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Συντεριμμένη από την εγκατάλειψη του αγαπημένου της, η λαίδη Κάμπιον μεταμορφώνεται στην περιβόητη Σκανδαλώδη Παρθένα: ερωτοτροπεί, σαγηνεύει και προκαλεί τα ήθη της υψηλής κοινωνίας! Ωστόσο, καταφέρνει πάντα να σώζει την υπόληψή της, την τελευταία στιγμή. Τώρα όμως αποκτά καινούρια ελπίδα στη ζωή της: η κόρη της, την οποία θεωρούσε χαμένη, είναι ζωντανή -και έχει για κηδεμόνα της τον πανίσχυρο Έιβερι Φάλκονερ, τον κόμη του Γουίκαμ.
Μια ανοιχτή σύγκρουση με τον λόρδο Γουίκαμ είναι ίσως η μοναδική της επιλογή για να κερδίσει τη μικρή Άλις, αλλά η ακατανίκητη έλξη ανάμεσα σ'εκείνη και τον εντυπωσιακό κόμη ανατρέπει τα σχέδιά της. Η Λόρα έχει επιτέλους την ευκαιρία να ζήσει ευτυχισμένη -αν ο Έιβερι παραβλέψει το παρελθόν της...
Συντεριμμένη από την εγκατάλειψη του αγαπημένου της, η λαίδη Κάμπιον μεταμορφώνεται στην περιβόητη Σκανδαλώδη Παρθένα: ερωτοτροπεί, σαγηνεύει και προκαλεί τα ήθη της υψηλής κοινωνίας! Ωστόσο, καταφέρνει πάντα να σώζει την υπόληψή της, την τελευταία στιγμή. Τώρα όμως αποκτά καινούρια ελπίδα στη ζωή της: η κόρη της, την οποία θεωρούσε χαμένη, είναι ζωντανή -και έχει για κηδεμόνα της τον πανίσχυρο Έιβερι Φάλκονερ, τον κόμη του Γουίκαμ.
Μια ανοιχτή σύγκρουση με τον λόρδο Γουίκαμ είναι ίσως η μοναδική της επιλογή για να κερδίσει τη μικρή Άλις, αλλά η ακατανίκητη έλξη ανάμεσα σ'εκείνη και τον εντυπωσιακό κόμη ανατρέπει τα σχέδιά της. Η Λόρα έχει επιτέλους την ευκαιρία να ζήσει ευτυχισμένη -αν ο Έιβερι παραβλέψει το παρελθόν της...
255 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
20 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
About the author
Louise Allen
424 books332 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
This author also writes under the name Francesca Shaw.
I have had my nose buried in a history book - fact or fiction - for as long as I can remember, but even more important to me are the places and the objects that conjure up the past. My first attempt at historical fiction at the age of eight was three pages of improbable medieval drama set in the local castle.
With a degree in geography and archaeology I love to try and 'read' the landscape and the buildings in it for clues about the past. Virtually any place can trigger ideas for plots, but I am particularly inspired by Venice, Burgundy, Mediterranean islands and the Hertfordshire and Norfolk countryside.
I live in England in a village in Bedfordshire with my long-suffering husband. He is not sure whether to be flattered or alarmed to be told he is the inspiration for all my romantic heroes! Whenever possible we escape to our cottage on the North Norfolk coast where Percy, the bossy pheasant, allows us to share the garden.
My resolution every time I start on a new plot is to plan it carefully, make copious notes first and write lots of drafts in a disciplined and orderly manner. What inevitably happens is that the story starts to write itself in my head until it gets completely out of control - meanwhile my study floor becomes a sea of open books, prints and maps and I am found sitting in the car at traffic lights, muttering dialogue. At that point I have to start writing, knowing full well that the hero and heroine are going to take over and sabotage all my attempts at discipline. It is, after all, their story.
This author also writes under the name Francesca Shaw.
I have had my nose buried in a history book - fact or fiction - for as long as I can remember, but even more important to me are the places and the objects that conjure up the past. My first attempt at historical fiction at the age of eight was three pages of improbable medieval drama set in the local castle.
