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Historical Jewels
Scandal
From an author known for her "pulse-pounding action, well-drawn characters, and sexy romance",* comes the tale of a proper young widow and the rake who is out to steal her heart...
The Earl of Banallt is no stranger to scandal. But when he meets Sophie Evans, the young wife of a fellow libertine, even he is shocked by his reaction. This unconventional and intelligent woman proves to be far more than an amusing distraction - she threatens to drive him to distraction. Unlike the women who usually fall at Banallt's feet, and into his bed, Sophie refuses to be seduced. And soon Banallt desires her more than ever - and for more than an illicit affair.
Years later, the widowed Sophie is free, and Banallt is determined to win the woman he still loves. Unfortunately, she doesn't believe his declaration of love and chivalrous offer of marriage - her heart has already been broken by her scoundrel of a husband. And yet, Sophie is tempted to indulge in the torrid affair she's always fantasized about. Caught between her logical mind and her long-denied desire, Sophie must thwart Banallt's seduction - or risk being consumed by the one man she should avoid at all costs...
* Booklist
The Earl of Banallt is no stranger to scandal. But when he meets Sophie Evans, the young wife of a fellow libertine, even he is shocked by his reaction. This unconventional and intelligent woman proves to be far more than an amusing distraction - she threatens to drive him to distraction. Unlike the women who usually fall at Banallt's feet, and into his bed, Sophie refuses to be seduced. And soon Banallt desires her more than ever - and for more than an illicit affair.
Years later, the widowed Sophie is free, and Banallt is determined to win the woman he still loves. Unfortunately, she doesn't believe his declaration of love and chivalrous offer of marriage - her heart has already been broken by her scoundrel of a husband. And yet, Sophie is tempted to indulge in the torrid affair she's always fantasized about. Caught between her logical mind and her long-denied desire, Sophie must thwart Banallt's seduction - or risk being consumed by the one man she should avoid at all costs...
* Booklist
309 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 23, 2009
266 people are currently reading
2878 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Jewel
58 books527 followersCarolyn Jewel was born on a moonless night. That darkness was seared into her soul and she became an award winning and USA Today bestselling author of historical and paranormal romance. She has a very dusty car and a Master’s degree in English that proves useful at the oddest times. An avid fan of fine chocolate, finer heroines, Bollywood films, and heroism in all forms, she has two cats and a dog. Also a son. One of the cats is his.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews
February 5, 2009
Really, really good. Fans of historical romances will love this one. This author can write. It is also a very steamy, passionate read too. (She writes love scenes how I like them -- filled with passion, humor, buring heat but NOT full of body part descriptions and sex for the sake of sex. The scenes are very meaningful to the romance and the progression of the story.)
This was my first book by this author, and until last week I had never even heard of her. I saw some reviews and thought what the heck so I picked it up at the bookstore.
The story centers around the earl of Banallt and his passionate love for his friends wife Sophie. Now before you think this is a book about cheating, it is not. In fact, if you hate books with cheating in them you will especially love this book. Banallt was a rake with no morals, and as a result he lived a scandalous life. But that all began to change when he met Sophie. She refuses him despite her own marriage to a horrible cheating rake. They form an odd friendship, but nothing more comes of it despite his best efforts to change that. Then things change in both of their lives, parting these two for several years. This is where the story begins, a few year later and both a lot wiser.
There are parts of the book that goes back in time to retell past events, and the author does this without jarring the flow of the story. I like how the past is slowly revealed, as it really keeps you turning the pages to find out what the heck he or she meant in one of their comments to each other! Banallt has clearly changed his ways but struggles to make amends with Sophie to get her to believe in him. Its such a romantic, heart tugging story. She is a great heroine and her resistance is quite believable. There is much backstory going on about her brother, possible war...etc. that keep the story moving. Overall, a very good read that I strongly recommend to historical romance fans.
This was my first book by this author, and until last week I had never even heard of her. I saw some reviews and thought what the heck so I picked it up at the bookstore.
The story centers around the earl of Banallt and his passionate love for his friends wife Sophie. Now before you think this is a book about cheating, it is not. In fact, if you hate books with cheating in them you will especially love this book. Banallt was a rake with no morals, and as a result he lived a scandalous life. But that all began to change when he met Sophie. She refuses him despite her own marriage to a horrible cheating rake. They form an odd friendship, but nothing more comes of it despite his best efforts to change that. Then things change in both of their lives, parting these two for several years. This is where the story begins, a few year later and both a lot wiser.
There are parts of the book that goes back in time to retell past events, and the author does this without jarring the flow of the story. I like how the past is slowly revealed, as it really keeps you turning the pages to find out what the heck he or she meant in one of their comments to each other! Banallt has clearly changed his ways but struggles to make amends with Sophie to get her to believe in him. Its such a romantic, heart tugging story. She is a great heroine and her resistance is quite believable. There is much backstory going on about her brother, possible war...etc. that keep the story moving. Overall, a very good read that I strongly recommend to historical romance fans.
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May 21, 2025Again, this is one from the archives. Author was younger than and probably slightly more a prick. (Current level of prickliness: variable depending on your perspective)
Reading is so much very about context I sometimes wonder how on earth we’re meant to sensibly assess our responses to, well, just about any book we pick up. I came to Scandal immediately after Bared to You, which had left me a very sad llama indeed. But then Carolyn Jewel took me in out of the rain, wrapped me up in a blanket, gave me a cup of tea and made it all okay again.
I liked Scandal a lot, and I’m 90% certain my enthusiasm wasn’t solely related to the fact it wasn’t Bared to You. It’s a bit of a puzzlebox of a book and it only really comes together after you’ve finished it when you can see where all the pieces are meant to go, which meant it engaged me intellectually more than it drew me in emotionally. That threw me a bit because it’s not what I’m used to in romance, but it was also part of the reason I was so terribly interested in Scandal. It’s quite unlike any historical I’ve read before. From my vast pool of, like, six but y’know.
The book takes place across two timelines. It opens with the Earl of Banallt, ye traditional Regency badboy, rocking up to propose to the heroine, the recently widowed Sophie Evans. They have a hinted-at history of friendship and betrayal from a time when they were both previously married, Banallt to a disappointingly invisible woman (more on this later) and Sophie to a faithless, worthless rake who only wanted her for her fortune. So far, so typical. But Sophie listens very politely to Banallt’s proposal and then turns him down, and that was so not what I was expecting it blew my little socks off. And I spent the rest of Scandal fascinated and confused in almost equal measure.
It’s the first straight romance (straight in the sense of having no paranormal, fantasy or mystery elements to create an external plot) I’ve read where I had literally no idea what was going to happen next, or how the happy ending was supposed to come about. On the one hand, this was quite exciting but, on the other, I found it difficult to get a handle on the emotional trajectory, so that by the time Sophie and Banallt had decided their love and future happiness was actually viable, my response came down to “huh, well … that’s good?” rather than anything more impassioned or joyous. I can’t tell if this was a weakness in me as reader – perhaps if I was more familiar with the genre, I’d have been less hopelessly lost – or a natural consequence of the preoccupations and priorities of the text itself.
Scandal struck me as quite Austenian in many intriguing ways. I’m not trying to play amateur comparative lit here, but one of the things I really like about Austen is what you might call the “love … and” principle: this notion that love can’t just be this abstract thing, it has to be mediated through economics and society and selfhood; that it has to inform behaviour, and engage the mind, as well as the heart and, err, other bits. With Sophie and Banallt, the attainment of love is very much not the focus of their story. It’s already there. It’s about negotiating the possibility of a life together around love and interaction of behaviour, principles and emotion within particular social and personal contexts.
Just as Darcy’s love is pretty much worthless to Elizabeth unless he learns to behave in a way she can admire, Banallt’s love has no meaning to Sophie without his fidelity as well. She turns him down at the beginning of the book, not because of his past betrayal or because she doesn’t have feelings for him, but because – freed from economic or social constraints – she has resolved to marry only for love, and to a man she believes will be faithful to her. This is the spine of the conflict that keeps them apart for much of the book: Sophie’s private Catch 22 of being in love with, and loved by, a man she believes cannot be true to her.
As you might expect from a book called Scandal (a theme, a theme!), society plays a strong role in Sophie and Banallt’s story. One of the most effective aspects of the book, for me, was the portrayal of the deeply claustrophobic world which Banallt and Sophie move through and are trapped in. This is a long quote but indulge me:
The book is full of scenes like this. I don’t think I’ve read a historical (again, pool of six, so take it with a pinch of salt) that has so effectively conveyed such an intense and discomforting sense of social reality. Gatherings feel bewilderingly full of people. The text itself is a crush of names and faces, deceptions and rumours. It’s a world full of watchers, in which Sophie and Banallt’s mutual hyper-awareness creates a lone point of stillness that anchors them not only to each other but to themselves. And the nature of their society, with its hypocrisies and stifling mores, provides both backdrop and context for Sophie’s concerns about Banallt – he wants to prove to her that he’s a changed man but his society will only ever see him as the rake he used to be, and I think one of the many things Scandal wants us to think about is that intersection of our public and private identities: can we truly be someone other than the person people perceive us to be.
Equally, I found the dynamic between Sophie and Banallt both fascinating and utterly different to anything I’ve encountered in the genre before. I think he’s pretty much the only hero I’ve met who has come to the conclusion that, perhaps, the best way to make a woman like you is to, y’know, be nice to her. His initial introduction and betrayal aside, he consistently treats Sophie well over the course of the book, supports her, admires her beauty and her intellect, wants to protect her but at the same time respects her right to make choices – even if those choices do not include marrying him. This shouldn’t be refreshing but it totally was. Also there’s a bit towards the middle of the novel where Sophie decides that, even if she won’t marry Banallt, she might as well accept the fact she fancies the breeches off him … so they become lovers, something that causes her not a moment of guilt or shame:
Go Sophie, go Sophie. And what’s even more interesting about that sequence is that Banallt only agrees to it because he loves her and he’ll pretty much do anything she wants for a hope of winning her heart:
So you have this completely delicious – and slightly tragic – reversal where the woman is in it for the no-strings bonking and the man desperately wants to get married. Also, I know reformed rake is a centuries old fantasy, but I think Scandal offers an interesting twist on it: Banallt is not reformed by the love of a good woman, he goes to some quite significant effort to reform himself for the mere hope of the love of one particular woman. To me, at least, that’s a far more romantic proposition, because it suggests both agency and real personal commitment. I guess I’m just not a DIY fan, especially when it comes to partners.
The downside of all this was that I didn’t really get much sense of Banallt’s rakishness, and therefore why Sophie was so convinced he hadn’t changed, and wasn’t able to. When we first meet him, he’s in full Shithead Mode, turning up at Sophie’s house with her awful husband and a bunch o’ whores, but he’s clearly a much better man than Tommy and, despite their rather tense beginning, Sophie and Banallt soon establish an understanding together. At one point Sophie tells Banallt: “I would rather die than marry the man my husband wished he could be” (p. 20) but since this side of Banallt’s character is neither established or addressed in the book itself – just alluded to – it’s hard to really understand what was going on with him. I mean did he just wake up one morning and decide to be a corrupt, immoral rake for a bit? It wasn’t that I needed to have a specific explanation (like his parents didn’t love him enough or a woman was mean to him once) but it was hard to read any depth into Banallt’s decision to be a better man when I had no idea what drew him to being a bad one. By the same token, I was rather interested in this wife he claimed he loved, but wouldn’t be faithful to, but apart from conveniently dying, she’s otherwise completely absent from the text.
Sophie I found generally likeable but, unlike Banallt, she doesn’t really change over the course of the novel – she just changes in her response to him– and that’s measurably less engaging. She’s one of those not-beautiful heroines everybody fancies, which is fine, although I was slightly exhausted by the number of people who ended up wanting to marry her over the course of the book. We were seriously in “form an orderly queue, gentlemen” territory. There were lots of things I admired about Sophie – she writes books, she’s sharp and intelligent, she got through a basically miserable marriage reasonably intact – but I never really warmed to her as much as I felt I should have done. I think it might have had something to do with just how infatuated Banallt is with her. His POV is so very saturated in Sophie-adoration I found a bit wearying at times and, strangely enough, it kind of got in the way of seeing Sophie. She’s constantly at the centre of Banallt’s desperate yearning which means it’s always less about who she is than who she is to Banallt. But, then again, I guess that’s thematically appropriate because it’s a book so absolutely embedded in ideas of perception and context.
I know I’m using a lot of words like “interested” and “fascinated” and “intrigued” to talk about Scandal, and that brings to me to my main issue with the book, which was that I remained interested, fascinated and intrigued, but I didn’t really feel very much while I was reading. The basis of Sophie and Banallt’s relationship – the friendship that develops into love – is mainly established in the backstory timeline but, even though the sequences are textually close together, they’re chronologically not and I felt like I was being asked to carry forward a lot on pure faith. I really enjoyed the backstory segments because they were the moments when I felt closest to understanding who Sophie and Banallt truly were and what they gave each other but, because nearly all their future interactions are, to some degree, socially constrained or involve some element of holding back or concealment (even when they’re having sex), by the time they got married and decided to have a HEA, I’d sort of lost them in the noise.
Similarly, I’d spent the whole book trying to figure out how Ms Jewel was going to extract her characters from such a deeply complicated mess of human feeling, moral principle, social pressure and past history. I think because I perceived the obstacles standing between Banallt and Sophie as being primarily internal, I expected the resolutions to be likewise. But, instead, at the midpoint of the novel there’s a sudden death and a welter of happenings, none of which seem all that closely connected to the events preceding them. John and Fanny Dashwood turn up on temporary loan from Sense and Sensibility to make Sophie’s life miserable and – out of other options – she decides she might as well marry Banallt for money and security, after all. It’s possible I missed something, but this jarred me slightly loose from the text. It wasn’t what I thought the first half of the novel was leading me towards and, consequently, I found it a bit lacklustre as a conclusion to all the stuff that had initially drawn me in.
Looking back on the book, I can see (and admire) the intricacy of the way the dual chronologies interact, reflecting and contextualising each other. I was, however, sometimes at a slight loss as to know how to read particular scenes in juxtaposition. Banallt’s big betrayal is a somewhat aggressive attempt to sleep with Sophie, not long after receiving the news that his young daughter (the one good thing he says he has ever done in his life) has died. In the present timeline, when Sophie is herself bereaved, she turns to Banallt for physical comfort, which he gives her, utterly selflessly. Obviously I spotted the parallelism (give the man a prize) but I wasn’t sure how to interpret it: was it meant to redeem Banallt’s original betrayal (as he gives, without thought to himself, that which he would have previously taken from Sophie) or to expose the hypocrisy of Sophie’s original refusal. After all, when somebody you love is suffering, it seems a bit harsh to reject them because of your personal morals or your sense of public ethics – especially when you’re clinging to those for someone you doesn’t love you, and has treated you really badly. Or perhaps it was simply meant to reflect on their mutual selfishness at that time – Banallt pushing Sophie for sex, Sophie pushing him away – and their gradual movement to place where Banallt is willing to give and Sophie is willing to accept his giving.
Overall, Scandal struck me as a genuinely unique book – one I suspect I’d probably appreciate even more on a second reading. I liked the depth of the world, the ambition of the premise, the multiple timelines and the way it challenged basically all of my genre expectations. Your mileage may vary on that one but my tiny mind: we may consider it blown.
Everything I learned about life and love from reading Scandal: apparently unattractive women are the most beautiful. Speculating randomly about the colour of a woman’s nipples is perfectly normal behaviour. Two timelines are better than one. When in doubt, become a romance writer.
Reading is so much very about context I sometimes wonder how on earth we’re meant to sensibly assess our responses to, well, just about any book we pick up. I came to Scandal immediately after Bared to You, which had left me a very sad llama indeed. But then Carolyn Jewel took me in out of the rain, wrapped me up in a blanket, gave me a cup of tea and made it all okay again.
I liked Scandal a lot, and I’m 90% certain my enthusiasm wasn’t solely related to the fact it wasn’t Bared to You. It’s a bit of a puzzlebox of a book and it only really comes together after you’ve finished it when you can see where all the pieces are meant to go, which meant it engaged me intellectually more than it drew me in emotionally. That threw me a bit because it’s not what I’m used to in romance, but it was also part of the reason I was so terribly interested in Scandal. It’s quite unlike any historical I’ve read before. From my vast pool of, like, six but y’know.
The book takes place across two timelines. It opens with the Earl of Banallt, ye traditional Regency badboy, rocking up to propose to the heroine, the recently widowed Sophie Evans. They have a hinted-at history of friendship and betrayal from a time when they were both previously married, Banallt to a disappointingly invisible woman (more on this later) and Sophie to a faithless, worthless rake who only wanted her for her fortune. So far, so typical. But Sophie listens very politely to Banallt’s proposal and then turns him down, and that was so not what I was expecting it blew my little socks off. And I spent the rest of Scandal fascinated and confused in almost equal measure.
It’s the first straight romance (straight in the sense of having no paranormal, fantasy or mystery elements to create an external plot) I’ve read where I had literally no idea what was going to happen next, or how the happy ending was supposed to come about. On the one hand, this was quite exciting but, on the other, I found it difficult to get a handle on the emotional trajectory, so that by the time Sophie and Banallt had decided their love and future happiness was actually viable, my response came down to “huh, well … that’s good?” rather than anything more impassioned or joyous. I can’t tell if this was a weakness in me as reader – perhaps if I was more familiar with the genre, I’d have been less hopelessly lost – or a natural consequence of the preoccupations and priorities of the text itself.
Scandal struck me as quite Austenian in many intriguing ways. I’m not trying to play amateur comparative lit here, but one of the things I really like about Austen is what you might call the “love … and” principle: this notion that love can’t just be this abstract thing, it has to be mediated through economics and society and selfhood; that it has to inform behaviour, and engage the mind, as well as the heart and, err, other bits. With Sophie and Banallt, the attainment of love is very much not the focus of their story. It’s already there. It’s about negotiating the possibility of a life together around love and interaction of behaviour, principles and emotion within particular social and personal contexts.
Just as Darcy’s love is pretty much worthless to Elizabeth unless he learns to behave in a way she can admire, Banallt’s love has no meaning to Sophie without his fidelity as well. She turns him down at the beginning of the book, not because of his past betrayal or because she doesn’t have feelings for him, but because – freed from economic or social constraints – she has resolved to marry only for love, and to a man she believes will be faithful to her. This is the spine of the conflict that keeps them apart for much of the book: Sophie’s private Catch 22 of being in love with, and loved by, a man she believes cannot be true to her.
As you might expect from a book called Scandal (a theme, a theme!), society plays a strong role in Sophie and Banallt’s story. One of the most effective aspects of the book, for me, was the portrayal of the deeply claustrophobic world which Banallt and Sophie move through and are trapped in. This is a long quote but indulge me:
Guests had begun arriving from other engagements, and the parlor was now noisy in addition to crowded. He deliberately sought out Sophie so as to avoid meeting her. Despite the crush, he found her quickly [..] She stood near the middle of the room with his cousin Harry’s wife Margaret, facing the door he’d come in by. Sophie’s dark-lashed eyes were fixed on a woman he’d once have pursued straight to a mattress. Mrs. Peters stood with her back to him, so he could only imagine the quizzical expression on her face from the way her head was tipped to one side. Margaret watched Mrs. Peters with an expression that suggested whatever she was hearing from the woman was not to her liking. Sophie looked as if she’d d just been insulted.
