parents because by then Amelia and Nate had already decided that they loved each other and would like to be together forever. They did not really have a real obstacle anymore. I guess I am just a sucker for unrequited love. When it becomes obvious that the lead characters are just biding their time, I lose interest in the relationship because, well, what else is there?

[Tin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclosure: I received this ARC from Netgalley for this blog tour. Thank you to Amanda Weaver and Carina Press for the opportunity. Yes, this is an honest review.

* * *

Amelia Wheeler and Nate Smythe are childhood friends, who grew up together, but whose lives took different turns when Amelia's father decided to move his family to London, and Nate went to work on a ship. It is many years later, and the height of the London Season, and neither one had dreamed they would cross paths once again. A lot of old feelings resurface when Amelia and Nate meet again for the first time, and a lot of new feelings also start to grow -- they've always loved each other. They've always preferred each other's company over anyone else's -- but, as Nate says at one point: they aren't children any more -- and practical needs and wants supersede personal ones.

Amelia is another graduate of Lady Grantham's Finishing School, and, despite "graduating", Amelia never really gained the polished refinement that she needs to survive the London Season. Our heroine is used to the side comments about her (lack of) pedigree, and she's perfectly fine displaying just how unsophisticated she is with her words and her fists -- but Amelia also needs to consider her ailing mother's wishes for her only daughter to marry a title, and, with it, the acceptance of a society that had shunned her when she married "beneath" her.

Nate is a self-made man, and he needs to marry a title in order to advance his small shipping business. He's already decided to court Lady Julia Harrow, daughter of the Earl of Hyde, who owns the largest shipping business in England.

This is one of two themes that the author tackles in her novel: Amelia wants to please her mother, and Nate wants to gain society's approval. Amelia had little support on the homefront, and she faced a lot of hostility in the battlefront that is the ballroom. While Amelia behaves a bit audaciously, it is not for lack of provocation -- and I felt really bad that she kept getting baited by the other ladies. And Nate had no support. Period. His mother and siblings all died when he was away at sea, and I could see how Nate looked up to the Earl of Hyde, and saw him as a potential mentor/father figure.

They knew they could never be together, so they did what they thought was the best course of action, which is to push away and hurt each other. Marriage became a contest between Nate and Amelia, and whoever lands the proposal and the title wins the game -- but it's really a game where both of them would end up as losers, because, whenever they are together, there's this undeniable chemistry and the indisputable knowledge that they really belong with one another.

The contest takes both of them to a house party hosted by one Evelyn, the daughter of the Earl of Tewsbury -- Amelia does her best to behave and entertain the attentions of Lord Radwill, while fending off the unwanted attentions of Mr. Cheadle. And Nate is busy getting to know Julia Harrow.

The house party is a bit typical with the games and the chances of flirtations, but, it also offered an opportunity for Nate and Amelia to discover that, among the ton, there are people whom they could consider their friends. I have to say that I really liked Julia Harrow's character. I thought she was unique and stood out from all the other ladies.

Weaver introduces a bit of mystery with the arrival of Mr. Morley, and Mr. Cheadle's reaction to his "friend's" stay -- and it's a question that you want to get an answer to, so you keep reading. We already knew that Mr. Cheadle was a fortune hunter, but, when the author reveals his motivations ... wow.

What makes this childhood friends-to-lovers story stand out is the author's decision to detach the old friendship of Nate and Amelia with their new relationship. The author doesn't rely entirely on old memories and old feelings to fuel the desire between the two -- but, instead, Amelia shows Nate how much she has matured and grown, and Nate shows Amelia how confident and resolute he has become. How can you not admire someone who has worked so hard to get to where he is right now?

[Kathleen Crowell · Rating 2 out of 5]

very disappointing. totally formulaic--the first book in this series was so good. this one had all the elements I'm getting tired of. to read the 3rd or not to read...?

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2016/05...

A Common Scandal is an absolutely delightful romance. There’s no sophomore slump for Amanda Weaver’s Grantham Girls series – Amelia and Nate’s tale is sure to charm readers from beginning to end.

I absolutely loved Amelia. As a child she ran wild on the docks of Portsmouth, but her father’s financial success meant she was soon moved to London, where she was taught how to fit into society’s mold and was instructed to look for a titled husband. But there’s no amount of finishing lessons that can dull Amelia’s spirit and make her into a bland society miss. Amelia is vivacious, fearless, doesn’t back down, and is wholly loveable. That being said, she’s determined to please her mother and find a man with a title. Then a wrench is thrown in her plans to capture the interest of a kind, but boring lord when she runs across her childhood friend, Nate Smythe. Nate is the son of a sailor and even as a young man was determined to make a success of himself so he could be Amelia’s equal one day. In the years since she last saw him, Nate has made his fortune and the kind boy she knew is now a hardworking, handsome man. But he doesn’t have a title, which means he can’t take his business to the next step. Nate is determined to marry the daughter of an earl who can help him expand his company. Amelia, the girl he adored who is now a woman he desires, cannot figure into his plans. Only they can’t seem to stay away from one another…

Nate and Amelia’s romance is passionate, their chemistry electric, and together they make A Common Scandal just plain fun to read. Though they are both on set paths to marry others, it’s clear these two were made for one another. They don’t fit into high society, they never will, and to see them stifle their spirits would be a shame. Though the story did start off a bit slowly, once Nate and Amelia were thrown together at a house party I didn’t want to put the book down. I was rooting for them to be the people they were meant to be and find happiness outside the ballrooms of London. All in all, A Common Scandal is a wonderful, uplifting romance that made me smile more than once. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next Grantham Girls story, A Reluctant Betrothal!