With a degree in geography and archaeology I love to try and 'read' the landscape and the buildings in it for clues about the past. Virtually any place can trigger ideas for plots, but I am particularly inspired by Venice, Burgundy, Mediterranean islands and the Hertfordshire and Norfolk countryside.
I live in England in a village in Bedfordshire with my long-suffering husband. He is not sure whether to be flattered or alarmed to be told he is the inspiration for all my romantic heroes! Whenever possible we escape to our cottage on the North Norfolk coast where Percy, the bossy pheasant, allows us to share the garden.
My resolution every time I start on a new plot is to plan it carefully, make copious notes first and write lots of drafts in a disciplined and orderly manner. What inevitably happens is that the story starts to write itself in my head until it gets completely out of control - meanwhile my study floor becomes a sea of open books, prints and maps and I am found sitting in the car at traffic lights, muttering dialogue. At that point I have to start writing, knowing full well that the hero and heroine are going to take over and sabotage all my attempts at discipline. It is, after all, their story.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 11, 2021
This was a fairly solid 3 stars in content, the heroine being a bit different but the frequents tiffs with the hero were a bit dull. What brought it up to 4 stars was the emotional content involving the loss of a first love and the child in between the two of them.
*Upon re-read I think the fact the hero had to forgive the heroine for being a young 18 year old who was told not once but twice that her child was dead quite offensive ultimately. It was suddenly alright to him if she hadn't known where her baby was?
I also found the heroine's change in character at the house party rather puzzling.
*Upon re-read I think the fact the hero had to forgive the heroine for being a young 18 year old who was told not once but twice that her child was dead quite offensive ultimately. It was suddenly alright to him if she hadn't known where her baby was?
I also found the heroine's change in character at the house party rather puzzling.
February 22, 2017
like this a troupe I like
September 18, 2017
I've said it before . . . Louise Allen is underrated! Very enjoyable, perhaps predictable but hey, in a historical romance, don't we always pretty much know how it's going to turn out?
July 28, 2023
This one worked rather better for me than From Ruin to Riches (although having the two packaged together did make the 'hero traumatised by his parents' relationship' element a bit repetitious; probably unavoidable).
There's a single source of conflict that gets fully developed as the main plot, rather than lots of little ones that all dissipate within a scene or two, and the shock when we discover that Avery basically goaded his young cousin into abandoning his lover and unborn child by accusing him of military cowardice is a real one; the actions made sense, from his point of view, but the revelation is completely unexpected. Likewise it's understandable that he is bitter against Laura for apparently sending Piers to his death with a letter full of accusations and recriminations, and then abandoning his child to squalor while she cavorts around town.
The book manages largely to avoid the trope of 'monstering' Laura's first love in order to prove to the audience that her current love interest is the only one who deserves to be with her, although it does head off uncomfortably in that direction a couple of times; there is no actual reason to suppose that nineteen-year-old Piers would have grown up to be any less promising a specimen that his elder cousin, whom he otherwise resembles. He just never got the chance (for which Avery is at least partially responsible...), and one of the things I liked about the plot is that the protagonists' connection is that they both loved the dead boy and the resulting child.
There are a couple of awkward references that jarred on me as outright Heyer pastiche ("making a cake of himself" and "thick as inkle-weavers"). Otherwise Louise Allen is, as usual, fluent in her setting, without making the characters come across as 21st-century inserts, and there are some lively minor characters, especially in the house-party. There's a awful lot of bonking, as required for this market, and this becomes inevitably a matter of diminishing returns, but it does at least make sense plot-wise. And I got some genuine emotional jolts out of this as opposed to just the romance stuff. It's hard to pull off a 'hero and heroine hate each other but they love each other' plot - it tends to be my least favourite trope when Georgette Heyer does it - but I was able to swallow this one.
There's a single source of conflict that gets fully developed as the main plot, rather than lots of little ones that all dissipate within a scene or two, and the shock when we discover that Avery basically goaded his young cousin into abandoning his lover and unborn child by accusing him of military cowardice is a real one; the actions made sense, from his point of view, but the revelation is completely unexpected. Likewise it's understandable that he is bitter against Laura for apparently sending Piers to his death with a letter full of accusations and recriminations, and then abandoning his child to squalor while she cavorts around town.