The book is full of scenes like this. I don’t think I’ve read a historical (again, pool of six, so take it with a pinch of salt) that has so effectively conveyed such an intense and discomforting sense of social reality. Gatherings feel bewilderingly full of people. The text itself is a crush of names and faces, deceptions and rumours. It’s a world full of watchers, in which Sophie and Banallt’s mutual hyper-awareness creates a lone point of stillness that anchors them not only to each other but to themselves. And the nature of their society, with its hypocrisies and stifling mores, provides both backdrop and context for Sophie’s concerns about Banallt – he wants to prove to her that he’s a changed man but his society will only ever see him as the rake he used to be, and I think one of the many things Scandal wants us to think about is that intersection of our public and private identities: can we truly be someone other than the person people perceive us to be.
Equally, I found the dynamic between Sophie and Banallt both fascinating and utterly different to anything I’ve encountered in the genre before. I think he’s pretty much the only hero I’ve met who has come to the conclusion that, perhaps, the best way to make a woman like you is to, y’know, be nice to her. His initial introduction and betrayal aside, he consistently treats Sophie well over the course of the book, supports her, admires her beauty and her intellect, wants to protect her but at the same time respects her right to make choices – even if those choices do not include marrying him. This shouldn’t be refreshing but it totally was. Also there’s a bit towards the middle of the novel where Sophie decides that, even if she won’t marry Banallt, she might as well accept the fact she fancies the breeches off him … so they become lovers, something that causes her not a moment of guilt or shame:
She was a wicked woman now. An immoral woman. And she didn’t much care.
Go Sophie, go Sophie. And what’s even more interesting about that sequence is that Banallt only agrees to it because he loves her and he’ll pretty much do anything she wants for a hope of winning her heart:
He didn’t want Sophie to be a lover of his. What he wanted was to a permanent, legal relationship duly sanctified by the Church of England. But he knew better than to the raise the subject directly … “If that’s all I’m to have from you Sophie, we’re lovers.”
So you have this completely delicious – and slightly tragic – reversal where the woman is in it for the no-strings bonking and the man desperately wants to get married. Also, I know reformed rake is a centuries old fantasy, but I think Scandal offers an interesting twist on it: Banallt is not reformed by the love of a good woman, he goes to some quite significant effort to reform himself for the mere hope of the love of one particular woman. To me, at least, that’s a far more romantic proposition, because it suggests both agency and real personal commitment. I guess I’m just not a DIY fan, especially when it comes to partners.
The downside of all this was that I didn’t really get much sense of Banallt’s rakishness, and therefore why Sophie was so convinced he hadn’t changed, and wasn’t able to. When we first meet him, he’s in full Shithead Mode, turning up at Sophie’s house with her awful husband and a bunch o’ whores, but he’s clearly a much better man than Tommy and, despite their rather tense beginning, Sophie and Banallt soon establish an understanding together. At one point Sophie tells Banallt: “I would rather die than marry the man my husband wished he could be” (p. 20) but since this side of Banallt’s character is neither established or addressed in the book itself – just alluded to – it’s hard to really understand what was going on with him. I mean did he just wake up one morning and decide to be a corrupt, immoral rake for a bit? It wasn’t that I needed to have a specific explanation (like his parents didn’t love him enough or a woman was mean to him once) but it was hard to read any depth into Banallt’s decision to be a better man when I had no idea what drew him to being a bad one. By the same token, I was rather interested in this wife he claimed he loved, but wouldn’t be faithful to, but apart from conveniently dying, she’s otherwise completely absent from the text.
Sophie I found generally likeable but, unlike Banallt, she doesn’t really change over the course of the novel – she just changes in her response to him– and that’s measurably less engaging. She’s one of those not-beautiful heroines everybody fancies, which is fine, although I was slightly exhausted by the number of people who ended up wanting to marry her over the course of the book. We were seriously in “form an orderly queue, gentlemen” territory. There were lots of things I admired about Sophie – she writes books, she’s sharp and intelligent, she got through a basically miserable marriage reasonably intact – but I never really warmed to her as much as I felt I should have done. I think it might have had something to do with just how infatuated Banallt is with her. His POV is so very saturated in Sophie-adoration I found a bit wearying at times and, strangely enough, it kind of got in the way of seeing Sophie. She’s constantly at the centre of Banallt’s desperate yearning which means it’s always less about who she is than who she is to Banallt. But, then again, I guess that’s thematically appropriate because it’s a book so absolutely embedded in ideas of perception and context.
I know I’m using a lot of words like “interested” and “fascinated” and “intrigued” to talk about Scandal, and that brings to me to my main issue with the book, which was that I remained interested, fascinated and intrigued, but I didn’t really feel very much while I was reading. The basis of Sophie and Banallt’s relationship – the friendship that develops into love – is mainly established in the backstory timeline but, even though the sequences are textually close together, they’re chronologically not and I felt like I was being asked to carry forward a lot on pure faith. I really enjoyed the backstory segments because they were the moments when I felt closest to understanding who Sophie and Banallt truly were and what they gave each other but, because nearly all their future interactions are, to some degree, socially constrained or involve some element of holding back or concealment (even when they’re having sex), by the time they got married and decided to have a HEA, I’d sort of lost them in the noise.
Similarly, I’d spent the whole book trying to figure out how Ms Jewel was going to extract her characters from such a deeply complicated mess of human feeling, moral principle, social pressure and past history. I think because I perceived the obstacles standing between Banallt and Sophie as being primarily internal, I expected the resolutions to be likewise. But, instead, at the midpoint of the novel there’s a sudden death and a welter of happenings, none of which seem all that closely connected to the events preceding them. John and Fanny Dashwood turn up on temporary loan from Sense and Sensibility to make Sophie’s life miserable and – out of other options – she decides she might as well marry Banallt for money and security, after all. It’s possible I missed something, but this jarred me slightly loose from the text. It wasn’t what I thought the first half of the novel was leading me towards and, consequently, I found it a bit lacklustre as a conclusion to all the stuff that had initially drawn me in.
Looking back on the book, I can see (and admire) the intricacy of the way the dual chronologies interact, reflecting and contextualising each other. I was, however, sometimes at a slight loss as to know how to read particular scenes in juxtaposition. Banallt’s big betrayal is a somewhat aggressive attempt to sleep with Sophie, not long after receiving the news that his young daughter (the one good thing he says he has ever done in his life) has died. In the present timeline, when Sophie is herself bereaved, she turns to Banallt for physical comfort, which he gives her, utterly selflessly. Obviously I spotted the parallelism (give the man a prize) but I wasn’t sure how to interpret it: was it meant to redeem Banallt’s original betrayal (as he gives, without thought to himself, that which he would have previously taken from Sophie) or to expose the hypocrisy of Sophie’s original refusal. After all, when somebody you love is suffering, it seems a bit harsh to reject them because of your personal morals or your sense of public ethics – especially when you’re clinging to those for someone you doesn’t love you, and has treated you really badly. Or perhaps it was simply meant to reflect on their mutual selfishness at that time – Banallt pushing Sophie for sex, Sophie pushing him away – and their gradual movement to place where Banallt is willing to give and Sophie is willing to accept his giving.
Overall, Scandal struck me as a genuinely unique book – one I suspect I’d probably appreciate even more on a second reading. I liked the depth of the world, the ambition of the premise, the multiple timelines and the way it challenged basically all of my genre expectations. Your mileage may vary on that one but my tiny mind: we may consider it blown.
Everything I learned about life and love from reading Scandal: apparently unattractive women are the most beautiful. Speculating randomly about the colour of a woman’s nipples is perfectly normal behaviour. Two timelines are better than one. When in doubt, become a romance writer.
March 12, 2023
(Reread December 2015)
4 stars
: still a great book, but WHAT is up with that ending?! So, SO abrupt. Forget wanting an Epilogue - I want an ending!! Because that so didn't feel like one. Lowering rating to 4 stars for that alone, because another 3 or 4 chapters were needed, frankly. Disappointing, since I remember how much I loved the book and so my expectations were super high. Guess I blocked out how much I hated the (LACK OF AN) ending.
(July 2011) 4.5 stars
This time, when I say I'm too exhausted to write a full review, I actually mean it!! This will not be like my recent failed short-review attempt. The book was excellent though, so I have to write at least a little something ...
(PostScript: In case you have not noticed the minuscule size of your scrollbar on the right: I dismally failed - even more than last time).
{ Loved }
* Main characters together --- Both Sophie and Banallt have made it onto my favorite heroines and heroes lists, respectively. They are absolutely perfect together, such a wonderful pairing! Love the sense of ease and camaraderie between them.
* Sophie (26) --- She is one of those heroines I love: intelligent, somewhat socially awkward, not pretty, quiet, but also opinionated, strong, and (at times) passionate. She has such an inner strength from what she had to do in order to survive her first marriage and not let herself be completely broken down. She definitely guards herself, but it's very understandable why and I thought her wariness combined with Banallt's persistence - and how it slowly breaks her down - was very well-done.
* Banallt (33) --- He was utterly fabulous. His "before" and "after" both feel very authentic, yet the transformation between the two is believable. In the present-day of the story, he's become the reformed rake and ::sigh:: he's just dreamy - so passionately in love with Sophie and a very, very decent man. I love it when he's deliciously, quietly jealous - and totally does not want to be! I also love his persistence, determination, and possessiveness / feelings of self-sacrifice. We get a great deal of internal monologue from him and in some ways I felt like I knew him better than Sophie.
* Banallt's necktie problem --- I *loved* how his necktie was always askew and Sophie was always fixing it right. Too cute!
* Chemistry --- Definitely felt it between Sophie and Banallt, and in some places positively sizzles. For the most part, the love scenes are wonderful, though occasionally too many descriptors and metaphors are used, to the point where I wasn't sure who was doing what where.
* Authenticity --- In many ways, Jewel's book is quite "realistic" (mind you, everything's relative). Our main characters have suffered a lot. Bad things happen. Sophie used her talent and ingenuity to make ends meet when she was married to her crapola of a husband. Pre-reformation Banallt is quite unlikable - charming, yes, but still not hero-material - and a blatant and unrepentant adulterer and scoundrel. Other things.
* The back and forth --- The book mainly takes place in the "present," but is interspersed throughout with flashbacks to the different meetings between Sophie and Banallt during her marriage to Mr. A-hole. Those chapters are very well-integrated and I'm so glad they were included; I was afraid we wouldn't get to enjoy how they came to know one another. I also like how we draw closer and closer to that last meeting (in the past), when we see why they parted so badly.
* Supporting characters --- They were great additions, while also not - as I feared at one point - being used for any plot-lengthening or obstacle-placing ploys.
* Writing style and lots of other things
{ Disliked }
* All the "Well. And so."s
* Names, names, names --- This is a minor pet peeve of mine, but I don't like it when a whole book goes by and not once does the heroine call the hero by his first name. It bothers me. Drives me crazy. You're more than a drinking buddy - the man has been inside you, for god's sakes - maybe your address can be a little more familiar and you don't have to always call him by his title. Just a thought. On the subject of names, what was up with all the weird first and last ones here? Sophie and her brother are the only "normal" ones all-around.
* Unbalanced feelings --- Banallt was so passionately in love with Sophie, and even though he is often quiet about it on the outside, as a reader we know it because we're hearing his thoughts and told his feelings. While Sophie did also have strong feelings for him, I don't know that they always measured up and because of that, I thought her declarations needed to be a little stronger and more emphatic (prime ex: the ending; see second-to-last bullet). We know very clearly that it is far more than her looks and body that appeals to him (though those do as well), while with Sophie we hear a little too much about Banallt's looks and not enough about his other attributes.
* Sophie's lack of faith/trust --- Personally, I think this went on a little too long. Granted, we know what Banallt is really thinking and feeling, so we know he's being honest and will be faithful, but she should have at least been more conflicted about whether or not to believe him. And when faced with rumors, I wish she had just straight out asked him, instead of thinking maybe they were true, maybe they weren't.
* Sophie's love for her husband --- I'm actually torn on this one. I think that it was probably more realistic that it took awhile for her love for her husband to die, even after she realized he wasn't the man she thought he was. Such strong feelings don't just die in one day, and sometimes it seemed like it was the idea of him, of what she had thought he was, that she continued to love. Other times though, even though she hated what he did and how he treated her, she seemed to still care for him, and I found it hard to understand.
* Banallt's wife --- I would have liked more details on her and their marriage. I also still have no idea what happened to her and how she died; think Jewel forgot to wrap that part of the story up completely.
* Rushed ending and no epilogue --- Everything went at a nice, steady pace, until that very last scene. It was an important part of the story and of their relationship and definitely warranted more page-time. Especially given the rushed feeling of the ending (and that the book ends when Napoleon has just escaped Elba), an epilogue should have been included.
{ Favorite Quotes }
Went on status overload, so have plenty to choose from (typing these up is going to make me fall in love with Banallt over again!) ...
{ Bottom Line }
My thanks to my GR friends who recommended this book and kept reminding me to read it! Such a fabulous book. I got it from the library, but will be buying my own copy so I can easily reread in the future. So much better than my other Carolyn Jewel experience, Indiscreet . And surprise, surprise, look at the length of this "non-review." Possibly even worse than my Duran review failure. Lost cause = me.
{ Recommendations }
Based on plot or character similarities:
* To Seduce A Sinner by Elizabeth Hoyt (5+ stars)
* Heiress in Love by Christina Brooke (5 stars)
* The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie (5 stars)
* Wed Him Before You Bed Him by Sabrina Jeffries (5 stars)
* Simply Perfect by Mary Balogh (4.5 stars)
* Midnight's Wild Passion by Anna Campbell (4 stars)
* To Wed a Wicked Earl by Olivia Parker (4 stars)
* My False Heart by Liz Carlyle (4 stars)
* Miss Wonderful by Loretta Chase (4 stars)
* At Last Comes Love by Mary Balogh (4 stars)
* Unlocked (novella) by Courtney Milan (3.5 stars)
(July 2011) 4.5 stars
This time, when I say I'm too exhausted to write a full review, I actually mean it!! This will not be like my recent failed short-review attempt. The book was excellent though, so I have to write at least a little something ...
(PostScript: In case you have not noticed the minuscule size of your scrollbar on the right: I dismally failed - even more than last time).
{ Loved }
* Main characters together --- Both Sophie and Banallt have made it onto my favorite heroines and heroes lists, respectively. They are absolutely perfect together, such a wonderful pairing! Love the sense of ease and camaraderie between them.
* Sophie (26) --- She is one of those heroines I love: intelligent, somewhat socially awkward, not pretty, quiet, but also opinionated, strong, and (at times) passionate. She has such an inner strength from what she had to do in order to survive her first marriage and not let herself be completely broken down. She definitely guards herself, but it's very understandable why and I thought her wariness combined with Banallt's persistence - and how it slowly breaks her down - was very well-done.
* Banallt (33) --- He was utterly fabulous. His "before" and "after" both feel very authentic, yet the transformation between the two is believable. In the present-day of the story, he's become the reformed rake and ::sigh:: he's just dreamy - so passionately in love with Sophie and a very, very decent man. I love it when he's deliciously, quietly jealous - and totally does not want to be! I also love his persistence, determination, and possessiveness / feelings of self-sacrifice. We get a great deal of internal monologue from him and in some ways I felt like I knew him better than Sophie.
* Banallt's necktie problem --- I *loved* how his necktie was always askew and Sophie was always fixing it right. Too cute!
* Chemistry --- Definitely felt it between Sophie and Banallt, and in some places positively sizzles. For the most part, the love scenes are wonderful, though occasionally too many descriptors and metaphors are used, to the point where I wasn't sure who was doing what where.
* Authenticity --- In many ways, Jewel's book is quite "realistic" (mind you, everything's relative). Our main characters have suffered a lot. Bad things happen. Sophie used her talent and ingenuity to make ends meet when she was married to her crapola of a husband. Pre-reformation Banallt is quite unlikable - charming, yes, but still not hero-material - and a blatant and unrepentant adulterer and scoundrel. Other things.
* The back and forth --- The book mainly takes place in the "present," but is interspersed throughout with flashbacks to the different meetings between Sophie and Banallt during her marriage to Mr. A-hole. Those chapters are very well-integrated and I'm so glad they were included; I was afraid we wouldn't get to enjoy how they came to know one another. I also like how we draw closer and closer to that last meeting (in the past), when we see why they parted so badly.
* Supporting characters --- They were great additions, while also not - as I feared at one point - being used for any plot-lengthening or obstacle-placing ploys.
* Writing style and lots of other things
{ Disliked }
* All the "Well. And so."s
* Names, names, names --- This is a minor pet peeve of mine, but I don't like it when a whole book goes by and not once does the heroine call the hero by his first name. It bothers me. Drives me crazy. You're more than a drinking buddy - the man has been inside you, for god's sakes - maybe your address can be a little more familiar and you don't have to always call him by his title. Just a thought. On the subject of names, what was up with all the weird first and last ones here? Sophie and her brother are the only "normal" ones all-around.
* Unbalanced feelings --- Banallt was so passionately in love with Sophie, and even though he is often quiet about it on the outside, as a reader we know it because we're hearing his thoughts and told his feelings. While Sophie did also have strong feelings for him, I don't know that they always measured up and because of that, I thought her declarations needed to be a little stronger and more emphatic (prime ex: the ending; see second-to-last bullet). We know very clearly that it is far more than her looks and body that appeals to him (though those do as well), while with Sophie we hear a little too much about Banallt's looks and not enough about his other attributes.
* Sophie's lack of faith/trust --- Personally, I think this went on a little too long. Granted, we know what Banallt is really thinking and feeling, so we know he's being honest and will be faithful, but she should have at least been more conflicted about whether or not to believe him. And when faced with rumors, I wish she had just straight out asked him, instead of thinking maybe they were true, maybe they weren't.
* Sophie's love for her husband --- I'm actually torn on this one. I think that it was probably more realistic that it took awhile for her love for her husband to die, even after she realized he wasn't the man she thought he was. Such strong feelings don't just die in one day, and sometimes it seemed like it was the idea of him, of what she had thought he was, that she continued to love. Other times though, even though she hated what he did and how he treated her, she seemed to still care for him, and I found it hard to understand.
* Banallt's wife --- I would have liked more details on her and their marriage. I also still have no idea what happened to her and how she died; think Jewel forgot to wrap that part of the story up completely.
* Rushed ending and no epilogue --- Everything went at a nice, steady pace, until that very last scene. It was an important part of the story and of their relationship and definitely warranted more page-time. Especially given the rushed feeling of the ending (and that the book ends when Napoleon has just escaped Elba), an epilogue should have been included.
{ Favorite Quotes }
Went on status overload, so have plenty to choose from (typing these up is going to make me fall in love with Banallt over again!) ...
Anxiety pressed in on Banallt, which annoyed him to no end. What he wanted from this moment was proof she hadn't taken possession of his heart. That his memories of her, of the two of them, were distorted by past circumstance. They had met during a turbulent time in his life during which he had perhaps not always behaved as a gentleman ought. They had parted on a day that had forever scarred him. He wanted to see her as plain and uninteresting. He wanted to think that, after all, he'd been mistaken about her eyes. He wanted his fascination with her to have vanished.