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Elisabeth Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a while, but this book grew on me. For the vast majority, it's a very conventional tale of ballrooms and house parties. But something happens late in the story that really shows the heroine's mettle and the overall tone of the book improved for me considerably after that. I wish the pacing were a little more even as most of the action occurs toward the end, but I'd say of you like Regency romance and you're ready to step a bit outside that period, A Common Scandal is a safe bet.

Nate and Amelia had known each other as children, but Nate went to sea to earn his fortune and Amelia became a London lady. They meet up again as adults, just as Amelia is being forced to choose a titled husband. Nate is looking for a titled wife and that makes them eminently unsuitable for each other. Their instincts outweigh their better judgment, of course.

I didn't think much of this book at first. I've long been bored of feisty heroines and their handsome suitors. I just need more in a historical romance to grab me. However, Amelia is a but wilder than your average histrom heroine, a fact she proves over and over, particularly late in the book. I wish we had seen more of her true character earlier in the book. The glimpses we had in earlier chapters came off more as petulance and mean-spiritedness than any real strength of character, but she redeemed herself in the end.

I'm glad I kept faith with this one because by the end, I was quite pleased with it. I think the author could make a little better use of the setting and the pacing could have been improved, but all in all, a very fine historical romance read outside the usual Regency/Victorian times periods. I recommend it for a good light-hearted read.

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up the daughter of a self-made tradesman, Amelia Wheeler spends most of her time at the Portsmouth harbor with her best friend, Natty Smythe, before he heads off to sea to support his penniless family. Years later, after completing Lady Grantham’s finishing school, Amelia must act the perfect lady to nab a titled husband, fulfilling her dying mother’s wish. Hoping to encourage a future earl, Amelia accepts an invitation to an extended house party. Meanwhile, Natty, who now owns a wealthy shipping business and goes by Nate, also attends the party to pursue the daughter of a powerful shipping magnate. Nate and Amelia continually provoke each other in public and in private, but their passion is far from the only secret able to ruin their plans.

Verdict Weaver (A Duchess in Name) expertly drafts a compelling history for these childhood friends, and readers will be immediately invested in the pair’s affection and future outcomes. Nate and Amelia’s chemistry smolders; their heat is kindled from a shared past rather than instant attraction, which makes their reckless bid for happiness truly believable. This series tale stands well on its own and is certainly one to savor.

This review was originally published in Library Journal Xpress Reviews: E-Originals, March 3, 2016.

[Al *the semi serial series skipper* · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I loved Amelia! she was such a delightful character. I especially loved that she didn't conform to society's idea of how a young miss should act. She was quite literally a hoyden and an entertaining one.

Nate was such a lovable character, he was just the right person for Amelia.

Amanda Weaver creates such multidimensional characters that you can't help but love . I look forward to reading more of her works.

I received this book from Netgallery in exchange for an honest review.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I alas did not enjoy this one nearly as much as I did the first one--which at least had some A+ pine tree pining. The plot here mostly fell apart by the end, as the two conflicts felt fairly distant and I was...unhappy with how easy it was for them to get together once Nate decided to?

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. Review to come.

[Mel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ridiculous premise with absolutely no substance. A contemporary wrapped in historical garb. The only likable or interesting character was Lady Julia, the rest, especially the heroine were awful.

[Ladynikiw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this and absolutely loved Amelia.

[BJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, but The first book ad h was exceptional for me, so hard act to follow. The h in book 2 is vibrant, beautiful and she loves her family but she is also selfish and it was not at all attractive. The H was rather too beta for me, but he is a good man, if a little naive and there are good reasons for that. We see they are meant for each other, so the scene was set for a good romance with some angst. But the story got boring with way too much telling dialogue, very long descriptions that were not balanced with dialogue. So it was uneven and a little boring for me. Still I liked it, just didn't love it.

[Maylin · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite character was Julia - determined to make her own way. I would read a book about her.

I appreciated the bald scheming to make a match - a veritable meat market.

However I prefer my historical novels to feel more authentically historical and an absolute pet peeve is Americanisms in supposedly English settings. So I cringed when reading somewhere was only a block away.

[Daron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh, this didn't have the promising spark I felt in the first of the series. It's a perfectly serviciable historical romance, and I'm always here for a house party, but there wasn't anything particularly memorable about it. Amelia and Nate are both likable, and I bought into their love for each other, but nothing was especially fun, romantic or exciting.

[Marianne Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edwardian England and the class system

Explores and bring the class system of Englang in the late 1800’s. Makes a bit of history very easy to assimilate. Great characters and dialogue and the story has a decent premise if not a new one.

[Ashe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t make it through the entire book. I can’t fully explain it, but this one just didn’t grab me the way the other books in the series did. I really like the author’s writing style and I loved Amelia as a character but the story didn’t pull me in.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this as a recommendation and fell in love with the series. This is a review for all the rest of the series. I loved them all and honestly couldn’t but it down.

[Amanda Bright · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking for a light chicklit read, this is one to consider.

[Serena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

[Sabrina Alessi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Started off well enough but rapidly fell apart. This story could have been saved about 30 percent in but only went of it's rails!

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance which, naturally, ends up HEA.