The book manages largely to avoid the trope of 'monstering' Laura's first love in order to prove to the audience that her current love interest is the only one who deserves to be with her, although it does head off uncomfortably in that direction a couple of times; there is no actual reason to suppose that nineteen-year-old Piers would have grown up to be any less promising a specimen that his elder cousin, whom he otherwise resembles. He just never got the chance (for which Avery is at least partially responsible...), and one of the things I liked about the plot is that the protagonists' connection is that they both loved the dead boy and the resulting child.
There are a couple of awkward references that jarred on me as outright Heyer pastiche ("making a cake of himself" and "thick as inkle-weavers"). Otherwise Louise Allen is, as usual, fluent in her setting, without making the characters come across as 21st-century inserts, and there are some lively minor characters, especially in the house-party. There's a awful lot of bonking, as required for this market, and this becomes inevitably a matter of diminishing returns, but it does at least make sense plot-wise. And I got some genuine emotional jolts out of this as opposed to just the romance stuff. It's hard to pull off a 'hero and heroine hate each other but they love each other' plot - it tends to be my least favourite trope when Georgette Heyer does it - but I was able to swallow this one.
January 16, 2018
The story started out really well, but deteriorated towards the final third of the book. It was one of those novels that rely on misunderstanding, lack of communication and stubbornness for the substance of the plot. I found myself asking, despite explanation by the author, why did Laura not come up with the truth in the first place. I did not find myself too enamoured of the heroine either, whose behaviour was just as bad as the young ladies she despised at the house party. She also resorted to underhanded means to get what she wanted.
I have marked 3 stars (I liked it) as opposed to 2 stars as it started out really well, but I started getting irritated two thirds of the way through.
I have marked 3 stars (I liked it) as opposed to 2 stars as it started out really well, but I started getting irritated two thirds of the way through.
March 27, 2020
I know there has to be conflict in these stories in order to have a resolution and a happy ending. Unfortunately, in this plot the hero had committed some unforgivable transgressions against the heroine. We are supposed to believe that she can forgive him and they are going to be happy and live merrily for the rest of their lives. How can that be? Also, why wasn't the child just adopted. She was going to go through her life as a bastard because the hero was too stupid to make up a past of a long-lost cousin or something and present her as legitimate. But no, her so-called father introduced her as a bastard and expects that the Ton is going to accept her. Stupid.
March 13, 2018
Loved the set-up, loved the characterizations, loved the writing, but the plot kind of went off the rails towards the end as Allen strove to keep her hero and heroine from acknowledging their love until the last possible moment. Despite the fact that the plot revolves around a child, she managed to keep too much childish cutesiness out of the story... again until close to the end. Could have been one of her better books, but the willful stupidity everyone displayed as the book went on dropped it back down to three stars.
August 26, 2014
Was I just in the Wayback Machine?
I feel as if I've been transported to the 1980s. There was a lot in Scandal’s Virgin that reminded me of an old-school romance, and not in a good way. By the way, the title of this story makes me cringe and according to the book is a nickname that society calls our heroine, Laura. I had a hard time believing that title would be broadcasted throughout society by both men and women. Besides that, I didn't understand the nickname, even after the explanation. It was something about Laura being a tease but never going alllll the way and all the boys are talking about her because she’s one of those kinda girls - you know the ones I mean - the “c” teasers, hence the nickname Scandal’s Virgin. Still don’t get it.
As we journey in our Wayback Machine, we come across an old plot device: The “secret baby.” This time it’s the heroine who doesn’t know she has a baby. Quite a trick, huh? How can that be, you might ask. Well, I'm here to tell you. Her mean ol’ mother told her the baby was dead; instead, unbeknownst to her the child was packed off to the countryside to be raised by a woman with eight children and in need of a little cash. Now as it just so happens, I was in the mood for a "secret baby" story because I've been wracking my brain trying to remember one I read eons ago. This one came along and I thought whoopee just what I’m looking for! However there were just too many banal trust issues in Scandal's Virgin for me to really enjoy this story. (I really don’t like that title.)