None of that had happened. (p. 2)
She was no beauty. Not at first glance. Not even at second glance. [...] The first time he saw her he'd thought it a pity a woman with eyes like hers wasn't better looking. Not the only time he'd misjudged her; merely the first. (p. 2)
Met they had, and Christ, he'd fallen hard. Precisely, he thought, because she was so unexpectedly the opposite of everything. The opposite of his expectations, the opposite of his desires, the opposite of any woman ever to flit into his imagination. (p. 6)
"Naturally, we met. I thought her---" What was he to say? Heartbreaking. And then intriguing, and at last, utterly beguiling. "---charming." (p. 7)
Just that one look from her and all his pent-up and repressed feelings for her returned in force: his anticipation of her company; his delight in her intellect, her wit, her eyes; the way his body clenched when he was near her. No, nothing at all had changed. (p. 11)
She looked at him, and, as ever, he felt a shock at the beauty of her eyes. Thick, thick lashes framed her almond eyes. And the color, my God, a lucid blue green, an astonishing shade sparked to life by her formidable wits. A man could lose his soul in her eyes. A man had. (p. 13)
"I would not marry a man I did not love. And therefore, if I were married to you, it would be because I was in love. And to a woman in love, faithfulness is the air she breathes, not a meal she chooses. One day this, another that. Changing menus all the time because one grows bored." (p. 84)
Their silence was not uncomfortable. Silence between them never had been, unless she was angry with him. He let the silence continue. What, after all, did a man say to the woman who had refused his heart? Though he would allow that perhaps his had been badly offered. [...] He was aware, damn it all, far too aware, of her dainty figure at his side. He could ignore his response to her. He could. And would. (p. 101)
Her eyes turned dreamy. He imagined gazing into her eyes while she came to passion. Inappropriate, yes, but he was a man, after all, and he was not over her no matter how often he told himself that he was. (p. 106)
Banallt was far too aware of Sophie. He had years of practice in not staring at a woman who interested him if his doing so might arouse suspicion. The skill he'd honed to an art form eluded him now. His present circumstances were fundamentally different than in those days. Before Sophie, his interaction with women had been, in essence, about him. [...] With Sophie, the compulsion to stare came from someplace deep inside him, and he could no more stop himself from looking at her than he could stop breathing. (p. 154)
She was not beautiful, not by any objective standard, and yet somehow her features fit together in a way such that he could not help staring, enraptured. (p. 157)
"You've been in my dreams for so long, now that you're real, my hands are shaking, Sophie." His laugh was a soft and velvet rumble in her ear. "I may never get you undressed."
She turned, pressing her hands to her upper chest to keep her gown from falling away. His eyes pierced her, and the backs of her knees tingled. "You mean that, don't you?"
He hooked a finger in the bodice she held trapped against her body and pulled. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever known. You know that's what I think. Don't pretend you don't."
"Look at me, Banallt, and say that. Really look at me." She ran a finger the length of her unfortunate nose.
"I look at you and see a woman who makes my hands tremble." (p. 166)
She wasn't his. Not legally. He could as yet lay no claim to her heart. He wanted the ceremony that would make her indisputably his. He wanted Sophie to be the mother of his children. He wanted Sophie. He wouldn't ever be whole without her. (p. 180)
He wanted her body under his, wrapped around his. He wanted her breath low and on the edge of control, her voice capable of nothing but a ragged echo of his name. (p. 234)
{ Bottom Line }
My thanks to my GR friends who recommended this book and kept reminding me to read it! Such a fabulous book. I got it from the library, but will be buying my own copy so I can easily reread in the future. So much better than my other Carolyn Jewel experience, Indiscreet . And surprise, surprise, look at the length of this "non-review." Possibly even worse than my Duran review failure. Lost cause = me.
{ Recommendations }
Based on plot or character similarities:
* To Seduce A Sinner by Elizabeth Hoyt (5+ stars)
* Heiress in Love by Christina Brooke (5 stars)
* The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie (5 stars)
* Wed Him Before You Bed Him by Sabrina Jeffries (5 stars)
* Simply Perfect by Mary Balogh (4.5 stars)
* Midnight's Wild Passion by Anna Campbell (4 stars)
* To Wed a Wicked Earl by Olivia Parker (4 stars)
* My False Heart by Liz Carlyle (4 stars)
* Miss Wonderful by Loretta Chase (4 stars)
* At Last Comes Love by Mary Balogh (4 stars)
* Unlocked (novella) by Courtney Milan (3.5 stars)
December 24, 2010
4 stars – Historical/Regency Romance
I had high expectations for this and really wanted to 5-star love it, but unfortunately I didn’t. Here are the points that bugged me and kept me from rating it 5 stars.
1. The hero’s name, Gwilym, Earl of Banallt, is stuffy and difficult to pronounce. A silly criticism perhaps, but it never settled with me.
2. Banallt cheated on his wife with numerous affairs and countless dalliances, and not because he was in a miserable, loveless marriage. He confessed to Sophie when they were friends that he loves his wife but yet is unable to be faithful to her or any one woman. So how is Sophie or the reader expected to believe that Banallt’s really a changed man and won’t be unfaithful to Sophie just because she’s supposedly different to him and he’s in love with her?
3. How did Banallt’s wife die? It’s never revealed, which is especially frustrating given the fact there were so many unanswered questions about his relationship with his wife and daughter and the possible affect it had on his character.
4. I never truly connected with the characters, and I wasn’t quite convinced of the “love” between the H/h.
5. The ending was annoyingly abrupt and the lack of epilogue left me unsatisfied.
However, Scandal is still a poignant romance with steamy, sensual, and distinctive love scenes that invested and twisted my emotions. So despite being somewhat underwhelmed by certain aspects of the story, I’m still giving it 4 stars.
I had high expectations for this and really wanted to 5-star love it, but unfortunately I didn’t. Here are the points that bugged me and kept me from rating it 5 stars.
1. The hero’s name, Gwilym, Earl of Banallt, is stuffy and difficult to pronounce. A silly criticism perhaps, but it never settled with me.
2. Banallt cheated on his wife with numerous affairs and countless dalliances, and not because he was in a miserable, loveless marriage. He confessed to Sophie when they were friends that he loves his wife but yet is unable to be faithful to her or any one woman. So how is Sophie or the reader expected to believe that Banallt’s really a changed man and won’t be unfaithful to Sophie just because she’s supposedly different to him and he’s in love with her?
3. How did Banallt’s wife die? It’s never revealed, which is especially frustrating given the fact there were so many unanswered questions about his relationship with his wife and daughter and the possible affect it had on his character.
4. I never truly connected with the characters, and I wasn’t quite convinced of the “love” between the H/h.
5. The ending was annoyingly abrupt and the lack of epilogue left me unsatisfied.
However, Scandal is still a poignant romance with steamy, sensual, and distinctive love scenes that invested and twisted my emotions. So despite being somewhat underwhelmed by certain aspects of the story, I’m still giving it 4 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2021
The story showcases this intense, long forbidden love/attraction, the kind that ensures a lot of angst. It's a greatly liked book. But it somehow failed to connect with me.
Let me just try and lay out what it's all about and what did not work for me.
Let me just try and lay out what it's all about and what did not work for me.
May 13, 2022
Humm, very underwhelming.
The heroine is so EXTREMELY harsh on her judgment about the hero's character that it borders on irrational, even on fanatic. If she had judged her late husband the same way, I would be more understanding. But she did everything for her good for nothing husband, even pardoned him and fell in the trap of falling in love all over again after years of abuse. Accepted pretty much every scrape he gave her, but was so judgmental to a man that was not hers. And worse yet was the fact that she did not want the hero but also did not want anyone else have him. She closed her eyes and ears to the fact that people change and people change specially after a tragedy. Specially if the tragedy involves love.
The heroine was a hypocriete, it is that simple. When some tragedy befall her, she looked for relief in a physical way. But when the same happened with the hero, even tho he insulted her, what did she do? Judged him senseless for years. Couldn't she forgive him?
I didn't like the fact that the hero had to grovel for her to the last page.
Did he deserve some set down? Absolutely. Did he deserve her being horrible to him to the very end? Making little to nothing of his love? I don't think so.
The story was nice but I did not enjoy the heroine blind stubbornness. And seriously that the book ended up like that? So boring. It should have showed a bit of London or a pregnancy or something.
This is my first book from this author and maybe I am being too harsh and a hypocrite myself. But well, for now I will give this book a very low rate indeed.
PS: give me some recommendations from this author, please? What was your favorite book by her? Her writing was quite good.
The heroine is so EXTREMELY harsh on her judgment about the hero's character that it borders on irrational, even on fanatic. If she had judged her late husband the same way, I would be more understanding. But she did everything for her good for nothing husband, even pardoned him and fell in the trap of falling in love all over again after years of abuse. Accepted pretty much every scrape he gave her, but was so judgmental to a man that was not hers. And worse yet was the fact that she did not want the hero but also did not want anyone else have him. She closed her eyes and ears to the fact that people change and people change specially after a tragedy. Specially if the tragedy involves love.
The heroine was a hypocriete, it is that simple. When some tragedy befall her, she looked for relief in a physical way. But when the same happened with the hero, even tho he insulted her, what did she do? Judged him senseless for years. Couldn't she forgive him?
I didn't like the fact that the hero had to grovel for her to the last page.
Did he deserve some set down? Absolutely. Did he deserve her being horrible to him to the very end? Making little to nothing of his love? I don't think so.
The story was nice but I did not enjoy the heroine blind stubbornness. And seriously that the book ended up like that? So boring. It should have showed a bit of London or a pregnancy or something.
This is my first book from this author and maybe I am being too harsh and a hypocrite myself. But well, for now I will give this book a very low rate indeed.
PS: give me some recommendations from this author, please? What was your favorite book by her? Her writing was quite good.
February 11, 2011
This book took me completely by surprise. I opened it up, not expecting much out of the ordinary and was completely swept away. It is beautifully written, with clean and evocative prose that pulls you into the world created by Carolyn Jewel. Her writing is haunting, melancholy and full of longing. All that with a Hero to die for. Seriously.
I absolutely LOVED this book. So much that I posted quotes on my updates (something I rarely do). So much that I found it on my other GR friends tbrs and sent them messages saying "You've gotta read this!!!" So much that I read it slowly, WORD FOR WORD, no skimming. Twice. In a row.
The chemistry between the H/h is front and centre and the author doesn't let up for a minute. Simply a look, a touch, a word is enough to keep the very air between them sizzling. Beautifully done.
Some of the story is told in flashback, little bits at a time, and only enough information to help us understand the H/h's thoughts and feelings in the present is given. This story is all Banallt and Sophie, with no real secondary romances or other annoyances anywhere to be found.
I felt the story was mainly told from Banallt's perspective, which of course meant I fell completely for him.
"Shh," he crooned. He held her while she cried, her hands against his chest. He loved her still, and there didn't seem to be anything he could do about it. He would probably love her until the day he died, a pathetic, dried-up old man married to some worthy woman who would give him his heir and a spare and would never, ever be to him what Sophie was right now and forever."
That also meant I was the teensiest bit impatient with Sophie towards the end (which I thought was a little bit rushed) but not enough to change how much I loved the book.
Here's my checklist, as I gave it to a GR friend whenflogging recommending the book to her:
Tension - check; angst - check; gorgeous Hero desperately in love with heroine (but she doesn't believe him) - check; Hero hugely scandalous - check; heroine in love with hero but doesn't/won't realize it - check.
This is one of the best romance novels I have ever read -- 5 huge, waving hands in the air, jumping up and down stars.
I absolutely LOVED this book. So much that I posted quotes on my updates (something I rarely do). So much that I found it on my other GR friends tbrs and sent them messages saying "You've gotta read this!!!" So much that I read it slowly, WORD FOR WORD, no skimming. Twice. In a row.
The chemistry between the H/h is front and centre and the author doesn't let up for a minute. Simply a look, a touch, a word is enough to keep the very air between them sizzling. Beautifully done.
Some of the story is told in flashback, little bits at a time, and only enough information to help us understand the H/h's thoughts and feelings in the present is given. This story is all Banallt and Sophie, with no real secondary romances or other annoyances anywhere to be found.
I felt the story was mainly told from Banallt's perspective, which of course meant I fell completely for him.
"Shh," he crooned. He held her while she cried, her hands against his chest. He loved her still, and there didn't seem to be anything he could do about it. He would probably love her until the day he died, a pathetic, dried-up old man married to some worthy woman who would give him his heir and a spare and would never, ever be to him what Sophie was right now and forever."
That also meant I was the teensiest bit impatient with Sophie towards the end (which I thought was a little bit rushed) but not enough to change how much I loved the book.
Here's my checklist, as I gave it to a GR friend when
Tension - check; angst - check; gorgeous Hero desperately in love with heroine (but she doesn't believe him) - check; Hero hugely scandalous - check; heroine in love with hero but doesn't/won't realize it - check.
This is one of the best romance novels I have ever read -- 5 huge, waving hands in the air, jumping up and down stars.
May 31, 2012
I'd give this more than 5 stars if I could. This book immersed me in the time period from the first paragraphs. The writing was moving and evocative of the world of lords and ladies of the regency period. It was not done with the use of archaic words but with deft word choices and sentence structures.
As an example, here are the first 2 paragraphs:
The story was lovely. The journey of an unrepentant rake to a man whose only thought is to be true to one woman is told through judicious use of flash backs as well as scenes in the present. The plot absolutely made sense and did not rely on silly misunderstandings. It was very emotional all around as you felt for Banallt as he tried to convince Sophie that he was a changed man. When he assumes that he cannot have her and contemplates which other man might best make her happy, my heart was in my throat.
These characters acted as if they really lived in that time period. They did not run around with modern ideas and attitudes. There were some love scenes. They were integral to the story and were explicit without being in any way raunchy and they came over as full of love and you could feel the emotions of the characters.
This book was a wonderful example of showing not telling. Almost everything you learned about the hero and heroine was illustrated through their interaction and dialog. For example during their first love scene his hands are trembling so much that he almost couldn't get her dress off. The author could have just stated that he'd wanted her for years and was excited to finally be touching her. Trembling hands were much more effective.
Usually I don't mind one way or another if there is an epilogue but I did wish there had been one here. The book took place over about 4 years and the characters suffered so much angst that I would have liked to see them a couple of years down the road happy and content.
I could rave on and on but really, if you love well done historical romances with a nice helping of true love and angst, do yourself a favor and read this book.
As an example, here are the first 2 paragraphs:
"The first thing Gwilym, Earl of Banallt, noticed when he rounded the drive was Sophie perched on the ledge of a low fountain. Surely, he thought, some other explanation existed for the hard slow thud of his heart against his ribs. After all, he hadn't seen her in well over a year, and they had not parted on the best of terms. He ought to be over her by now. And yet the jolt of seeing her again shot straight through to his soul.
He was dismayed beyond words."
The story was lovely. The journey of an unrepentant rake to a man whose only thought is to be true to one woman is told through judicious use of flash backs as well as scenes in the present. The plot absolutely made sense and did not rely on silly misunderstandings. It was very emotional all around as you felt for Banallt as he tried to convince Sophie that he was a changed man. When he assumes that he cannot have her and contemplates which other man might best make her happy, my heart was in my throat.
These characters acted as if they really lived in that time period. They did not run around with modern ideas and attitudes. There were some love scenes. They were integral to the story and were explicit without being in any way raunchy and they came over as full of love and you could feel the emotions of the characters.
This book was a wonderful example of showing not telling. Almost everything you learned about the hero and heroine was illustrated through their interaction and dialog. For example during their first love scene his hands are trembling so much that he almost couldn't get her dress off. The author could have just stated that he'd wanted her for years and was excited to finally be touching her. Trembling hands were much more effective.
Usually I don't mind one way or another if there is an epilogue but I did wish there had been one here. The book took place over about 4 years and the characters suffered so much angst that I would have liked to see them a couple of years down the road happy and content.
I could rave on and on but really, if you love well done historical romances with a nice helping of true love and angst, do yourself a favor and read this book.
October 11, 2017
This was really a good one!
I want to read more of Carolyn Jewel’s books.
However, I need to take off a star bec the hero wore “pantaloons and top boots” to a ball.
This is appalling. When I read this part it was like my finger nails on a chalk board!
I guess I should be greatful the author didn’t send him and heroine to a ball at almacks!!!!
Shudders!!
I want to read more of Carolyn Jewel’s books.
However, I need to take off a star bec the hero wore “pantaloons and top boots” to a ball.
This is appalling. When I read this part it was like my finger nails on a chalk board!
I guess I should be greatful the author didn’t send him and heroine to a ball at almacks!!!!
Shudders!!
July 17, 2014
3 stars
I've never had a gramophone, you know. Mine is a time of CDs and iPhones. Still, I believe that a broken record was perfectly demonstrated in this book. It went like this:
Banallt loves Sophie who doesn't love him back and thinks he's a cheating scumbag. Banallt loves Sophie who doesn't love him back and thinks he's a cheating scumbag. Banallt loves Sophie who doesn't love him back and thinks he's a cheating scumbag. Banallt loves Sophie who doesn't love him back and thinks he's a cheating scumbag. Banallt loves Sophie who doesn't love him back and thinks he's a cheating scumbag. Banallt loves Sophie who doesn't love him back and thinks he's a cheating scumbag...
And over...and over...and over again. The book begins with Banallt in love and proposing marriage to Sophie, who(you know it) doesn't want him and thinks he'd be same as her CPOS(Thanks to Baba for the previously unknown acronym!) husband was. With good reason, mind you, since he was Tommy's(the husband) friend back when he was younger and a scoundrel. But now, he's changed. And he spends the entire book trying to prove that to Mrs. Sophie Evans, who was once his friend, too.
I have to admit I started getting seriously annoyed with Sophie at around 20% percent mark and the feeling didn't go away. Yes, she was scarred by her marriage, but she simply refuses to see anything that doesn't fit her picture of people and events. She's way too stubborn and at one point I imagined myself doing serious damage to her gorgeous eyes.
So, Sophie annoyed, but Banallt was wonderful, all the rating credit goes to him. I know we're almost always more forgiving when it comes to heroes, rather than heroines, but if the situation was reversed I'd be equally annoyed, trust me.
Another thing:what was the story of Banallt's previous marriage? I expected a recollection or an explanation, but nope. Guess it's just not relevant. Just like his name, which was mention only once, or twice I think.
I expected more from this book. It was engrossing, but for me mostly because I kept waiting for Sophie to see the photons. Sadly she did so at the very end of the book. Or is that fortunately? I'll leave that for you, dear friends, to decide and see.
I've never had a gramophone, you know. Mine is a time of CDs and iPhones. Still, I believe that a broken record was perfectly demonstrated in this book. It went like this:
Banallt loves Sophie who doesn't love him back and thinks he's a cheating scumbag. Banallt loves Sophie who doesn't love him back and thinks he's a cheating scumbag. Banallt loves Sophie who doesn't love him back and thinks he's a cheating scumbag. Banallt loves Sophie who doesn't love him back and thinks he's a cheating scumbag. Banallt loves Sophie who doesn't love him back and thinks he's a cheating scumbag. Banallt loves Sophie who doesn't love him back and thinks he's a cheating scumbag...
And over...and over...and over again. The book begins with Banallt in love and proposing marriage to Sophie, who(you know it) doesn't want him and thinks he'd be same as her CPOS(Thanks to Baba for the previously unknown acronym!) husband was. With good reason, mind you, since he was Tommy's(the husband) friend back when he was younger and a scoundrel. But now, he's changed. And he spends the entire book trying to prove that to Mrs. Sophie Evans, who was once his friend, too.
I have to admit I started getting seriously annoyed with Sophie at around 20% percent mark and the feeling didn't go away. Yes, she was scarred by her marriage, but she simply refuses to see anything that doesn't fit her picture of people and events. She's way too stubborn and at one point I imagined myself doing serious damage to her gorgeous eyes.
So, Sophie annoyed, but Banallt was wonderful, all the rating credit goes to him. I know we're almost always more forgiving when it comes to heroes, rather than heroines, but if the situation was reversed I'd be equally annoyed, trust me.
Another thing:what was the story of Banallt's previous marriage? I expected a recollection or an explanation, but nope. Guess it's just not relevant. Just like his name, which was mention only once, or twice I think.
I expected more from this book. It was engrossing, but for me mostly because I kept waiting for Sophie to see the photons. Sadly she did so at the very end of the book. Or is that fortunately? I'll leave that for you, dear friends, to decide and see.
September 18, 2011
The Earl of Banallt makes love like a pornstar...if pornstars were crafted with beautiful and provocative words, that is. That's not to say that this book is lurid - far from it, in fact. The love scenes are intimate and revealing. They're also so well-choreographed that I got the feeling that Banallt really knew what he was doing. Yes, it's pretty darn sexay.
I really enjoyed this book, and I loved reading about the Earl of Banallt's agonizing unrequited love for our heroine, Sophie. The story is passionate, emotional, and well-crafted with elegant writing. Our hero, Gwilym, Lord Banallt (yes, they call him "Banallt" in the book, thank GOD), has been attracted to Sophie ever since he first met her at his friend's country house. Sadly for Banallt, Sophie was the aforementioned friend's wife, however long-neglected. She's loyal to her wedding vows and refuses to have anything to do with Banallt in the physical sense. However, the two strike up an unusual friendship over the course of various visits Banallt makes to the country house with Sophie's wastrel husband, and Sophie and Banallt bond over their mutual love of books and Sophie's being the authoress of some of Banallt's favorite novels. They have a falling out, however, which leaves Sophie believing that Banallt is irredeemably as incorrigible a rake as her erstwhile husband. Don't get me wrong - Banallt IS a rake; Sophie just never expected him to be rakish with her.
Years pass, and we find that (a) Banallt has returned from Paris, where he has been since their falling out, and (b) Sophie has been widowed for almost that entire period of time, as well. The romance shows us Banallt's efforts to woo Sophie and, when she proves recalcitrant due to her belief in his rakishness, his efforts at least to rekindle their friendship. We all know where any such "friendship" will lead, of course.
I really liked this story and the way that the author tells it. Interspersed between the present-day telling of the tale are chapters that reveal Sophie and Banallt's past and their previous encounters with each other, including that fateful day when their friendship was ruined. Such back-and-forth initially took some time to digest, but I feel it really added to the depth of the story and our understanding of their relationship.
As I alluded to before, Banallt is really a wonderful hero. I love unrequited love stories, and this one is right up there with the best. He's pining after Sophie and wants to mend his ways. Since their quarrel, he's been away on the Continent all this time and has repented for his scandalous past. He wants to know what he can do to fix things and is not deterred when his confession of love for Sophie does not meet with reciprocal sentiments. Unfortunately for Banallt, despite his efforts at present, scandal and rumors have a way of following him after all of these years. Sophie will not look beyond his past and these blemishes to see the man that loves her.
Sophie's obstinacy is actually the reason I give this book 4 stars rather than a full 4.5 or 5. She steadfastly refuses to believe in Banallt and the evidence before her eyes. Rather than observe him as he is now (e.g., he is a trusted political adviser to a powerful duke), she instead insists on listening and giving weight to rumors about, e.g., his supposedly continued and numerous affairs with married women. I found her stubbornness very frustrating, and it actually made me doubt Banallt's conviction that Sophie is unusually intelligent. Banallt's patience with her, however, made me think he would qualify for sainthood (and made me love him all the more!).
The author balances the POV equally between Banallt and Sophie with great effect. The book actually opens with Banallt's POV (already obsessive from page one), which is an unusual choice, but which I loved. The writing voice reminded me of traditional Regencies of yesteryear, and I would highly recommend this story as a lovely romance with gripping and emotional love scenes and a passionately devoted hero.
I really enjoyed this book, and I loved reading about the Earl of Banallt's agonizing unrequited love for our heroine, Sophie. The story is passionate, emotional, and well-crafted with elegant writing. Our hero, Gwilym, Lord Banallt (yes, they call him "Banallt" in the book, thank GOD), has been attracted to Sophie ever since he first met her at his friend's country house. Sadly for Banallt, Sophie was the aforementioned friend's wife, however long-neglected. She's loyal to her wedding vows and refuses to have anything to do with Banallt in the physical sense. However, the two strike up an unusual friendship over the course of various visits Banallt makes to the country house with Sophie's wastrel husband, and Sophie and Banallt bond over their mutual love of books and Sophie's being the authoress of some of Banallt's favorite novels. They have a falling out, however, which leaves Sophie believing that Banallt is irredeemably as incorrigible a rake as her erstwhile husband. Don't get me wrong - Banallt IS a rake; Sophie just never expected him to be rakish with her.
Years pass, and we find that (a) Banallt has returned from Paris, where he has been since their falling out, and (b) Sophie has been widowed for almost that entire period of time, as well. The romance shows us Banallt's efforts to woo Sophie and, when she proves recalcitrant due to her belief in his rakishness, his efforts at least to rekindle their friendship. We all know where any such "friendship" will lead, of course.
I really liked this story and the way that the author tells it. Interspersed between the present-day telling of the tale are chapters that reveal Sophie and Banallt's past and their previous encounters with each other, including that fateful day when their friendship was ruined. Such back-and-forth initially took some time to digest, but I feel it really added to the depth of the story and our understanding of their relationship.
As I alluded to before, Banallt is really a wonderful hero. I love unrequited love stories, and this one is right up there with the best. He's pining after Sophie and wants to mend his ways. Since their quarrel, he's been away on the Continent all this time and has repented for his scandalous past. He wants to know what he can do to fix things and is not deterred when his confession of love for Sophie does not meet with reciprocal sentiments. Unfortunately for Banallt, despite his efforts at present, scandal and rumors have a way of following him after all of these years. Sophie will not look beyond his past and these blemishes to see the man that loves her.
Sophie's obstinacy is actually the reason I give this book 4 stars rather than a full 4.5 or 5. She steadfastly refuses to believe in Banallt and the evidence before her eyes. Rather than observe him as he is now (e.g., he is a trusted political adviser to a powerful duke), she instead insists on listening and giving weight to rumors about, e.g., his supposedly continued and numerous affairs with married women. I found her stubbornness very frustrating, and it actually made me doubt Banallt's conviction that Sophie is unusually intelligent. Banallt's patience with her, however, made me think he would qualify for sainthood (and made me love him all the more!).
The author balances the POV equally between Banallt and Sophie with great effect. The book actually opens with Banallt's POV (already obsessive from page one), which is an unusual choice, but which I loved. The writing voice reminded me of traditional Regencies of yesteryear, and I would highly recommend this story as a lovely romance with gripping and emotional love scenes and a passionately devoted hero.
December 19, 2014
I'm so angry with the rating system! I want to be able to include half points, because this one's so clearly a 4.5 for me that neither 4 nor 5 will do. But since a couple of things bugged me near the end, I couldn't convince myself to give it a 5 right now.
This is an emotional, melancholy, angsty story 'a la' Private Arrangements. The story involves lord Banallt and Mrs Sophie Evans. When they first met, they were both married but that didn't stop Banallt from trying to get into her bed. Surprisingly though, they became friends eventually, but at some point something happened that caused them to separate in bad terms. A couple of years later, they are both free and Banallt has realised that Sophie is the one woman for him. He proposes, but Sophie refuses, believing Banallt to be an unfaithful husband (which he was in the past) and a rake identical to her first husband. Banallt accepts defeat, but circumstances throw them together again, testing both their resolve.
The story is told in pieces, starting in the present, directly with Banallt's marriage proposal, with flashes in their past history. It's a story beautifully written, poetically even, and the whole melancholy that surrounds it, adds to its allure. Banallt is an amazing hero. Once a true rake, he has now changed his ways only Sophie won't believe he's trully reformed. His heartache, his love for her, his willingness to put her happiness over his, make him one of my favorite heroes ever. Sophie however, remained obstinate and hardheaded for way longer than I thought was necessary and that, along with the extremely abrupt ending, are the reasons for this half star reduction. But she was a strong character and at least had good reason for acting the way she did.
A book highly recommended for fans of darker, angstier romance.
This is an emotional, melancholy, angsty story 'a la' Private Arrangements. The story involves lord Banallt and Mrs Sophie Evans. When they first met, they were both married but that didn't stop Banallt from trying to get into her bed. Surprisingly though, they became friends eventually, but at some point something happened that caused them to separate in bad terms. A couple of years later, they are both free and Banallt has realised that Sophie is the one woman for him. He proposes, but Sophie refuses, believing Banallt to be an unfaithful husband (which he was in the past) and a rake identical to her first husband. Banallt accepts defeat, but circumstances throw them together again, testing both their resolve.
The story is told in pieces, starting in the present, directly with Banallt's marriage proposal, with flashes in their past history. It's a story beautifully written, poetically even, and the whole melancholy that surrounds it, adds to its allure. Banallt is an amazing hero. Once a true rake, he has now changed his ways only Sophie won't believe he's trully reformed. His heartache, his love for her, his willingness to put her happiness over his, make him one of my favorite heroes ever. Sophie however, remained obstinate and hardheaded for way longer than I thought was necessary and that, along with the extremely abrupt ending, are the reasons for this half star reduction. But she was a strong character and at least had good reason for acting the way she did.
A book highly recommended for fans of darker, angstier romance.
November 19, 2012
Whoa! I'm seeing tons of 4 and 5 star ratings for this book, but after reading it, I'm just not seeing where they're coming from. Did we read the same book?
It was ok...ish, but for a romance novel it was also really hard to slog through.
The widowed Earl of Banalt is desperately in love with the widowed Mrs. Sophie Evans. But since he used to be an unfaithful to his wife, and her husband used to be unfaithful to her, she won't give him a chance. Makes sense at first, right?
It does!
Except the theme goes on and on and on and on and on and on throughout the entire book!
She loves him, and he loves her! Move on!
Another thing I didn't like were the odd flashbacks. They told how the two originally met and became friends before they were both widowed. They were strange and seemed thrown in at random times.
Supposedly Banalt is all kinds of hot, but the author's description of him didn't do it for me. He described as being super pale, with (not joking here) dead-looking silver eyes.
Whew!
Sure sounds like Mr. Sexy-Pants to me!
????
Maybe if there had been even a trace of humor in story it would have helped?
But no.
This was definitely not the light read I was hoping for.
Recommended for fans of slow-moving melodramatic romances.
It was ok...ish, but for a romance novel it was also really hard to slog through.
The widowed Earl of Banalt is desperately in love with the widowed Mrs. Sophie Evans. But since he used to be an unfaithful to his wife, and her husband used to be unfaithful to her, she won't give him a chance. Makes sense at first, right?
It does!
Except the theme goes on and on and on and on and on and on throughout the entire book!
She loves him, and he loves her! Move on!
Another thing I didn't like were the odd flashbacks. They told how the two originally met and became friends before they were both widowed. They were strange and seemed thrown in at random times.
Supposedly Banalt is all kinds of hot, but the author's description of him didn't do it for me. He described as being super pale, with (not joking here) dead-looking silver eyes.
Whew!
Sure sounds like Mr. Sexy-Pants to me!
????
Maybe if there had been even a trace of humor in story it would have helped?
But no.
This was definitely not the light read I was hoping for.
Recommended for fans of slow-moving melodramatic romances.
April 18, 2022
*4.75 stars*
Reread 04.16.2022
Read 2021: 4 stars
“He meant to kiss her. She knew she ought not permit it. But she did. Because she was twenty-six years old and had never been kissed by a man who wanted her. And she wanted that. She wanted that with Banallt because he’d always been forbidden to her. Because he had never once lied to her about his desire for her.”
I absolutely loved this when I read it over a year ago, but I never wrote a review. Although the book was published in 2009, it still holds up well today. It’s an unusual story because it starts off with both MCs married. Don’t worry though, there’s no cheating. Both Sophie and the Earl of Banallt lose their spouses within a few years, at which point they meet again. The plot moves back and forth in time, and while I’m generally not a fan of time-shifts, these are flawlessly executed.
What I loved:
—Amazing characterization. Sophie is an intelligent, young heroine who makes the best of a disastrous first marriage and goes on to become a fiercely independent widow.
— Sinfully handsome Banallt is an unapologetic rake and a close friend of Sofie’s philandering husband, but he undergoes a wonderful redemption arc.
— Beautiful writing.
— Their story is incredibly romantic and emotional. A repentant hero. A proud heroine. Tragedy. Mutual pining. Missed opportunities. Steamy love scenes.
— A perfectly paced slow burn that will keep you riveted.
— The mystery behind Bannalt’s terrible deed and Sophie’s big secret build up to spectacular great reveals.
Reread 04.16.2022
Read 2021: 4 stars
“He meant to kiss her. She knew she ought not permit it. But she did. Because she was twenty-six years old and had never been kissed by a man who wanted her. And she wanted that. She wanted that with Banallt because he’d always been forbidden to her. Because he had never once lied to her about his desire for her.”
I absolutely loved this when I read it over a year ago, but I never wrote a review. Although the book was published in 2009, it still holds up well today. It’s an unusual story because it starts off with both MCs married. Don’t worry though, there’s no cheating. Both Sophie and the Earl of Banallt lose their spouses within a few years, at which point they meet again. The plot moves back and forth in time, and while I’m generally not a fan of time-shifts, these are flawlessly executed.
What I loved:
—Amazing characterization. Sophie is an intelligent, young heroine who makes the best of a disastrous first marriage and goes on to become a fiercely independent widow.
— Sinfully handsome Banallt is an unapologetic rake and a close friend of Sofie’s philandering husband, but he undergoes a wonderful redemption arc.
— Beautiful writing.
— Their story is incredibly romantic and emotional. A repentant hero. A proud heroine. Tragedy. Mutual pining. Missed opportunities. Steamy love scenes.
— A perfectly paced slow burn that will keep you riveted.
— The mystery behind Bannalt’s terrible deed and Sophie’s big secret build up to spectacular great reveals.
July 18, 2022
UPDATE: 2nd read.
This is by far one of my favorite reformed rake stories. The entire book is Banallt trying to make amends to Sophie and convince her that he really, truly loves loves her. I love this quote from page one, where Banallt meets Sophie again for the first time after doing so badly by her:
____________________________________________
The Earl of Banallt used to be friends with Tommy Evans, a man who was the mirror image of Banallt. It's an unflattering picture: adulterer, alcoholic, spendthrift. The only difference is, Tommy married his way into the means for the lifestyle, while Banallt was born into it.
Banallt meets Tommy's neglected wife, Sophie, and he's instantly smitten. He wants to seduce her, but she's having none of it. She's the casualty of Tommy's lifestyle: waiting alone at a country estate while Tommy indulges in mistresses and expensive tailors. Sophie is used to being ignored, and she believes that, at best, she's a whim to Banallt. It's possible she's correct in the beginning.
The book works it's way backwards: we start after Tommy is dead and Banallt is trying to work his way, gradually, back into Sophie's good graces. In flashbacks, we see Banallt quickly become enraptured while Sophie is still entangled with her inattentive husband.
In present day (er... present day Regency?) Sophie has been burned once by a rake husband, so she's not eager to entertain another prospect. Banallt has to prove that he's changed to win Sophie's trust and affection, and it's a lengthy and arduous task because rakes are, after all, liars. His well-earned reputation is working against him.
The entire book is Banallt working to be worthy of Sophie's love, which is no less than she deserves. It's bittersweet and endearing.
This is by far one of my favorite reformed rake stories. The entire book is Banallt trying to make amends to Sophie and convince her that he really, truly loves loves her. I love this quote from page one, where Banallt meets Sophie again for the first time after doing so badly by her:
He ought to be over her by now. And yet the jolt of seeing her again shot straight through to his soul.
He was dismayed beyond words.
____________________________________________
The Earl of Banallt used to be friends with Tommy Evans, a man who was the mirror image of Banallt. It's an unflattering picture: adulterer, alcoholic, spendthrift. The only difference is, Tommy married his way into the means for the lifestyle, while Banallt was born into it.
Banallt meets Tommy's neglected wife, Sophie, and he's instantly smitten. He wants to seduce her, but she's having none of it. She's the casualty of Tommy's lifestyle: waiting alone at a country estate while Tommy indulges in mistresses and expensive tailors. Sophie is used to being ignored, and she believes that, at best, she's a whim to Banallt. It's possible she's correct in the beginning.
The book works it's way backwards: we start after Tommy is dead and Banallt is trying to work his way, gradually, back into Sophie's good graces. In flashbacks, we see Banallt quickly become enraptured while Sophie is still entangled with her inattentive husband.
In present day (er... present day Regency?) Sophie has been burned once by a rake husband, so she's not eager to entertain another prospect. Banallt has to prove that he's changed to win Sophie's trust and affection, and it's a lengthy and arduous task because rakes are, after all, liars. His well-earned reputation is working against him.
The entire book is Banallt working to be worthy of Sophie's love, which is no less than she deserves. It's bittersweet and endearing.
July 10, 2011
If there’s one thing I can say about Carolyn Jewel, it’s that she can write the hell out of an emotional scene. While reading, I rarely found individual lines that jumped out at me as quotable. I was surprised by this, since I had heard so many people say how awesome this book was, but I soon realized that it’s not the lines themselves that make Jewel’s work so memorable, it’s the way she layers those lines together and builds the emotion in a scene. By the time she was done, her writing had grabbed me by the throat and sucked me in.
Jewel has written a truly excellent hero in Banallt. We spend the majority of our time in his POV, and he was what made the book for me. He was so gone for the heroine that I can’t help but sigh just thinking about it. Whether viewing him in the present or in the past, Banallt was written perfectly. His longing for the heroine never felt overdone, and I think the author did a great job of showing a believable transformation from debauchery to monogamy.
Sophie, unfortunately, was not as enjoyable for me. I liked her, but something was off about her characterization. I just didn’t understand her. And that, for me, is vitally important. I thought I did in the beginning, but the further I got into the novel, the more I realized I didn’t. For one thing, I never felt that her professed love for her husband was believable. I needed more of an explanation there for me to believe that a girl who was bankrupted and cheated on by her man-whore of a husband would continue to adore him through it all.
I could believe that Sophie was the type to silently endure her husband’s behavior without making any scenes, but to continue to love him? It just didn’t work for me. At one point Sophie discusses her past and talks about falling in love with her husband all over again, so I know that some people will take that to mean that she didn’t love him the whole time. Yet Sophie and Banallt both say again and again that she did. Banallt even remarks that he used to be jealous of the way she looked at her husband. I have to assume the author was pointing out the difference between Sophie being in love with her husband and just plain loving him. I really wish this had been clearer, though.
I also found myself frustrated by Sophie’s continual disbelief that Banallt had changed. On one hand I thought her back and forth attitude felt authentic to a woman with her past, but on the other I was eventually fed up. Are you blind, woman?!?! The fault didn’t just lie with Sophie, though. Why didn’t Banallt ever lay it on the line for her? There were no Big Misunderstandings here, but I really felt the communication could have been better.
There came a point in the book where my mouth dropped open and I just gaped at the page. I couldn’t believe that the author had pulled something so utterly surprising. Usually I see these things coming, but here I didn’t. I have to give the author kudos for doing it. It pulled at my heartstrings viciously, but it went perfectly with the book.
I really loved the way the author threaded flashbacks through the book. Witnessing Banallt and Sophie build a friendship and an attraction together was so much better than just hearing about it. I loved how the journey to the scene that explained the severing of their friendship wasn’t rushed. My anticipation was high by the time it was finally revealed. I have to admit that I felt a little underwhelmed by the “betrayal”, but the excellent execution of the buildup and the eventual reveal made me less upset by this than I usually would be.
Because most of the book was so fabulous, it really made those off moments more pronounced than they would have been otherwise. Like the way the author described the hero’s eyes throughout the book.
I also found the author’s inclusion of past-Banallt telling Sophie that he “loved” his wife, even though he cheated on her constantly, really aggravating, considering she didn’t bother to give any further explanations or depth to that past relationship. We never find out why he cheated on his wife if he loved her. And we never got any internal musings in his present self that would have shown some inner awareness that what he felt before wasn’t actually love. Instead, the author left it open and left me feeling unsettled about their future. If he loved one woman and cheated on her, what’s to say he won’t do it again to Sophie? I, of course, don’t believe that what he felt before was actually love, but having the author skim over these little details that I find so incredibly important ultimately made me lower my grade.
Favorite Quote:
*For a sneak peak of the book check out my Tempting Teaser on Fiction Vixen*
Jewel has written a truly excellent hero in Banallt. We spend the majority of our time in his POV, and he was what made the book for me. He was so gone for the heroine that I can’t help but sigh just thinking about it. Whether viewing him in the present or in the past, Banallt was written perfectly. His longing for the heroine never felt overdone, and I think the author did a great job of showing a believable transformation from debauchery to monogamy.
"Before Sophie, his interaction with women had been, in essence, about him. His choices. His reactions. His anticipation. Back then, he didn't gaze endlessly at a woman who struck his fancy, because if he did, his seduction of her would have been thwarted by gossip or someone's interference. With Sophie, the compulsion to stare came from someplace deep inside him, and he could no more stop himself from looking at her than he could stop breathing."
Sophie, unfortunately, was not as enjoyable for me. I liked her, but something was off about her characterization. I just didn’t understand her. And that, for me, is vitally important. I thought I did in the beginning, but the further I got into the novel, the more I realized I didn’t. For one thing, I never felt that her professed love for her husband was believable. I needed more of an explanation there for me to believe that a girl who was bankrupted and cheated on by her man-whore of a husband would continue to adore him through it all.
I could believe that Sophie was the type to silently endure her husband’s behavior without making any scenes, but to continue to love him? It just didn’t work for me. At one point Sophie discusses her past and talks about falling in love with her husband all over again, so I know that some people will take that to mean that she didn’t love him the whole time. Yet Sophie and Banallt both say again and again that she did. Banallt even remarks that he used to be jealous of the way she looked at her husband. I have to assume the author was pointing out the difference between Sophie being in love with her husband and just plain loving him. I really wish this had been clearer, though.
I also found myself frustrated by Sophie’s continual disbelief that Banallt had changed. On one hand I thought her back and forth attitude felt authentic to a woman with her past, but on the other I was eventually fed up. Are you blind, woman?!?! The fault didn’t just lie with Sophie, though. Why didn’t Banallt ever lay it on the line for her? There were no Big Misunderstandings here, but I really felt the communication could have been better.
There came a point in the book where my mouth dropped open and I just gaped at the page. I couldn’t believe that the author had pulled something so utterly surprising. Usually I see these things coming, but here I didn’t. I have to give the author kudos for doing it. It pulled at my heartstrings viciously, but it went perfectly with the book.
I really loved the way the author threaded flashbacks through the book. Witnessing Banallt and Sophie build a friendship and an attraction together was so much better than just hearing about it. I loved how the journey to the scene that explained the severing of their friendship wasn’t rushed. My anticipation was high by the time it was finally revealed. I have to admit that I felt a little underwhelmed by the “betrayal”, but the excellent execution of the buildup and the eventual reveal made me less upset by this than I usually would be.
Because most of the book was so fabulous, it really made those off moments more pronounced than they would have been otherwise. Like the way the author described the hero’s eyes throughout the book.
"His eyes, flat, nearly dead, fixed on her, but something in her reacted to that lifeless silver."Blech! That was a very poor choice of words. There is a large difference between having guarded or empty eyes and having “lifeless” eyes. We’re not dealing with zombies here, people. Reading about someone’s lifeless eyes in a sex scene that’s supposed to be filled with passion totally kills the mood for me.
I also found the author’s inclusion of past-Banallt telling Sophie that he “loved” his wife, even though he cheated on her constantly, really aggravating, considering she didn’t bother to give any further explanations or depth to that past relationship. We never find out why he cheated on his wife if he loved her. And we never got any internal musings in his present self that would have shown some inner awareness that what he felt before wasn’t actually love. Instead, the author left it open and left me feeling unsettled about their future. If he loved one woman and cheated on her, what’s to say he won’t do it again to Sophie? I, of course, don’t believe that what he felt before was actually love, but having the author skim over these little details that I find so incredibly important ultimately made me lower my grade.
Favorite Quote:
"Sometimes I think about it, that giddy feeling in your stomach, feeling as if you'll die if he doesn't smile at you. The part of me that loved Tommy like that leaves me sick." Her voice fell. "I'm nothing but ashes inside. My heart's burnt up. I've nothing to give a marriage, Banallt."
*For a sneak peak of the book check out my Tempting Teaser on Fiction Vixen*
April 13, 2016
Gorgeous prose using period appropriate language. I felt Banallt's ache and longing quite acutely. He makes a wonderful hero, unwaveringly loyal, devastatingly handsome with enough past rakish experience to heat up their intimate scenes. Sophie, she takes too long to remove her blinders and see Banallt for what he is, rather than what the malicious gossips portray him to be.
December 10, 2022
I’m on a roll of reading books about the H being head over heels for the h. Banalt is in lurve… Sophie has recently been widowed by her philandering husband of 8 years. He was a big time cheater who married Sophie for her money. Banalt was her dead husband’s partner in debauchery. The Mcs met several years ago when Sophie’s husband brought Banalt and his current woman of I’ll repute to the country estate where Sophie had been abandoned. It was a very sleazy scene. Eventually Banalt and Sophie became friends. Banalt was constantly trying to get her to sleep with him but she stayed true to her yucky husband. After awhile Banalt was an asshole to Sophie and as the book starts it’s 3 years later and Sophie is a widow. The story is basically Banalt pursuing and groveling and Sophie refusing to forgive and or love him until the very end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2017
3 stars. I was unsure how to rate this since I jumped from hating it to loving it, from being bored to really enjoying it. Safe to say I will sit around 3 stars. I did however skim read a lot towards the end, so if anything, I would drop it down a half star. I had a bunch of issues with this book. I like the way Jewel writes, but this book really needed some polishing. Some story lines were just left behind, or people would be described one way and be different later on. Hmm, it's hard to explain, but I'll try to touch on everything. I have way too many thoughts running through my head right now, I wish I was better at putting them to paper..
First, I actually enjoyed Sophie's character the most. I rarely favor the heroine. But, in this book, it seemed the author focused mainly on her backstory, so I felt closer to her than the hero. A lot of readers commented that she needed to get over her past sooner and that the author dragged on her fear of being cheated on. I disagree. If you were married to someone that you loved, but they were always unfaithful to you, I doubt you could easily forget what that felt like. The other problem that kept Sophie from opening her heart to Banallt, was that Banallt was unfaithful to his first wife. In my opinion, once a cheat always a cheat. He was a known rake. Why wouldn't Sophie be hesitant to marry him?
On to Banallt.. I think my issue with him was that I didn't like him from the beginning. The entire first chapter was him describing how Sophie was not his type and she had an unattractive nose and that she was barely pretty. He even said her lips were too small. Which is funny because later in the book he said how much he liked her full lips, but I digress. Then we are given snippets of their past and how they met and we are TOLD they became friends and we are TOLD he falls in love with her. But I still have no idea HOW it happened! If you are going to give us flashbacks, please let them explain when and how he fell in love with someone that's not his type and someone that is married. It truly seemed that he wanted her because he couldn't have her and because he pitied her because he knew her husband was an a**hole. There was one scene where we find out that she writes books and Banallt had apparently read them all so maybe that's where he fell in love? Because she can write and has a brain? That's what we are left to assume I guess. Which is funny, because the whole time we hear Sophie talking about how hot her ex was and how hot Banallt is, not sure why she fell in love either, but guess she's just as shallow. It just seemed like lust to me, on both ends. Plus the author completely left out any explanation of what happened to his first wife. I mean, obviously she died, but he told us he loved her and couldn't be faithful to her. So how am I supposed to believe he loves Sophie and will be faithful to her? I dunno. I really wish Banallt had more of a backstory. I have no idea who he is. Fast forward to present day, after he gets back from Paris and for some reason he's still pining for Sophie and already loves her. So there isn't really any excitement with that revelation, had to wait to get it from Sophie at the very end.
Speaking of revelations.. I thought there was going to be this big revelation at the end because Sophie had this secret (which the author kind of threw in at the end anyway). Definitely didn't go the way I thought it would lol (my mind went a lot darker) and it was silly and just totally unnecessary. There was also a tragedy a little earlier in the book, (one which really pissed me off, but I guess it was necessary) and Sophie's first thought is, "let me give Banallt a blow job" what????? Sorry to jump around, but some of these scenes left me scratching my head! I don't want to spoil anything, but you'll know what I mean once you read it.
Many readers seemed upset there wasn't an epilogue and that the book ended a little abruptly. I actually didn't mind it. I was kind of ready for it to be over. It was just enough for me. I can see why people felt that way, but maybe after reading so many HR's that do the same, I wasn't that surprised or bothered. If I loved Sophie and Banallt (what was his real name again anyway?), I probably wouldn't have wanted it to end.
This sounds mostly all bad, so you may be wondering why I ended up with 3 stars? I'm kind of wondering that too haha. There was something about it that I liked. And 2 just didn't seem high enough. My other 2 star reads are books I would never touch again with a 10-foot pole. This one, I may consider it..
First, I actually enjoyed Sophie's character the most. I rarely favor the heroine. But, in this book, it seemed the author focused mainly on her backstory, so I felt closer to her than the hero. A lot of readers commented that she needed to get over her past sooner and that the author dragged on her fear of being cheated on. I disagree. If you were married to someone that you loved, but they were always unfaithful to you, I doubt you could easily forget what that felt like. The other problem that kept Sophie from opening her heart to Banallt, was that Banallt was unfaithful to his first wife. In my opinion, once a cheat always a cheat. He was a known rake. Why wouldn't Sophie be hesitant to marry him?
On to Banallt.. I think my issue with him was that I didn't like him from the beginning. The entire first chapter was him describing how Sophie was not his type and she had an unattractive nose and that she was barely pretty. He even said her lips were too small. Which is funny because later in the book he said how much he liked her full lips, but I digress. Then we are given snippets of their past and how they met and we are TOLD they became friends and we are TOLD he falls in love with her. But I still have no idea HOW it happened! If you are going to give us flashbacks, please let them explain when and how he fell in love with someone that's not his type and someone that is married. It truly seemed that he wanted her because he couldn't have her and because he pitied her because he knew her husband was an a**hole. There was one scene where we find out that she writes books and Banallt had apparently read them all so maybe that's where he fell in love? Because she can write and has a brain? That's what we are left to assume I guess. Which is funny, because the whole time we hear Sophie talking about how hot her ex was and how hot Banallt is, not sure why she fell in love either, but guess she's just as shallow. It just seemed like lust to me, on both ends. Plus the author completely left out any explanation of what happened to his first wife. I mean, obviously she died, but he told us he loved her and couldn't be faithful to her. So how am I supposed to believe he loves Sophie and will be faithful to her? I dunno. I really wish Banallt had more of a backstory. I have no idea who he is. Fast forward to present day, after he gets back from Paris and for some reason he's still pining for Sophie and already loves her. So there isn't really any excitement with that revelation, had to wait to get it from Sophie at the very end.
Speaking of revelations.. I thought there was going to be this big revelation at the end because Sophie had this secret (which the author kind of threw in at the end anyway). Definitely didn't go the way I thought it would lol (my mind went a lot darker) and it was silly and just totally unnecessary. There was also a tragedy a little earlier in the book, (one which really pissed me off, but I guess it was necessary) and Sophie's first thought is, "let me give Banallt a blow job" what????? Sorry to jump around, but some of these scenes left me scratching my head! I don't want to spoil anything, but you'll know what I mean once you read it.
Many readers seemed upset there wasn't an epilogue and that the book ended a little abruptly. I actually didn't mind it. I was kind of ready for it to be over. It was just enough for me. I can see why people felt that way, but maybe after reading so many HR's that do the same, I wasn't that surprised or bothered. If I loved Sophie and Banallt (what was his real name again anyway?), I probably wouldn't have wanted it to end.
This sounds mostly all bad, so you may be wondering why I ended up with 3 stars? I'm kind of wondering that too haha. There was something about it that I liked. And 2 just didn't seem high enough. My other 2 star reads are books I would never touch again with a 10-foot pole. This one, I may consider it..
October 2, 2015
Why authors write a 500 pages book...but don't bother writing 10 pages of epilogue beats me...it was well written but all over the place. The interaction between the characters were a bit awkward and the scene where she receives a devastating news and her reaction is to get in bed with Banalt didn't sit well with me...her change of heart in the end was not very convincing either.
February 11, 2011
I really loved this book.
It's not a galloping romp through Regency London, but a study of the heartache, betrayal, cynicism and coldness left behind a rake's endless pursuit of pleasure. The plot is actually quite simple, but the writing, oh, the writing, is just so superb, that I could probably do a beautiful precis of the story and you would still be stunned by the book if you read it.
It has strains of Persuasion, but is more of a step-by-step, breath-by-breath study of two people, their interactions, their emotions and their thoughts. The secondary characters and the sub-plots are important, but just enough detail is given to hint at underlying themes, without wasting words on them. The only truly horrible character does not actually appear really at all.
But most of all, you get a wonderful feeling of intimacy, as though you are really there in the room watching these people move around and interact with each other. Other authors sometimes try to give you the feeling of being in the moment with descriptions of clothes or hair styles, but the writing in this story is more subtle. Your senses are engaged by passages mentioning the sound of a footman's boots as he gets down from the coach, and the sound of his breath as he opens the door, the feeling of coolness and marble in entrance halls. Scenes are set as "rooms", not the slightly two-dimensional way most books use as though you are watching actors facing center-front in a theater, taking turns to speak. No, this book includes the backs of heads (yes, you can recognize people that way).
It also includes really painful personal tragedies. In HRs, you get kinda use to a dress getting ripped being staged as leading to Ruination and Depravity, but life was pretty horrible before modern medicine. People did die, and life, particularly for women, could be tenuous if they were left in an awful marriage or were not adequately provided for in wills.
I did have one mini-gripe about 75% of the way through. I just wanted the heroine to really understand that people CAN change and to really just get on with her life, but even then, her reluctance felt totally natural to me.
Oh, and yes, there aren't many steamy bits in this book, but Good Lord! what bits are there, are smokin' hot. And I mean hot.
So, I loved it, and thanks to Tammy for suggesting it. It has such a generic title, and standard HR cover, that I would never have picked it out in a million years, but I'm so glad I did.
It's not a galloping romp through Regency London, but a study of the heartache, betrayal, cynicism and coldness left behind a rake's endless pursuit of pleasure. The plot is actually quite simple, but the writing, oh, the writing, is just so superb, that I could probably do a beautiful precis of the story and you would still be stunned by the book if you read it.
It has strains of Persuasion, but is more of a step-by-step, breath-by-breath study of two people, their interactions, their emotions and their thoughts. The secondary characters and the sub-plots are important, but just enough detail is given to hint at underlying themes, without wasting words on them. The only truly horrible character does not actually appear really at all.
But most of all, you get a wonderful feeling of intimacy, as though you are really there in the room watching these people move around and interact with each other. Other authors sometimes try to give you the feeling of being in the moment with descriptions of clothes or hair styles, but the writing in this story is more subtle. Your senses are engaged by passages mentioning the sound of a footman's boots as he gets down from the coach, and the sound of his breath as he opens the door, the feeling of coolness and marble in entrance halls. Scenes are set as "rooms", not the slightly two-dimensional way most books use as though you are watching actors facing center-front in a theater, taking turns to speak. No, this book includes the backs of heads (yes, you can recognize people that way).
It also includes really painful personal tragedies. In HRs, you get kinda use to a dress getting ripped being staged as leading to Ruination and Depravity, but life was pretty horrible before modern medicine. People did die, and life, particularly for women, could be tenuous if they were left in an awful marriage or were not adequately provided for in wills.
I did have one mini-gripe about 75% of the way through. I just wanted the heroine to really understand that people CAN change and to really just get on with her life, but even then, her reluctance felt totally natural to me.
Oh, and yes, there aren't many steamy bits in this book, but Good Lord! what bits are there, are smokin' hot. And I mean hot.
So, I loved it, and thanks to Tammy for suggesting it. It has such a generic title, and standard HR cover, that I would never have picked it out in a million years, but I'm so glad I did.
August 4, 2023
This was lovely. Surprise at every turn. However it dragged a little at the end.
When I have more time I will review it in detail.
When I have more time I will review it in detail.
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September 11, 2011
My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book...
This is what happens when I start a book with high expectations and end it with disappointments. I was really looking forward to Scandal but I’ve had so much mixed feelings about many issues, which just killed the fun for me. I had many questions, I had issues with both H/h and yes, I had issues with the ending of the story. I’ll try to point them out as I go with my review.
Sophie, an heiress married Tommy, a fortune-hunter and a scoundrel when she was merely 17. She wasn’t yet ‘out’, didn’t know much of the world, though the details weren’t revealed, it seemed the ‘angelic’ faced Tommy wooed her very easily, married her, gained her fortune and then proceeded to ignore her leaving her in a country house while he went about his way in London, gaming and whoring hither and yon. Sophie was madly in love, young love as it was, with that piece of s*it and for the most part of the story, I have NO IDEA why she kept that thing coming again and again, even knowing 1st hand what sort of a disgusting thing her husband was; pathetic, ignorant, self-centered and insensitive to the core. But Sophie carried on, writing novels and selling them to keep up with her husband’s (Lord, I loathe to call him that) expenses. Ah chivalry! Her family sort of abandoned her, and kept out of contact until Tommy died. Tommy would come back to Rider Hall whenever he felt it was necessary and not a day earlier. It was one of those unfortunate nights about 3 yrs ago, with Tommy drunk as usual, is when Sophie met Gwilym, the earl of Banallt, drunk himself with his latest mistress accompanying him.
Banallt wasn’t just a rake; he was a Rake with capital R and a cheating SOB at that. I don’t know WHY he was this way because I knew he was married; maybe he was very young but married nonetheless, loved his wife (though I didn’t think he was ‘in love’ with her) and had a daughter. Nothing that I read about him endeared him to me; it wasn’t simply possible. As I said, I could make out no excuse to explain his manwhoring, cheating a$$ and when he very calmly told Sophie that fidelity is something not for him, I wanted him dead. I basically dislike rakes, unless there’s a compelling enough reason behind their behavior and the author reforms him in such a way that I’m forced to fall for him like a moth to a flame. Stating that, I have to mention, cheating SOB of a rake husband is my ultimate nightmare. So, marriage didn’t change his whoring ways. Oh, yes, in one of the scenes in Rider Hall (all the scenes took place in Rider Hall are from flashbacks) he tells Sophie he loves sex, would do anything to get it and if it gives him a bad reputation, he doesn’t care. While I was still coming to terms with this, just after this conversation he went out with Tommy, visited a bawdy house and then cried Sophie’s name when he climaxed, I wanted to throw the book out of the window. Lord, how I hate it when the hero screw other women fantasizing about the heroine, doesn’t matter here the case was slightly different. Anyway, Banallt knew what kind of a man Tommy was but since his new-found fortune gave him entry to Banallt’s circle, he didn’t mind ‘befriending’ Tommy. Tommy never spoke of his wife very nicely, made fun of her most of the times, so he wasn’t sure what to expect when he finally sees Mrs. Evans. And whatever he saw simply had him at ‘hello’. No, Mrs. Evans wasn’t a beauty in that sense but she had the most beautiful blue-green eyes he’d ever seen. She’s not at all the type he’s attracted to which, are tall, blonde bimbos. Sophie is petit to his 6 plus height and a very prim and proper wife (it seems), who disapproved of him from the beginning. Still Banallt, as his years of practice drove him to, makes an advance towards her. Sophie slaps him hard. This is the part I loved most in the whole book and was looking for a great love/hate theme. But alas, I was sorely disappointed in that regard.
Now, from the flashbacks I get that Banallt has been to Rider Hall many times ever since. I wish CJ would shed lights upon his visits more elaborately. Though there were a few chapters narrating a few of their encounters, those seemed very isolated (mostly Banallt being a jerk) and left me thinking til the end, how was it possible that they became such ‘bosom buddies’? I wasn’t convinced why would Sophie go and tell Banallt about her writing career which she hid from Tommy because she knew if it comes out, the money would be snatched away from her. She was very dependent on that after Tommy went through her fortune. So she trusted Banallt that much? Then WHY did she play hard to get with him when now that he’s reformed and keep telling her how much he loves her? It seemed like (I wasn’t sure due to vague narratives) that they shared a lot of things about their lives. So why was Banallt living this way, did he ever explain it to Sophie, except that this is how he likes to live? I got that he loved his daughter very much and when she died unexpectedly (again vague narrative), he turned to Sophie for comfort. I actually liked that scene, though it ended in utter disaster because of him. For the first time, Sophie pushed him away, up until now. I understood by then, in Sophie, Banallt found someone so opposite of him yet so similar, I knew he was supposed to be attracted and fall in love. Sophie’s passionate and she can love unconditionally, staying faithful to a s*tty husband who didn’t deserve any of it. I understood why Banallt fell for her, though not why he mistreated his first wife. And, when I talk of this first wife, there was nothing much about her at all. A few mentions and that’s all. It seemed like she never existed. I didn’t like it and it made me, again, question (though I felt for Banallt when Sophie kept on pushing him away) his love for Sophie. CJ should’ve talked more about his 1st marriage and what really happened. How did she die? When exactly was it? Did Banallt at all miss her, grieve for her? Did he talk about her to Sophie? How close (not physically) were he and Sophie when Banallt visited Rider Hall? So, the question remained- did he really reform? Could I believe in him? That’s why I couldn’t entirely blame Sophie for not trusting him for the better part of the book. It annoyed the hell outta me, this whole double edged situation. Please, keep in mind that these are questions I had for the most part of the book. Though I got some answers by the time it finished, for most I didn’t find any.
After the disastrous encounter in Rider Hall (after his daughter’s death), Banallt left for Paris. By now, his wife was deceased also, as far as I got it. Banallt is very intelligent and holds his position in the parliament very well. I don’t know why he left for Paris but guess it was to sort out his life after the tragedy. Tommy, meanwhile, came back and tried to make amends with Sophie (I’m not talking about it as it’s described in the book, Banallt and Sophie talked about all these after Banallt returns from Paris). They were good for a while and visited Tommy’s parents’ house. This is where Sophie catches Tommy with one of the married bimbos, a guest in the house, in act. They fought over it, Tommy got drunk and got himself killed in a riding accident. Afterwards, with her mother-in-law’s accusation hanging on her head, Sophie comes back to Rider Hall, only to find Tommy’s creditors pouring in. I sympathized with Sophie because her marriage was a girl’s worst nightmare. Her family wasn’t still in contact (her parents probably passed away since it’s been like 6/7 years after her marriage). Rider Hall goes out of her hands, leaving her without a penny, almost. Soon her elder brother John takes her in. Now I really really liked John and the way he cared for Sophie. John made up for her family’s clumsiness to her IMO.
When Banallt comes back from Paris, it was I guess about a year or more after Tommy’s death. Sophie was living in Havenwood, her family’s estate, with John, managed the household and so on. This is where the original story starts, Banallt’s visit to Havenwood and how his heart went fluttery to see her. Oh I love it when rakes fall like this, so was very interested at that point. FYI, Banallt’s own estate is close by Havenwood. Sophie’s always had this fascination about the Earls of Banallts, knows EVERYTHING about their history and had this childhood dream of becoming the bride of the current earl, until of course she met Tommy. Sophie and the residents of the Duke’s Head knew about the current earl’s dissolute way of living very well, though she never met him. So, their first meeting at Rider Hall was a shock for Sophie because of that as well. Reality is the wakeup call, always. Anyway back to the recent time in Havenwood, Banallt soon declares his affection for her and proposes marriage. Sophie declines. She didn’t trust him still, not after how they parted the last time. A few months pass by and Sophie goes to London with John because of his political career. The duke of Vedaelin hosts them in one of his houses. Sophie meets new people, including the Duke himself, Banallt’s cousin’s wife Mrs. Llewellyn and daughter Fidelia, for whom it’s rumored, Banallt would soon offer. She sees Banallt too because of his importance as a Lord, among other things. The duke is an older man, a widower, who’s seen life and very dependable no doubt. Vedaelin sees Banallt as a friend, which is a good sign. He’s also interested in Sophie. Anyway, Sophie tries to settle into London, with John and avoiding Banallt, who tried to see her but was intercepted by John and warned off as her suitor. There is also a certain Mr. Tallboys, a very nice gentleman, who’s vying for Sophie’s hand.
Now, Sophie didn’t want to marry Banallt but she had no problem meeting him as a friend. I thought she should’ve avoided him just to make it clear that his attentions won’t be returned. But, of couse, she can’t and that was pretty hypocritical. There were more things happened later on, for which I couldn’t help seeing her in that light. In between, it’s apparent John is in love with Fidelia. I wasn’t really feeling much for Banallt and Sophie’s relationship at this point since he was a total lovesick puppy while she was blowing hot and cold and it gets boring after sometimes. The man tells her more than once that he loves her. I understood she didn’t trust him but boy, I felt for Banallt. They keep seeing each-other as friends for sometimes, with John obviously disapproving of it. Banallt wasn’t angry because he knew what John did was very much expected, especially when the man is himself, a notorious libertine. Gotta like a man who takes things so easily, even though the truth is quite unsavory. Anyway, Sophie was hiding behind her façade of love for her late husband (as I felt it) and kept pushing Banallt away whenever he talked of a deeper relationship. But that didn’t stop her from fantasizing about him. And why not? Banallt, with all his flaws, is a very handsome man with raven dark hair, pale skin and tarnished silver eyes. In between, they talk about things that happened when Banallt was away, like how Tommy died when Sophie saw the said bimbo in a ball and felt hurt and humiliated seeing her. Then she hears rumors about Banallt as well, with the same bimbo and many others. She is angry about it, though she tells herself she shouldn’t care. See what I meant by hypocritical? But wait, there’s more. After ignoring Banallt��s attentions for sometimes, suddenly she found him so irresistible in one ball (his male beauty took her breath away, I don’t know how could she not recognize him at first?). They go to the library and talk, when Sophie decides to take a lover. Why not Banallt? WTF was that woman? You won’t return his affections but it’s perfectly ok to sleep with him, huh? I felt SO annoyed by her confusing load of crap. John and she goes to Banallt’s house, where they stay for the night and Sophie lets him make love to her. Oh, I don’t have any complaint about the love scenes because it was apparent that the man just wanna stay locked to her. *fans herself* I absolutely adored it. And, he was very vocal about his feelings. Now it was Sophie who was being distant, even though the sex was great. And then, he again proposes. Now that they’d make love, Banallt won’t be happy with anything else but Sophie? No, she’d stay as his lover but nothing else. Could you tell I was irritated?
Soon, tragedy strikes again when, to save an heiress on the run, John was killed. I was SO SO SO mad. Why kill him? The man was so in love with Fidelia, who returned it. WHY? This alone made me take away a star! I was so sad. Then ... holy lord, my brother just got killed and now I want sex! Don’t even ask. No doubt was another hot hot scene but I couldn’t quite understand how she could want sex at a crisis like this? Banallt not only gave in (oh, I had NO DOUBT the man was lovesick) but proved to be a rock for Sophie, managing everything for her in later days. In return, he got cold shoulders from her. She now needed to ‘think things over’. Banallt tells her that he’d write about the trial and asks her to let him know if she’s pregnant (from their encounter the night John died). Sophie lies to him, saying she’s sure there won’t be any baby. Then Banallt asks her to write to him if she needs ANYTHNG at all. Lord, what can I say! Soon, distant Mercer relatives take over Havenwood. Sophie can’t live like that since she didn’t like the couple. John never quite got around improving his will, so she was cut out of it and left penniless, again. Rumors of Banallt’s many affairs and an upcoming marriage to Fidelia reaches in Duke’s Head, which rattles her (yah right!) to no end. Sophie doesn’t answer Banallt’s letters and decides she’d revive her writing career once again to support herself. Come to think of it, I’m not sure when she stopped writing. Maybe after Tommy’s death, who knows. Anyway, Tallboys visits her and proposes, the guy was nice and very inerested in her. Sophie was almost considering it but then, declined. One day, while in church, she’s astounded like the residents of Duke’s Head, to find Banallt there. Yes, in the church, a place he’s never set foot in. Sophie feels trepidation; surely he was going read banns for his marriage to Fidelia. Why do you care Sophie? Didn’t you just short of drive the man out of your life? But nothing like that happens. Banallt takes her for a ride and proposes again. Oh the poor fool! This time Sophie said ‘yes’ and I had a distinct impression that she was doing it to save herself, to leave Havenwood somehow. Yes, of course she desired him, no doubt from the love scenes but she was determined not to let him in her heart. Yep, by now, I’ve lost my interest in the book. I mean how long can it go on? In real life, they can never be together, seeing how ‘trust’ is not a part of this relationship- from Sophie I mean. I know Banallt was appalling in the past but hell, I think he did a lot many things to prove that he has really changed. He did things for you because he cares Sophie, how could you not see that? If he was the same man, would he have married you, now that you’ve slept with him? This should’ve been the wakeup call but of course, it’s better to act ignorant. Poor guy, even knowing she didn’t love him, stuck around.
The Llewellyns come for a visit to Castle Darmead (Banallt’s estate). Sophie and Banallt got married the same afternoon he proposed. It seems rumor has it that Banallt has eloped with a married woman. Yes, he did tell Sophie that though he’s certainly earned his reputation, a lot of the rumors regarding his affairs were false. Anyway, Harry, his cousin set his eyes on him for Fidelia. For a longtime Banallt knew of Fidelia and John. Since he already was in love with Sophie, he also knew he’d never go through it. So Harry was incensed to hear such rumors. But, this was rectified soon as Banallt introduces Sophie as his countess. WOW, Sophie certainly likes to hear him call her ‘my countess’!*rolls eyes* That night, after everyone retires, they talk. Sophie was still confused, if to go through the wedding night or not. What I didn’t understand was how come she didn’t AT ALL react, in any way, when Banallt confessed he’d been celibate for many months as it’s only been Sophie and no one else? Then, she has something big to reveal to him. Oh, don’t get so excited about it because it was nothing- just that the day before Tommy died, while having sex she called out Banallt’s name. The pig aka Tommy was very mad. How dare his wife call out another man’s name? The pig thought she’d been unfaithful with Banallt and f*cked that bimbo on purpose, staged so that Sophie finds them together. Did I mention I wanted to cut off that pig’s balls? Nasty SOB! Oh, Sophie feels so guilty for this and yet, she can’t but confess that she’s been fantasizing about Banallt for a long time. No, she was not been a ‘good wife’ as Banallt thinks of her. Though I’m not sure what she meant by ‘sham marriage’ a couple of times in her thought, I could see she still didn’t trust Banallt and didn’t think she would let herself love him.
Then news of war with France reaches Duke’s Head. Banallt already said he might have to go away for this. When he comes in with the news that he’s off to London, immediately Sophie thinks back her marriage with Tommy and how he left her. God, I pity Banallt because he was still fighting the ‘ghost’ of her dead husband, as he himself termed it. And, it was true because that happened many times over. So, I really don’t understand WTF Sophie really wanted. Banallt tells Sophie he wants her to come with him, though he would understand if because of her mourning for John she’d wanna stay here. Yes, the man was still trying and being considerate. She accuses him of leaving her as Tommy did. I was more and more irritated by her thoughts, it was SO damned conflicting where Bannalt was concerned. Banallt was hurt and this put a strain in their relationship. Later on, King talks about some books Banallt brought back from London for her. Oh, he knows about her writing and encourages wholeheartedly. The man’s a fan to boot! They apparently discussed those books (when?) while in Rider Hall. This gave her new thoughts and Sophie finally saw what I’ve been seeing since the moment the man said ILU to her. It ends, just like that, without any epilogue with some important yet unanswered question hovering.
So yes, there were certain aspects of the book I definitely liked. I came to care for Banallt as well. Apart from the unanswered questions, I still would’ve loved him to talk about his 1st wife, even do something like going to her grave and say sorry for the way he treated her. It should’ve been a great thing because I believed he’s changed for good. Also, like many other reviews, why did Sophie never call him by his given name? It was really odd. Then, even understanding Sophie’s dilemma, I was left exasperated by her internal conflicts, her ‘trust’ issue. Those just went on over and over again, almost til the end and made it hard for me to believe in their HEA. I really wished I could give the book a 4+ star. It had such potentials! Sorry that I couldn’t. 3.75 for me.
More on Scandal and it’s characters can be found in Carolyn Jewel’s website.
This is what happens when I start a book with high expectations and end it with disappointments. I was really looking forward to Scandal but I’ve had so much mixed feelings about many issues, which just killed the fun for me. I had many questions, I had issues with both H/h and yes, I had issues with the ending of the story. I’ll try to point them out as I go with my review.
Sophie, an heiress married Tommy, a fortune-hunter and a scoundrel when she was merely 17. She wasn’t yet ‘out’, didn’t know much of the world, though the details weren’t revealed, it seemed the ‘angelic’ faced Tommy wooed her very easily, married her, gained her fortune and then proceeded to ignore her leaving her in a country house while he went about his way in London, gaming and whoring hither and yon. Sophie was madly in love, young love as it was, with that piece of s*it and for the most part of the story, I have NO IDEA why she kept that thing coming again and again, even knowing 1st hand what sort of a disgusting thing her husband was; pathetic, ignorant, self-centered and insensitive to the core. But Sophie carried on, writing novels and selling them to keep up with her husband’s (Lord, I loathe to call him that) expenses. Ah chivalry! Her family sort of abandoned her, and kept out of contact until Tommy died. Tommy would come back to Rider Hall whenever he felt it was necessary and not a day earlier. It was one of those unfortunate nights about 3 yrs ago, with Tommy drunk as usual, is when Sophie met Gwilym, the earl of Banallt, drunk himself with his latest mistress accompanying him.
Banallt wasn’t just a rake; he was a Rake with capital R and a cheating SOB at that. I don’t know WHY he was this way because I knew he was married; maybe he was very young but married nonetheless, loved his wife (though I didn’t think he was ‘in love’ with her) and had a daughter. Nothing that I read about him endeared him to me; it wasn’t simply possible. As I said, I could make out no excuse to explain his manwhoring, cheating a$$ and when he very calmly told Sophie that fidelity is something not for him, I wanted him dead. I basically dislike rakes, unless there’s a compelling enough reason behind their behavior and the author reforms him in such a way that I’m forced to fall for him like a moth to a flame. Stating that, I have to mention, cheating SOB of a rake husband is my ultimate nightmare. So, marriage didn’t change his whoring ways. Oh, yes, in one of the scenes in Rider Hall (all the scenes took place in Rider Hall are from flashbacks) he tells Sophie he loves sex, would do anything to get it and if it gives him a bad reputation, he doesn’t care. While I was still coming to terms with this, just after this conversation he went out with Tommy, visited a bawdy house and then cried Sophie’s name when he climaxed, I wanted to throw the book out of the window. Lord, how I hate it when the hero screw other women fantasizing about the heroine, doesn’t matter here the case was slightly different. Anyway, Banallt knew what kind of a man Tommy was but since his new-found fortune gave him entry to Banallt’s circle, he didn’t mind ‘befriending’ Tommy. Tommy never spoke of his wife very nicely, made fun of her most of the times, so he wasn’t sure what to expect when he finally sees Mrs. Evans. And whatever he saw simply had him at ‘hello’. No, Mrs. Evans wasn’t a beauty in that sense but she had the most beautiful blue-green eyes he’d ever seen. She’s not at all the type he’s attracted to which, are tall, blonde bimbos. Sophie is petit to his 6 plus height and a very prim and proper wife (it seems), who disapproved of him from the beginning. Still Banallt, as his years of practice drove him to, makes an advance towards her. Sophie slaps him hard. This is the part I loved most in the whole book and was looking for a great love/hate theme. But alas, I was sorely disappointed in that regard.
Now, from the flashbacks I get that Banallt has been to Rider Hall many times ever since. I wish CJ would shed lights upon his visits more elaborately. Though there were a few chapters narrating a few of their encounters, those seemed very isolated (mostly Banallt being a jerk) and left me thinking til the end, how was it possible that they became such ‘bosom buddies’? I wasn’t convinced why would Sophie go and tell Banallt about her writing career which she hid from Tommy because she knew if it comes out, the money would be snatched away from her. She was very dependent on that after Tommy went through her fortune. So she trusted Banallt that much? Then WHY did she play hard to get with him when now that he’s reformed and keep telling her how much he loves her? It seemed like (I wasn’t sure due to vague narratives) that they shared a lot of things about their lives. So why was Banallt living this way, did he ever explain it to Sophie, except that this is how he likes to live? I got that he loved his daughter very much and when she died unexpectedly (again vague narrative), he turned to Sophie for comfort. I actually liked that scene, though it ended in utter disaster because of him. For the first time, Sophie pushed him away, up until now. I understood by then, in Sophie, Banallt found someone so opposite of him yet so similar, I knew he was supposed to be attracted and fall in love. Sophie’s passionate and she can love unconditionally, staying faithful to a s*tty husband who didn’t deserve any of it. I understood why Banallt fell for her, though not why he mistreated his first wife. And, when I talk of this first wife, there was nothing much about her at all. A few mentions and that’s all. It seemed like she never existed. I didn’t like it and it made me, again, question (though I felt for Banallt when Sophie kept on pushing him away) his love for Sophie. CJ should’ve talked more about his 1st marriage and what really happened. How did she die? When exactly was it? Did Banallt at all miss her, grieve for her? Did he talk about her to Sophie? How close (not physically) were he and Sophie when Banallt visited Rider Hall? So, the question remained- did he really reform? Could I believe in him? That’s why I couldn’t entirely blame Sophie for not trusting him for the better part of the book. It annoyed the hell outta me, this whole double edged situation. Please, keep in mind that these are questions I had for the most part of the book. Though I got some answers by the time it finished, for most I didn’t find any.
After the disastrous encounter in Rider Hall (after his daughter’s death), Banallt left for Paris. By now, his wife was deceased also, as far as I got it. Banallt is very intelligent and holds his position in the parliament very well. I don’t know why he left for Paris but guess it was to sort out his life after the tragedy. Tommy, meanwhile, came back and tried to make amends with Sophie (I’m not talking about it as it’s described in the book, Banallt and Sophie talked about all these after Banallt returns from Paris). They were good for a while and visited Tommy’s parents’ house. This is where Sophie catches Tommy with one of the married bimbos, a guest in the house, in act. They fought over it, Tommy got drunk and got himself killed in a riding accident. Afterwards, with her mother-in-law’s accusation hanging on her head, Sophie comes back to Rider Hall, only to find Tommy’s creditors pouring in. I sympathized with Sophie because her marriage was a girl’s worst nightmare. Her family wasn’t still in contact (her parents probably passed away since it’s been like 6/7 years after her marriage). Rider Hall goes out of her hands, leaving her without a penny, almost. Soon her elder brother John takes her in. Now I really really liked John and the way he cared for Sophie. John made up for her family’s clumsiness to her IMO.
When Banallt comes back from Paris, it was I guess about a year or more after Tommy’s death. Sophie was living in Havenwood, her family’s estate, with John, managed the household and so on. This is where the original story starts, Banallt’s visit to Havenwood and how his heart went fluttery to see her. Oh I love it when rakes fall like this, so was very interested at that point. FYI, Banallt’s own estate is close by Havenwood. Sophie’s always had this fascination about the Earls of Banallts, knows EVERYTHING about their history and had this childhood dream of becoming the bride of the current earl, until of course she met Tommy. Sophie and the residents of the Duke’s Head knew about the current earl’s dissolute way of living very well, though she never met him. So, their first meeting at Rider Hall was a shock for Sophie because of that as well. Reality is the wakeup call, always. Anyway back to the recent time in Havenwood, Banallt soon declares his affection for her and proposes marriage. Sophie declines. She didn’t trust him still, not after how they parted the last time. A few months pass by and Sophie goes to London with John because of his political career. The duke of Vedaelin hosts them in one of his houses. Sophie meets new people, including the Duke himself, Banallt’s cousin’s wife Mrs. Llewellyn and daughter Fidelia, for whom it’s rumored, Banallt would soon offer. She sees Banallt too because of his importance as a Lord, among other things. The duke is an older man, a widower, who’s seen life and very dependable no doubt. Vedaelin sees Banallt as a friend, which is a good sign. He’s also interested in Sophie. Anyway, Sophie tries to settle into London, with John and avoiding Banallt, who tried to see her but was intercepted by John and warned off as her suitor. There is also a certain Mr. Tallboys, a very nice gentleman, who’s vying for Sophie’s hand.
Now, Sophie didn’t want to marry Banallt but she had no problem meeting him as a friend. I thought she should’ve avoided him just to make it clear that his attentions won’t be returned. But, of couse, she can’t and that was pretty hypocritical. There were more things happened later on, for which I couldn’t help seeing her in that light. In between, it’s apparent John is in love with Fidelia. I wasn’t really feeling much for Banallt and Sophie’s relationship at this point since he was a total lovesick puppy while she was blowing hot and cold and it gets boring after sometimes. The man tells her more than once that he loves her. I understood she didn’t trust him but boy, I felt for Banallt. They keep seeing each-other as friends for sometimes, with John obviously disapproving of it. Banallt wasn’t angry because he knew what John did was very much expected, especially when the man is himself, a notorious libertine. Gotta like a man who takes things so easily, even though the truth is quite unsavory. Anyway, Sophie was hiding behind her façade of love for her late husband (as I felt it) and kept pushing Banallt away whenever he talked of a deeper relationship. But that didn’t stop her from fantasizing about him. And why not? Banallt, with all his flaws, is a very handsome man with raven dark hair, pale skin and tarnished silver eyes. In between, they talk about things that happened when Banallt was away, like how Tommy died when Sophie saw the said bimbo in a ball and felt hurt and humiliated seeing her. Then she hears rumors about Banallt as well, with the same bimbo and many others. She is angry about it, though she tells herself she shouldn’t care. See what I meant by hypocritical? But wait, there’s more. After ignoring Banallt��s attentions for sometimes, suddenly she found him so irresistible in one ball (his male beauty took her breath away, I don’t know how could she not recognize him at first?). They go to the library and talk, when Sophie decides to take a lover. Why not Banallt? WTF was that woman? You won’t return his affections but it’s perfectly ok to sleep with him, huh? I felt SO annoyed by her confusing load of crap. John and she goes to Banallt’s house, where they stay for the night and Sophie lets him make love to her. Oh, I don’t have any complaint about the love scenes because it was apparent that the man just wanna stay locked to her. *fans herself* I absolutely adored it. And, he was very vocal about his feelings. Now it was Sophie who was being distant, even though the sex was great. And then, he again proposes. Now that they’d make love, Banallt won’t be happy with anything else but Sophie? No, she’d stay as his lover but nothing else. Could you tell I was irritated?
Soon, tragedy strikes again when, to save an heiress on the run, John was killed. I was SO SO SO mad. Why kill him? The man was so in love with Fidelia, who returned it. WHY? This alone made me take away a star! I was so sad. Then ... holy lord, my brother just got killed and now I want sex! Don’t even ask. No doubt was another hot hot scene but I couldn’t quite understand how she could want sex at a crisis like this? Banallt not only gave in (oh, I had NO DOUBT the man was lovesick) but proved to be a rock for Sophie, managing everything for her in later days. In return, he got cold shoulders from her. She now needed to ‘think things over’. Banallt tells her that he’d write about the trial and asks her to let him know if she’s pregnant (from their encounter the night John died). Sophie lies to him, saying she’s sure there won’t be any baby. Then Banallt asks her to write to him if she needs ANYTHNG at all. Lord, what can I say! Soon, distant Mercer relatives take over Havenwood. Sophie can’t live like that since she didn’t like the couple. John never quite got around improving his will, so she was cut out of it and left penniless, again. Rumors of Banallt’s many affairs and an upcoming marriage to Fidelia reaches in Duke’s Head, which rattles her (yah right!) to no end. Sophie doesn’t answer Banallt’s letters and decides she’d revive her writing career once again to support herself. Come to think of it, I’m not sure when she stopped writing. Maybe after Tommy’s death, who knows. Anyway, Tallboys visits her and proposes, the guy was nice and very inerested in her. Sophie was almost considering it but then, declined. One day, while in church, she’s astounded like the residents of Duke’s Head, to find Banallt there. Yes, in the church, a place he’s never set foot in. Sophie feels trepidation; surely he was going read banns for his marriage to Fidelia. Why do you care Sophie? Didn’t you just short of drive the man out of your life? But nothing like that happens. Banallt takes her for a ride and proposes again. Oh the poor fool! This time Sophie said ‘yes’ and I had a distinct impression that she was doing it to save herself, to leave Havenwood somehow. Yes, of course she desired him, no doubt from the love scenes but she was determined not to let him in her heart. Yep, by now, I’ve lost my interest in the book. I mean how long can it go on? In real life, they can never be together, seeing how ‘trust’ is not a part of this relationship- from Sophie I mean. I know Banallt was appalling in the past but hell, I think he did a lot many things to prove that he has really changed. He did things for you because he cares Sophie, how could you not see that? If he was the same man, would he have married you, now that you’ve slept with him? This should’ve been the wakeup call but of course, it’s better to act ignorant. Poor guy, even knowing she didn’t love him, stuck around.
The Llewellyns come for a visit to Castle Darmead (Banallt’s estate). Sophie and Banallt got married the same afternoon he proposed. It seems rumor has it that Banallt has eloped with a married woman. Yes, he did tell Sophie that though he’s certainly earned his reputation, a lot of the rumors regarding his affairs were false. Anyway, Harry, his cousin set his eyes on him for Fidelia. For a longtime Banallt knew of Fidelia and John. Since he already was in love with Sophie, he also knew he’d never go through it. So Harry was incensed to hear such rumors. But, this was rectified soon as Banallt introduces Sophie as his countess. WOW, Sophie certainly likes to hear him call her ‘my countess’!*rolls eyes* That night, after everyone retires, they talk. Sophie was still confused, if to go through the wedding night or not. What I didn’t understand was how come she didn’t AT ALL react, in any way, when Banallt confessed he’d been celibate for many months as it’s only been Sophie and no one else? Then, she has something big to reveal to him. Oh, don’t get so excited about it because it was nothing- just that the day before Tommy died, while having sex she called out Banallt’s name. The pig aka Tommy was very mad. How dare his wife call out another man’s name? The pig thought she’d been unfaithful with Banallt and f*cked that bimbo on purpose, staged so that Sophie finds them together. Did I mention I wanted to cut off that pig’s balls? Nasty SOB! Oh, Sophie feels so guilty for this and yet, she can’t but confess that she’s been fantasizing about Banallt for a long time. No, she was not been a ‘good wife’ as Banallt thinks of her. Though I’m not sure what she meant by ‘sham marriage’ a couple of times in her thought, I could see she still didn’t trust Banallt and didn’t think she would let herself love him.
Then news of war with France reaches Duke’s Head. Banallt already said he might have to go away for this. When he comes in with the news that he’s off to London, immediately Sophie thinks back her marriage with Tommy and how he left her. God, I pity Banallt because he was still fighting the ‘ghost’ of her dead husband, as he himself termed it. And, it was true because that happened many times over. So, I really don’t understand WTF Sophie really wanted. Banallt tells Sophie he wants her to come with him, though he would understand if because of her mourning for John she’d wanna stay here. Yes, the man was still trying and being considerate. She accuses him of leaving her as Tommy did. I was more and more irritated by her thoughts, it was SO damned conflicting where Bannalt was concerned. Banallt was hurt and this put a strain in their relationship. Later on, King talks about some books Banallt brought back from London for her. Oh, he knows about her writing and encourages wholeheartedly. The man’s a fan to boot! They apparently discussed those books (when?) while in Rider Hall. This gave her new thoughts and Sophie finally saw what I’ve been seeing since the moment the man said ILU to her. It ends, just like that, without any epilogue with some important yet unanswered question hovering.
So yes, there were certain aspects of the book I definitely liked. I came to care for Banallt as well. Apart from the unanswered questions, I still would’ve loved him to talk about his 1st wife, even do something like going to her grave and say sorry for the way he treated her. It should’ve been a great thing because I believed he’s changed for good. Also, like many other reviews, why did Sophie never call him by his given name? It was really odd. Then, even understanding Sophie’s dilemma, I was left exasperated by her internal conflicts, her ‘trust’ issue. Those just went on over and over again, almost til the end and made it hard for me to believe in their HEA. I really wished I could give the book a 4+ star. It had such potentials! Sorry that I couldn’t. 3.75 for me.
More on Scandal and it’s characters can be found in Carolyn Jewel’s website.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2009
Gwilym, Earl of Banallt, has quite a reputation of being a womanizer and a rake. Scandal follows him wherever he goes. Women practically fall at his feet, except for the one woman who has become an obsession. Sophie Evans, a widow he first fell in love with, while her husband was still alive. Tommy Evans married Sophie for her fortune, and left her in the country while he continued his debauched lifestyle in London. Banallt was one of Tommy’s friends who joined him as he cut a path through London. The few times when Tommy would return home to see his wife, Banallt was with him, and the moment he met Sophie, his heart was hers forever. Banallt and Sophie formed a tentative friendship even after he tried to seduce her. Banallt shared so many things with Sophie and was ready to whisk her away to be his mistress. Sophie denied him and remained faithful to her marriage vows even when her husband did not. After her husband died she wanted nothing more to do with Banallt. Now over a year later, he has returned and will make Sophie his wife and this time he won’t be denied.
When Sophie sees Banallt with her brother, Mercer, she is shocked and scared. She and Banallt have quite the past and she refuses to be one of the many women he uses and discards. Her marriage left her emotionally scarred; she was so in love with her husband, and he in turn did the worst possible thing a husband can do to his wife, he broke his marriage vows. Sophie will never marry again and definitely not to Banallt. But Banallt won’t let her be. Although she wants his friendship, it is too much of a temptation for her. And though Banallt says he has changed, Sophie cannot trust him with her heart. She would be destroyed if she fell for another man who would not be faithful to her. And since Banallt is so much like her dead husband in that respect, she won’t give herself to him even though she craves him with every sense of her being.
Banallt knows he must treat Sophie with tenderness and respect and show her he has changed, otherwise she will never accept him. Very slowly, he is able to break through Sophie’s defenses. She reaches a point where she wants him in her life even though she won’t admit her feelings to him. Suddenly, a horrible tragedy happens to Sophie and she has no where else to turn to except to Banallt. This is Banallt’s chance to have everything he has ever wanted. He longs to hear Sophie say that she loves him as much as he loves her. The question is, will Sophie be able to give Banallt what he wants?
WOW. Simply, wow. That is the only word I can use to describe this masterpiece. It has been such a long time since I have read such a rich, emotional and tension filled romance. Not only did Scandal have me hooked from the very first page, but this is the first book, in a very long time, where I had to read straight through into the wee hours of the night because I couldn’t put it down. When an author can write such a book, that book is destined for greatness. I wouldn’t be surprised if Scandal becomes one of the favorites of 2009, and perhaps placed on most reader’s lists for all time favorite historical.
Both Banallt and Sophie are very complex characters who have such intense feelings for one another. What I loved most about Banallt, is the way he sees Sophie. She is known as not being a great beauty, rather petite and very plain looking, but because Banallt has such intense feelings for her, he thinks she is the most gorgeous woman he has ever known. There were times I expected him to fall on his knees before Sophie and kiss her feet because he adores her so. The one thing that makes Banallt so different from other rogues is the deep respect he has for Sophie. Not only does he cherish her body, but also her mind. Their conversations and discussions are when he first fell in love with her. Sophie also respects Banallt and truly does care for him, but she can’t get passed her own bias towards men who are unfaithful, she places Banallt in that category, because he too was married, and cheated on his own deceased wife.
Usually I tend to look down upon a hero that has so many lovers they’re tripping over one another. But the way Carolyn has written Banallt, and they way he treats Sophie and his feelings for her, I couldn’t help but feel for him, especially when it came to claiming Sophie. And when Sophie allows him to, you may just break down in tears.
Scandal is a must read book that should not be passed by. Carolyn Jewel has written a mature and emotional romance that has everything from passion, love and most importantly respect. The respect that a man and woman can have for one another.
When Sophie sees Banallt with her brother, Mercer, she is shocked and scared. She and Banallt have quite the past and she refuses to be one of the many women he uses and discards. Her marriage left her emotionally scarred; she was so in love with her husband, and he in turn did the worst possible thing a husband can do to his wife, he broke his marriage vows. Sophie will never marry again and definitely not to Banallt. But Banallt won’t let her be. Although she wants his friendship, it is too much of a temptation for her. And though Banallt says he has changed, Sophie cannot trust him with her heart. She would be destroyed if she fell for another man who would not be faithful to her. And since Banallt is so much like her dead husband in that respect, she won’t give herself to him even though she craves him with every sense of her being.
Banallt knows he must treat Sophie with tenderness and respect and show her he has changed, otherwise she will never accept him. Very slowly, he is able to break through Sophie’s defenses. She reaches a point where she wants him in her life even though she won’t admit her feelings to him. Suddenly, a horrible tragedy happens to Sophie and she has no where else to turn to except to Banallt. This is Banallt’s chance to have everything he has ever wanted. He longs to hear Sophie say that she loves him as much as he loves her. The question is, will Sophie be able to give Banallt what he wants?
WOW. Simply, wow. That is the only word I can use to describe this masterpiece. It has been such a long time since I have read such a rich, emotional and tension filled romance. Not only did Scandal have me hooked from the very first page, but this is the first book, in a very long time, where I had to read straight through into the wee hours of the night because I couldn’t put it down. When an author can write such a book, that book is destined for greatness. I wouldn’t be surprised if Scandal becomes one of the favorites of 2009, and perhaps placed on most reader’s lists for all time favorite historical.
Both Banallt and Sophie are very complex characters who have such intense feelings for one another. What I loved most about Banallt, is the way he sees Sophie. She is known as not being a great beauty, rather petite and very plain looking, but because Banallt has such intense feelings for her, he thinks she is the most gorgeous woman he has ever known. There were times I expected him to fall on his knees before Sophie and kiss her feet because he adores her so. The one thing that makes Banallt so different from other rogues is the deep respect he has for Sophie. Not only does he cherish her body, but also her mind. Their conversations and discussions are when he first fell in love with her. Sophie also respects Banallt and truly does care for him, but she can’t get passed her own bias towards men who are unfaithful, she places Banallt in that category, because he too was married, and cheated on his own deceased wife.
Usually I tend to look down upon a hero that has so many lovers they’re tripping over one another. But the way Carolyn has written Banallt, and they way he treats Sophie and his feelings for her, I couldn’t help but feel for him, especially when it came to claiming Sophie. And when Sophie allows him to, you may just break down in tears.
Scandal is a must read book that should not be passed by. Carolyn Jewel has written a mature and emotional romance that has everything from passion, love and most importantly respect. The respect that a man and woman can have for one another.
February 23, 2011
This is my first book by this author and I loved it. This is surprising to me in that I normally do not enjoy books where the hero/heroine is not faithful to their wedding vows. I like unwavering commitment! And like most who will be reading this review, my days are a circus and I covet my reading time. Therefore, I do not wish to invest in a book where there’s little chance of me liking the hero. I had heard lots of good things and wanted to try this one, and I am so glad that I did!
This is a stimulating, poignant well written historical romance telling the tale of two people and the price they pay for choices made at a young age.
Sophie Mercer creates her own scandal by running off at the age of 17 and marrying her first true love, Mr. Thomas Evans. Unfortunately for Sophie, Tommy is only in love with her money, fortune hunter debonair. So begins their eight year marriage with Tommy putting Sophie away in the country home and dedicating himself to a life of drink, gambling and continual adulterous activities. With Tommy’s lascivious lifestyle, the fortune is quickly gone. Regardless of the treatment and neglect from her husband, Sophie takes her vows seriously, and continues to be faithful to him. Thus Sophie finds herself destitute, heart broken and burdened with the sole responsibility of keeping the household together and responsible for earning money to pay the bills. She is inventive, creative and I loved her money making resolution.
Tall, handsome, intelligent, sexy Gwilym, Earl of Banallt creates scandal whether through truth or gossip. A true rake of the worst kind for after marrying at a very young age, he admits that even though he loves his wife, he cannot be faithful. He openly admits that his only true love is his three year old daughter. This young sexy magnet has no conscience for fidelity and lives his life enjoying the carnal desires of his flesh. That is until the fateful night he meets Sophie and soon she owns his heart and his only desire is for her to love and trust him.
Banallt is a friend of Sophie’s husband Tommy and accompanies him to his country home. There, with his latest conquest in tow, he meets Sophie. He is drawn to her; he desires her; he propositions her to no avail. And amazingly, a friendship between the two is formed through just a few short visits.
After suffering terrible loss and with the advent of time and maturity, this beautifully written, hot-steamy story begins with Sophie a widow and Banallt, widower both having lost their spouses. Sophie having squandered her love and her money on a scoundrel finds herself living in the household of her brother, John. While intensely drawn to Banallt, she refuses to believe he has changed. No matter what he says to the contrary or what she observes, fear keeps her from facing her true feelings.
Banallt is suffering regret and is paying for his rakish past. A past where he openly admitted he was unfaithful to his marriage and saw no reason to change. Now, he finds his heart no longer belongs to him for his soulmate is Sophie. She has spoiled him for all other women and his one desire is for her to believe in him and come to love him. He wants commitment and states that he is a hopeless fool who cannot break his vows to Sophie. Loving her and desiring only her; admitting he is her “faithful” hound. And remarkably, the man who taunted that he could never be faithful, the one who said he had no desire to change, now finds himself faithful to Sophie, as his soul longs for her to believe in him; to love him.
This book is full of regrets and is such a passionate story that I found myself eagerly turning the pages. My heart broke for not only Sophie but I found myself rooting for Banallt, wanting him to get his HEA, while at the same time understanding Sophie’s reluctance to trust in love with such a rake. I loved Sophie’s intelligence and I loved that Banallt supported her in all her endeavors.
While loving this book, there are a few things I wish were different. But still it was a 5 star read for me.
• First, I would have liked more information about Banallt’s first marriage. I would have liked to know the cause of her death. Here we only know that he is married and he states he loves his wife, but still he cheats. Possibly he loved her as a friend and married her to ensure an heir. Possibly, he was just a young, shallow man who needed to grow up. And while none of these are a license for infidelity, it is evident that his love for Sophie is different and that his heart no longer is his own. I never doubted his sincerity to love and cherish her and to remain faithful to his commitment to her. Also, there is his desire for her to love and trust him, and to believe him when he states he will always be faithful.
• Next, the ending was much too abrupt. I needed an epilogue!
A few quotes that I loved:
“I love you, Sophie. I love you with my soul.”
“Sophie,” he whispered, sliding his arms around her. “Sophie, let me take your tears.”
Sophie’s words: “And therefore, if I were married to you, it would be because I was in love. And to a woman in love, faithfulness is the air she breathes, not a meal she chooses. One day this, another that. Changing menus all the time because one grows board.”
Banallt: “You’re trying to find a way for you to stay in the past,” he said. “The past is dead….only you refuse to see me for the man I am (now).”
Shh," he crooned. He held her while she cried, her hands against his chest. He loved her still, and there didn't seem to be anything he could do about it. He would probably love her until the day he died, a pathetic, dried-up old man married to some worthy woman who would give him his heir and a spare and would never, ever be to him what Sophie was right now and forever."
This is a stimulating, poignant well written historical romance telling the tale of two people and the price they pay for choices made at a young age.
Sophie Mercer creates her own scandal by running off at the age of 17 and marrying her first true love, Mr. Thomas Evans. Unfortunately for Sophie, Tommy is only in love with her money, fortune hunter debonair. So begins their eight year marriage with Tommy putting Sophie away in the country home and dedicating himself to a life of drink, gambling and continual adulterous activities. With Tommy’s lascivious lifestyle, the fortune is quickly gone. Regardless of the treatment and neglect from her husband, Sophie takes her vows seriously, and continues to be faithful to him. Thus Sophie finds herself destitute, heart broken and burdened with the sole responsibility of keeping the household together and responsible for earning money to pay the bills. She is inventive, creative and I loved her money making resolution.
Tall, handsome, intelligent, sexy Gwilym, Earl of Banallt creates scandal whether through truth or gossip. A true rake of the worst kind for after marrying at a very young age, he admits that even though he loves his wife, he cannot be faithful. He openly admits that his only true love is his three year old daughter. This young sexy magnet has no conscience for fidelity and lives his life enjoying the carnal desires of his flesh. That is until the fateful night he meets Sophie and soon she owns his heart and his only desire is for her to love and trust him.
Banallt is a friend of Sophie’s husband Tommy and accompanies him to his country home. There, with his latest conquest in tow, he meets Sophie. He is drawn to her; he desires her; he propositions her to no avail. And amazingly, a friendship between the two is formed through just a few short visits.
After suffering terrible loss and with the advent of time and maturity, this beautifully written, hot-steamy story begins with Sophie a widow and Banallt, widower both having lost their spouses. Sophie having squandered her love and her money on a scoundrel finds herself living in the household of her brother, John. While intensely drawn to Banallt, she refuses to believe he has changed. No matter what he says to the contrary or what she observes, fear keeps her from facing her true feelings.
Banallt is suffering regret and is paying for his rakish past. A past where he openly admitted he was unfaithful to his marriage and saw no reason to change. Now, he finds his heart no longer belongs to him for his soulmate is Sophie. She has spoiled him for all other women and his one desire is for her to believe in him and come to love him. He wants commitment and states that he is a hopeless fool who cannot break his vows to Sophie. Loving her and desiring only her; admitting he is her “faithful” hound. And remarkably, the man who taunted that he could never be faithful, the one who said he had no desire to change, now finds himself faithful to Sophie, as his soul longs for her to believe in him; to love him.
This book is full of regrets and is such a passionate story that I found myself eagerly turning the pages. My heart broke for not only Sophie but I found myself rooting for Banallt, wanting him to get his HEA, while at the same time understanding Sophie’s reluctance to trust in love with such a rake. I loved Sophie’s intelligence and I loved that Banallt supported her in all her endeavors.
While loving this book, there are a few things I wish were different. But still it was a 5 star read for me.
• First, I would have liked more information about Banallt’s first marriage. I would have liked to know the cause of her death. Here we only know that he is married and he states he loves his wife, but still he cheats. Possibly he loved her as a friend and married her to ensure an heir. Possibly, he was just a young, shallow man who needed to grow up. And while none of these are a license for infidelity, it is evident that his love for Sophie is different and that his heart no longer is his own. I never doubted his sincerity to love and cherish her and to remain faithful to his commitment to her. Also, there is his desire for her to love and trust him, and to believe him when he states he will always be faithful.
• Next, the ending was much too abrupt. I needed an epilogue!
A few quotes that I loved:
“I love you, Sophie. I love you with my soul.”
“Sophie,” he whispered, sliding his arms around her. “Sophie, let me take your tears.”
Sophie’s words: “And therefore, if I were married to you, it would be because I was in love. And to a woman in love, faithfulness is the air she breathes, not a meal she chooses. One day this, another that. Changing menus all the time because one grows board.”
Banallt: “You’re trying to find a way for you to stay in the past,” he said. “The past is dead….only you refuse to see me for the man I am (now).”
Shh," he crooned. He held her while she cried, her hands against his chest. He loved her still, and there didn't seem to be anything he could do about it. He would probably love her until the day he died, a pathetic, dried-up old man married to some worthy woman who would give him his heir and a spare and would never, ever be to him what Sophie was right now and forever."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2011
Carolyn Jewel is not an author I had heard of before this book, so suffice it to say Scandal was my first read by her. I’m not disappointed. I was inspired to read this one by my friend Tammy’s joyful review, and I’m really glad I did.
The author’s prose is lovely – simple without being basic – and I was immediately drawn into the story. It grabbed me literally from the first page and that doesn’t happen often with me. It had a great opening that left me immediately wanting more.
We start the book from the hero’s point of view, and I really loved his voice. In fact, there is no doubt that Banallt made the book for me. He is a wonderful, wonderful hero. Loved his character. Scandal is worth reading for Banallt alone.
Banallt has been longing for Sophie since the day he met her – at a time when he was revelling in his role as rake, and she was married to his friend. His desire has not dimmed over time, and I must give the author credit for never over-writing this. Her portrayal of Banallt, and his longing for Sophie, was perfectly rendered.
If Banallt was the star of the show, unfortunately, Sophie is probably the reason why this one didn’t come closer to 5 stars for me. I found Sophie, and her behaviour, to be pretty frustrating throughout, and I think the author was missing something crucial in her development of Sophie’s character.
Sophie is not a beauty, and her husband (horrid man that he was) married her for her money and was openly faithless throughout their marriage. It is no wonder that she was mistrustful of Banallt. But. I think she carried this on for waaaaaaaaay too long. It almost got to the point where I would have been happy for him to find someone else – not a good thing in a romance.
When she returned to London as a widow, Sophie immediately attracted some suitors of note, and given her lack of physical beauty (which I actually appreciated), I would have expected there to be some significant attribute that attracted these quality men to her. I didn’t see it. And unfortunately I ended up not being convinced that she deserved Banallt – though I never questioned that she was definitely what he wanted.
All that said, the scenes when Banallt and Sophie finally kiss and then ‘get together’ were really well done. I really liked this author’s love scenes!
There were a couple of other minor irritants that stopped me from giving this 5 stars – the author had a very repetitive phrase that once I’d noticed it I couldn’t stop, and there were one or two scenes, that although beautifully written, didn’t ring true.
Still, this was a really enjoyable read and one that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to other lovers of historical romance.
The author’s prose is lovely – simple without being basic – and I was immediately drawn into the story. It grabbed me literally from the first page and that doesn’t happen often with me. It had a great opening that left me immediately wanting more.
We start the book from the hero’s point of view, and I really loved his voice. In fact, there is no doubt that Banallt made the book for me. He is a wonderful, wonderful hero. Loved his character. Scandal is worth reading for Banallt alone.
Banallt has been longing for Sophie since the day he met her – at a time when he was revelling in his role as rake, and she was married to his friend. His desire has not dimmed over time, and I must give the author credit for never over-writing this. Her portrayal of Banallt, and his longing for Sophie, was perfectly rendered.
If Banallt was the star of the show, unfortunately, Sophie is probably the reason why this one didn’t come closer to 5 stars for me. I found Sophie, and her behaviour, to be pretty frustrating throughout, and I think the author was missing something crucial in her development of Sophie’s character.
Sophie is not a beauty, and her husband (horrid man that he was) married her for her money and was openly faithless throughout their marriage. It is no wonder that she was mistrustful of Banallt. But. I think she carried this on for waaaaaaaaay too long. It almost got to the point where I would have been happy for him to find someone else – not a good thing in a romance.
When she returned to London as a widow, Sophie immediately attracted some suitors of note, and given her lack of physical beauty (which I actually appreciated), I would have expected there to be some significant attribute that attracted these quality men to her. I didn’t see it. And unfortunately I ended up not being convinced that she deserved Banallt – though I never questioned that she was definitely what he wanted.
All that said, the scenes when Banallt and Sophie finally kiss and then ‘get together’ were really well done. I really liked this author’s love scenes!
There were a couple of other minor irritants that stopped me from giving this 5 stars – the author had a very repetitive phrase that once I’d noticed it I couldn’t stop, and there were one or two scenes, that although beautifully written, didn’t ring true.
Still, this was a really enjoyable read and one that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to other lovers of historical romance.
March 10, 2009
Carolyn Jewel's historicals are normally a breath of light, fresh air, bubbling over with an almost giddy sense of fun. But her latest, "Scandal", carried an air of heavy emotion that left me wondering where the cloud over my head came from!
Sophie was just a young, impressionable girl when she fell in love with a fortune hunter. It didn't take long after their elopement for the stars to fall out of her eyes and leave her trying to maintain their home in the country while her husband caroused and gambled in London. After his death, she was left penniless and dependent on her brother. Into her quiet life, suddenly an old 'buddy' of her husband appears, the Earl of Banallt, and though she's sure he's a duplicate of her husband...she's never been able to forget him.
Banallt is a changed man. Upon his return from France, he soon hears about his old buddy. More importantly, that Sophie is now a widow. From the first time he saw her, he wanted her and nothing has changed his feelings on that score. But he knows Sophie--and it will take all his patience and care to make her understand just how changed he is now.
We all love the story of a rake 'brought to heel' (like the dogs they are!) and Jewel does an excellent job of redeeming a man whose early life could rival that of the most hedonistic rock star of today. But whether it was Sophie's stubbornness and refusal to live in the present, or Banallt's willingness to put up with Sophie's constant distance and disapproval...I just never ended up really caring for either one of them. When the 'changes' in character came, they seemed to come out of nowhere for me and left me unconvinced of either the changes or the new emotions.
And Jewel can write some sizzling sex scenes, let me tell you! But I don't remember ever wondering at the sheer amount of verbiage going on 'during' before. For someone who used to be a 'sex god', he certainly became fairly 'easy' with Sophie--that bugged me. The regency period is one of my favorites for historical romances and I'll still read more of them by Carolyn Jewel...I'll just wait to find them on sale or at the used bookstore.
Sophie was just a young, impressionable girl when she fell in love with a fortune hunter. It didn't take long after their elopement for the stars to fall out of her eyes and leave her trying to maintain their home in the country while her husband caroused and gambled in London. After his death, she was left penniless and dependent on her brother. Into her quiet life, suddenly an old 'buddy' of her husband appears, the Earl of Banallt, and though she's sure he's a duplicate of her husband...she's never been able to forget him.
Banallt is a changed man. Upon his return from France, he soon hears about his old buddy. More importantly, that Sophie is now a widow. From the first time he saw her, he wanted her and nothing has changed his feelings on that score. But he knows Sophie--and it will take all his patience and care to make her understand just how changed he is now.
We all love the story of a rake 'brought to heel' (like the dogs they are!) and Jewel does an excellent job of redeeming a man whose early life could rival that of the most hedonistic rock star of today. But whether it was Sophie's stubbornness and refusal to live in the present, or Banallt's willingness to put up with Sophie's constant distance and disapproval...I just never ended up really caring for either one of them. When the 'changes' in character came, they seemed to come out of nowhere for me and left me unconvinced of either the changes or the new emotions.
And Jewel can write some sizzling sex scenes, let me tell you! But I don't remember ever wondering at the sheer amount of verbiage going on 'during' before. For someone who used to be a 'sex god', he certainly became fairly 'easy' with Sophie--that bugged me. The regency period is one of my favorites for historical romances and I'll still read more of them by Carolyn Jewel...I'll just wait to find them on sale or at the used bookstore.
February 13, 2011
This book is in my top 2 books of all time. I read it some time ago and I can't get it out of my head. I thought it was just magnificent.
It was a little different to anything I've read before. The rake (and yes, he was a real rake) is actually reformed before the start of the book and he is already deeply in love with the heroine. The book is about how he has overcome his dark past and becomes a worthwhile man, pursuing the heroine in an attempt to prove to her that he is worthy of her love.
The hero meets the heroine, told through flashback, when her disgusting husband brings him home after a night of debauchery. The heroine despises him being a friend and cohort of her uncaring, drunkard husband. The heroine still, at the start of the book, dislikes the hero even though he has reformed, but to win her he has to prove to her that he has changed and overcome her fears of being married to another man such as her now dead husband.
The story is told in present and flashbacks; something I don't normally like, but I found that in this book it was actually something that made the book more special for me. I loved the way that the author used the flashbacks to explain how and why things were the way they were in the present and it wasn't confusing at all.
It's a very intense sort of dark book, not lighthearted at all. One part of the book quite shocked me with what happened and really saddened me. A lot of people may think this is a slow book, but for those who love a well written, really deep, character driven love story, you should love it as much as I did.
A really fabulous book, I can't recommend it highly enough. This book is very special.
It was a little different to anything I've read before. The rake (and yes, he was a real rake) is actually reformed before the start of the book and he is already deeply in love with the heroine. The book is about how he has overcome his dark past and becomes a worthwhile man, pursuing the heroine in an attempt to prove to her that he is worthy of her love.
The hero meets the heroine, told through flashback, when her disgusting husband brings him home after a night of debauchery. The heroine despises him being a friend and cohort of her uncaring, drunkard husband. The heroine still, at the start of the book, dislikes the hero even though he has reformed, but to win her he has to prove to her that he has changed and overcome her fears of being married to another man such as her now dead husband.
The story is told in present and flashbacks; something I don't normally like, but I found that in this book it was actually something that made the book more special for me. I loved the way that the author used the flashbacks to explain how and why things were the way they were in the present and it wasn't confusing at all.
It's a very intense sort of dark book, not lighthearted at all. One part of the book quite shocked me with what happened and really saddened me. A lot of people may think this is a slow book, but for those who love a well written, really deep, character driven love story, you should love it as much as I did.
A really fabulous book, I can't recommend it highly enough. This book is very special.
September 2, 2012
Grade A-
It's safe to say almost everyone makes mistakes when young. Those mistakes will shape the rest of our lives, hopefully as lessons that help us grow. For some people, however, the bad choices of youth haunt them forever, perhaps keeping them from ever being truly happy. In Scandal we meet two such unfortunate people, the Earl of Bannalt and Sophie Evans.
Carolyn Jewel's writing is somewhat dramatic, and yet it works incredibly well. The emotions of her characters can be felt by the reader. Some books make the reader want to shake one or the other character and tell them to "Just listen!" or "Just talk!" In Scandal we get a clear look at the causes, and we're taken along in a river of conflicting emotions as Bannalt and Sophie try to pull themselves out of their past mistakes. No five, or even twenty, minute conversation is going to smooth the path between them.
I'm not a big fan of angst, especially if it feels contrived. But nothing about this book feels that way. It is real, believable and heartbreaking. Even in their predetermined romance HEA, Bannalt and Sophie will never completely put the sadness of the past behind them. But then, who really ever does?
It's safe to say almost everyone makes mistakes when young. Those mistakes will shape the rest of our lives, hopefully as lessons that help us grow. For some people, however, the bad choices of youth haunt them forever, perhaps keeping them from ever being truly happy. In Scandal we meet two such unfortunate people, the Earl of Bannalt and Sophie Evans.
Carolyn Jewel's writing is somewhat dramatic, and yet it works incredibly well. The emotions of her characters can be felt by the reader. Some books make the reader want to shake one or the other character and tell them to "Just listen!" or "Just talk!" In Scandal we get a clear look at the causes, and we're taken along in a river of conflicting emotions as Bannalt and Sophie try to pull themselves out of their past mistakes. No five, or even twenty, minute conversation is going to smooth the path between them.
I'm not a big fan of angst, especially if it feels contrived. But nothing about this book feels that way. It is real, believable and heartbreaking. Even in their predetermined romance HEA, Bannalt and Sophie will never completely put the sadness of the past behind them. But then, who really ever does?
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