Wayback Machine trust issues or lack thereof. Avery, our hero, and Laura just would not talk to each other. By the way, this is also one of those stories that readers will find themselves saying, "if only they would just talk to each other." Of course, we all know the story would be over if they did. Ponder moment. Why is it some stories with couples that don't talk to each other are irritating and other stories that have non-communicating couples are fascinating? I found myself asking that a zillion times while reading this book. In the case of Scandal’s Virgin, I found the couple awfully juvenile. They played too many games with each other. Laura starts off by pretending to be someone else and all the time is stalking the child she thought was dead. I had a hard time liking Laura, as she plans to kidnap Alice, her daughter, from the man who has raised her. I thought this bordered on creepy. Thank goodness Laura was able to see that Alice and Avery had a loving bond, because child abduction isn’t something I relish reading about in my romance novels.
Wayback Machine lies. As I said, Laura lies about who she is, then when our hero finds out who she is, she doesn't tell Avery the whole story, then she traps him into marriage and lies some more. You just can’t win with this couple. Avery is just as bad, only his problem is trust and that's because of his mother. Yes, his mother was a floozy so he can never luv or trust any woman. Of course, Laura did lie to him and then trap him into marriage, so, she's not really all that trustworthy.
Let me clear up the reason Avery has Laura's child Alice. You see the man/boy Laura had an affair with when she was eighteen was Avery's cousin Piers. Then Piers ran off to war because Avery was trying to get him away from Laura, who by the way Avery had never met, but all women are bad so he had to break it up. Anyway, Piers goes off to war without knowing Laura is pregnant with his child, she sends him a letter telling him she's going to have his baby, Piers dies and blood gets all over the letter, which when Avery reads the letter, he jumps to the conclusion that Laura is an e-v-i-l woman because some of the words are covered by blood. Anyway, Avery finds out Piers' child is being taken care of by couple with gazillions of kids in the country, he goes to them, exerts his authority, they gratefully give him the child and he raises the child as his. All this time, he thinks Laura has abandoned her baby. He has no idea she thinks the baby is dead, and even when Laura shows up to claim the child after six years he still thinks she abandoned the child. And do you know why? Because they don't tell each other their secrets. Aaaaakkkkkk.
If Laura's not lying about something, Avery is having trust issues about something. When they get one thing sorted out, something else crops up to set them back. There is also whankee-roo with only one partner enjoying it because the other partner is deliberately ending before everyone is happy. There are a number of eavesdropping moments, numerous jumping to the wrong conclusions; so many old-school romance moments I just wanted it to end. If I hadn't already had one DNF this week I would have closed this book without finishing it, but I trudged onward. Even the HEA had a shadow thrown into the mix when Avery asked Laura why she hadn't told him she was having his baby. Well, that would be because you are a Jack-wad, Avery.
I did not enjoy this story. The couple acted like juveniles through most of the book and the story was filled with too many 1980-styled tricks/traps/lies/misunderstandings for me. Sorry to say, I cannot recommend Scandal's Virgin.
KaysBlog
I feel as if I've been transported to the 1980s. There was a lot in Scandal’s Virgin that reminded me of an old-school romance, and not in a good way. By the way, the title of this story makes me cringe and according to the book is a nickname that society calls our heroine, Laura. I had a hard time believing that title would be broadcasted throughout society by both men and women. Besides that, I didn't understand the nickname, even after the explanation. It was something about Laura being a tease but never going alllll the way and all the boys are talking about her because she’s one of those kinda girls - you know the ones I mean - the “c” teasers, hence the nickname Scandal’s Virgin. Still don’t get it.
As we journey in our Wayback Machine, we come across an old plot device: The “secret baby.” This time it’s the heroine who doesn’t know she has a baby. Quite a trick, huh? How can that be, you might ask. Well, I'm here to tell you. Her mean ol’ mother told her the baby was dead; instead, unbeknownst to her the child was packed off to the countryside to be raised by a woman with eight children and in need of a little cash. Now as it just so happens, I was in the mood for a "secret baby" story because I've been wracking my brain trying to remember one I read eons ago. This one came along and I thought whoopee just what I’m looking for! However there were just too many banal trust issues in Scandal's Virgin for me to really enjoy this story. (I really don’t like that title.)
Wayback Machine trust issues or lack thereof. Avery, our hero, and Laura just would not talk to each other. By the way, this is also one of those stories that readers will find themselves saying, "if only they would just talk to each other." Of course, we all know the story would be over if they did. Ponder moment. Why is it some stories with couples that don't talk to each other are irritating and other stories that have non-communicating couples are fascinating? I found myself asking that a zillion times while reading this book. In the case of Scandal’s Virgin, I found the couple awfully juvenile. They played too many games with each other. Laura starts off by pretending to be someone else and all the time is stalking the child she thought was dead. I had a hard time liking Laura, as she plans to kidnap Alice, her daughter, from the man who has raised her. I thought this bordered on creepy. Thank goodness Laura was able to see that Alice and Avery had a loving bond, because child abduction isn’t something I relish reading about in my romance novels.
Wayback Machine lies. As I said, Laura lies about who she is, then when our hero finds out who she is, she doesn't tell Avery the whole story, then she traps him into marriage and lies some more. You just can’t win with this couple. Avery is just as bad, only his problem is trust and that's because of his mother. Yes, his mother was a floozy so he can never luv or trust any woman. Of course, Laura did lie to him and then trap him into marriage, so, she's not really all that trustworthy.
Let me clear up the reason Avery has Laura's child Alice. You see the man/boy Laura had an affair with when she was eighteen was Avery's cousin Piers. Then Piers ran off to war because Avery was trying to get him away from Laura, who by the way Avery had never met, but all women are bad so he had to break it up. Anyway, Piers goes off to war without knowing Laura is pregnant with his child, she sends him a letter telling him she's going to have his baby, Piers dies and blood gets all over the letter, which when Avery reads the letter, he jumps to the conclusion that Laura is an e-v-i-l woman because some of the words are covered by blood. Anyway, Avery finds out Piers' child is being taken care of by couple with gazillions of kids in the country, he goes to them, exerts his authority, they gratefully give him the child and he raises the child as his. All this time, he thinks Laura has abandoned her baby. He has no idea she thinks the baby is dead, and even when Laura shows up to claim the child after six years he still thinks she abandoned the child. And do you know why? Because they don't tell each other their secrets. Aaaaakkkkkk.
If Laura's not lying about something, Avery is having trust issues about something. When they get one thing sorted out, something else crops up to set them back. There is also whankee-roo with only one partner enjoying it because the other partner is deliberately ending before everyone is happy. There are a number of eavesdropping moments, numerous jumping to the wrong conclusions; so many old-school romance moments I just wanted it to end. If I hadn't already had one DNF this week I would have closed this book without finishing it, but I trudged onward. Even the HEA had a shadow thrown into the mix when Avery asked Laura why she hadn't told him she was having his baby. Well, that would be because you are a Jack-wad, Avery.
I did not enjoy this story. The couple acted like juveniles through most of the book and the story was filled with too many 1980-styled tricks/traps/lies/misunderstandings for me. Sorry to say, I cannot recommend Scandal's Virgin.
KaysBlog
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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November 24, 2022DNF at 16%. Just wasn't getting into it. Couldn't suspend my disbelief.
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January 12, 2016"Allen utilizes the secret-baby plot perfectly. Instead of a hero with a secret, it’s her heroine: a woman who will do anything to claim her lost child — something that will have a powerful effect on readers, along with depth of emotion and plenty of sexual tension. An adorable little girl will keep readers glued to the pages even when unwarranted misunderstandings get in the way of the HEA (RT Book Reviews)". 4 stars
August 17, 2014
I always look forward to Louise Allen's works and this one is perhaps my very favorite of her stand alone works! An interesting take on a child born out of wedlock and the trials and triumphs of two people who have a lovely little girl in common but a lack of trust and a relationship frought with misunderstanding. The ending was completely satisfying, little Alice was adorable and well fleshed out and overall it was a great read start to finish.
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November 29, 2016Used - Like New
July 21, 2020
Better than the usual Harlequin nasty modern tone, but still too fraught and crim. cons. for my taste
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews