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The Reckless Brides #4
After the Scandal
In English society, the rules of engagement have stood the test of time. Until a Reckless Bride falls deeply, scandalously in love…
CAN AN INDECENT PROPOSAL
When Lady Claire Jellicoe agreed to a walk in the moonlight, she never imagined her titled companion might have brutal motives. Nor could she have dreamed up such a brave rescue by the most unexpected savior of all: an inscrutable nobleman with a daring plan of escape—and a deliciously tempting embrace…
LEAD TO EVERLASTING LOVE?
Timothy Evans, the Duke of Fenmore, has palmed more treasures than he can count. Even for a man who grew up thieving in London’s stews, a stolen bride should be beyond the pale. But Fenmore won’t let scandal ruin the spirited beauty’s reputation. And now that she’s stolen his heart, how can he ever let her go…?
CAN AN INDECENT PROPOSAL
When Lady Claire Jellicoe agreed to a walk in the moonlight, she never imagined her titled companion might have brutal motives. Nor could she have dreamed up such a brave rescue by the most unexpected savior of all: an inscrutable nobleman with a daring plan of escape—and a deliciously tempting embrace…
LEAD TO EVERLASTING LOVE?
Timothy Evans, the Duke of Fenmore, has palmed more treasures than he can count. Even for a man who grew up thieving in London’s stews, a stolen bride should be beyond the pale. But Fenmore won’t let scandal ruin the spirited beauty’s reputation. And now that she’s stolen his heart, how can he ever let her go…?
Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2014
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909 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Essex
45 books333 followersWhen not re-reading Jane Austen, sipping tea or mucking about her garden, Elizabeth Essex can be found at her computer, making up wonderful stories about people who live far more interesting lives than she.
Elizabeth Essex
It wasn’t always so. Elizabeth graduated from Hollins College with a BA in Classical Studies and Art History, and then earned her MA from Texas A&M University in Nautical Archaeology, also known as the archaeology of shipwrecks. While Elizabeth loved the life of a working archaeologist, after writing and reading all those dry, dusty reports on ship construction, she would daydream about how lovely it would have been if only someone had fallen in love on just one of those ships. And so now she writes stories about just that.
Elizabeth lives in Texas with her family, in a house filled to the brim with books.
Elizabeth Essex
It wasn’t always so. Elizabeth graduated from Hollins College with a BA in Classical Studies and Art History, and then earned her MA from Texas A&M University in Nautical Archaeology, also known as the archaeology of shipwrecks. While Elizabeth loved the life of a working archaeologist, after writing and reading all those dry, dusty reports on ship construction, she would daydream about how lovely it would have been if only someone had fallen in love on just one of those ships. And so now she writes stories about just that.
Elizabeth lives in Texas with her family, in a house filled to the brim with books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
March 26, 2014
This unusual romance grabbed my attention from its first line:
Tanner Evans, ninth Duke of Fenmore, should have known he would never truly be satisfied with a bride he hadn't stolen fair and square.
Through circumstance, Tanner Evans was raised to a life of thievery before he became a duke (the why of which I won't reveal), hence he had never belonged in London high society. People can only stare at the reclusive duke, none able to gleam even a fragment of his thoughts, especially not the kind and beautiful Lady Claire Jellicoe, of whom Tanner admires from afar.
Tanner had given up on his eccentricity, his wound forbidding him from revealing his passions to anyone, and with a particular set of skills for observation (think Sherlock Holmes), he sees the deceit and ugliness in many, but never Claire.
He watched her still - his lovely, luminous orchid of a girl. Because watching her gave him a pleasure so imcomprehensible and inexplicable and vast, it was beyond his understanding. And beyond his power to stop . (pg 3)
Lady Claire is innately kind, and smiles because she was raised to be polite. It is as a part of her as her goodness of heart. Claire was so innocent that she never imagined Lord Rosling would try to rape her when he asked her to follow him, nor the reclusive Duke of Fenmore to rescue her.
Afterwards, Claire becomes intrigued in Tanner, and asks him to teach her how to protect herself, and just when Tanner had planned to quietly compromise her to make her more amenable to his marriage offer, they discover the dead body of Claire's maid. This sets off the murder mystery central to this story, and the medium through which Claire and Tanner are forced into more interactions, slowly falling in love.
What is fantastic about this novel is how well Essex develops the mental growth of her characters. Tanner was attracted to Claire's innocence, her openness, and the radiance of her purity because he sees behind people's masks, and she has none. But as Claire learn from Tanner how to read people, her previously dimmed personality comes to life, transforming her into an outspoken person with her own thoughts and wishes, instead of merely playing the role society expects of her. Through this, she no longer retains her naivety, and this becomes Tanner's test, because his previous idol has transformed into someone more real and touchable. Which begs the question: Does his love still exist?
The inner growth of Claire coupled with the fast-paced action of the murder mystery makes this one intense, interesting adventure romance. Although Tanner's strange reluctance to ask Claire to marry him (his original plan, if you recall) later on provided some uneven bumps, overall this is one smooth ride of a novel. Most of all, I am delighted by the turnout of this murder mystery. Elizabeth Essex has crafted a thoroughly interesting novel full of mystery, intrigue, and fascinating characters. I mean, who ever heard of a thieving duke?
Published on Buried Under Romance book blog
*Review copy won from a contest; yes, it's an honest review.
Tanner Evans, ninth Duke of Fenmore, should have known he would never truly be satisfied with a bride he hadn't stolen fair and square.
Through circumstance, Tanner Evans was raised to a life of thievery before he became a duke (the why of which I won't reveal), hence he had never belonged in London high society. People can only stare at the reclusive duke, none able to gleam even a fragment of his thoughts, especially not the kind and beautiful Lady Claire Jellicoe, of whom Tanner admires from afar.
Tanner had given up on his eccentricity, his wound forbidding him from revealing his passions to anyone, and with a particular set of skills for observation (think Sherlock Holmes), he sees the deceit and ugliness in many, but never Claire.
He watched her still - his lovely, luminous orchid of a girl. Because watching her gave him a pleasure so imcomprehensible and inexplicable and vast, it was beyond his understanding. And beyond his power to stop . (pg 3)
Lady Claire is innately kind, and smiles because she was raised to be polite. It is as a part of her as her goodness of heart. Claire was so innocent that she never imagined Lord Rosling would try to rape her when he asked her to follow him, nor the reclusive Duke of Fenmore to rescue her.
Afterwards, Claire becomes intrigued in Tanner, and asks him to teach her how to protect herself, and just when Tanner had planned to quietly compromise her to make her more amenable to his marriage offer, they discover the dead body of Claire's maid. This sets off the murder mystery central to this story, and the medium through which Claire and Tanner are forced into more interactions, slowly falling in love.
What is fantastic about this novel is how well Essex develops the mental growth of her characters. Tanner was attracted to Claire's innocence, her openness, and the radiance of her purity because he sees behind people's masks, and she has none. But as Claire learn from Tanner how to read people, her previously dimmed personality comes to life, transforming her into an outspoken person with her own thoughts and wishes, instead of merely playing the role society expects of her. Through this, she no longer retains her naivety, and this becomes Tanner's test, because his previous idol has transformed into someone more real and touchable. Which begs the question: Does his love still exist?
The inner growth of Claire coupled with the fast-paced action of the murder mystery makes this one intense, interesting adventure romance. Although Tanner's strange reluctance to ask Claire to marry him (his original plan, if you recall) later on provided some uneven bumps, overall this is one smooth ride of a novel. Most of all, I am delighted by the turnout of this murder mystery. Elizabeth Essex has crafted a thoroughly interesting novel full of mystery, intrigue, and fascinating characters. I mean, who ever heard of a thieving duke?
Published on Buried Under Romance book blog
*Review copy won from a contest; yes, it's an honest review.
March 22, 2014
Originally posted
HERE
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I picked this one up because the last thing I read by Elizabeth Essex was… well, it wasn’t perfect, but it was very emotional and I thought this was an author with the potential to become a new favourite for me.
This one turned into something bizarre, fast.
Firstly, at the 1% mark, we were introduced to the clichéd attractive blond male villain. This ridiculous, insulting, tired stereotype is such a staple of the romance genre, and the historical romance genre in particular. I really can’t stand it.
However, soon after that came the real problems. It was as though the author had forgotten she was writing a book set in a different country and put her own political views (the kind of political views you'd find where the author lives, but not where the book is set) throughout the story.
The heroine is almost raped. The hero goes on long mental ramblings about how rapes wouldn’t happen if everyone had guns. And then he proceeds to teach her to shoot (literally!) five minutes after he meets her.
In relation to her not knowing how to shoot his pistol:
In relation to her not having a concealed weapon at the ball:
This is supposed to be ENGLAND. Where people don’t wave guns around and extoll the virtues of concealed carry permits. Where no gently-bred lady of the ton would attend a bloody ball with a pistol to shoot potential rapists!
Too much NRA propaganda. Too much victim-blaming. Too many people saying gotten.
I couldn’t finish.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
I picked this one up because the last thing I read by Elizabeth Essex was… well, it wasn’t perfect, but it was very emotional and I thought this was an author with the potential to become a new favourite for me.
This one turned into something bizarre, fast.
Firstly, at the 1% mark, we were introduced to the clichéd attractive blond male villain. This ridiculous, insulting, tired stereotype is such a staple of the romance genre, and the historical romance genre in particular. I really can’t stand it.
However, soon after that came the real problems. It was as though the author had forgotten she was writing a book set in a different country and put her own political views (the kind of political views you'd find where the author lives, but not where the book is set) throughout the story.
The heroine is almost raped. The hero goes on long mental ramblings about how rapes wouldn’t happen if everyone had guns. And then he proceeds to teach her to shoot (literally!) five minutes after he meets her.
“You’ve already done the first thing to make yourself safer, taking hold of the gun.”
In relation to her not knowing how to shoot his pistol:
It was both remarkable and, from his point of view, rather criminal that her father, or one of her surplus brothers had never taught her even the rudiments of shooting. If he did nothing else he would remedy that.
In relation to her not having a concealed weapon at the ball:
Being a lady had only served Lady Claire Jellicoe ill this night.
This is supposed to be ENGLAND. Where people don’t wave guns around and extoll the virtues of concealed carry permits. Where no gently-bred lady of the ton would attend a bloody ball with a pistol to shoot potential rapists!
Too much NRA propaganda. Too much victim-blaming. Too many people saying gotten.
I couldn’t finish.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
December 18, 2018
I finished this a while ago, and it was just kind of alright. Good for a very low key time killer.
November 19, 2015
Do you ever read books that you love so much you wish they would never, ever end? I don't very often, but now I've just finished this one, provided by netgalley, I want to just go straight back to the beginning and start all over again.
I absolutely loved this story. I loved the characters, I loved the detail, I loved, loved, loved the plot, I loved the canny use of historical accuracy, I loved the use of London.
I honestly can't think of a single thing which I didn't thoroughly enjoy about this great read. The writing alone puts practically all other historical romances to shame. It flows beautifully, and there is some wonderful use of vocabulary, while also making it easy and pleasant to read.
The plot is not your usual fluff and nonsense, but could easily stand on its own as a historical mystery without any romance elements, although the romance is excellent. The plot and the romance together make for a great balance.
This is one of a series, and I did read the first in the series, which I also loved, for many of the same reasons, although the setting, plot and characters were quite different. You do not to have read any of the other books to enjoy this one - it makes for a standalone read.
Anyway, 5 stars. I absolutely loved it, and it goes straight onto my (very selective) all-time-favorites list.
I absolutely loved this story. I loved the characters, I loved the detail, I loved, loved, loved the plot, I loved the canny use of historical accuracy, I loved the use of London.
I honestly can't think of a single thing which I didn't thoroughly enjoy about this great read. The writing alone puts practically all other historical romances to shame. It flows beautifully, and there is some wonderful use of vocabulary, while also making it easy and pleasant to read.
The plot is not your usual fluff and nonsense, but could easily stand on its own as a historical mystery without any romance elements, although the romance is excellent. The plot and the romance together make for a great balance.
This is one of a series, and I did read the first in the series, which I also loved, for many of the same reasons, although the setting, plot and characters were quite different. You do not to have read any of the other books to enjoy this one - it makes for a standalone read.
Anyway, 5 stars. I absolutely loved it, and it goes straight onto my (very selective) all-time-favorites list.
August 19, 2020
TW: assault, rape
I’ve only read one novel by this author before but I’m kicking myself for not giving her more of a chance earlier.
The hero and heroine are absolutely endearing. With the adrenaline rush of intrigue, I can absolutely see how they’d form such a quick attachment. The author brilliantly detailed their chemistry and the amount of respect they had for each other. More importantly, they’re a breath of fresh air. The hero is capable (almost too much?) and devoted. He asks for her consent in everything; it felt like a revelation. The heroine is feminine, adaptable, and so strong while still being kind.
The only thing bumping down my enjoyment of the novel was purple prose. This novel had strong writing with exceptional world-building but it could have cut a lot of unnecessary descriptions and redundant feelings. The hero likes to announce his findings like a detective—I thought I was reading a Poirot book. It’s essentially an amalgam of a romance with a detective novel (essentially an Agatha Christie), so anyone looking for a strict house party historical romance will be disappointed.
Despite the wordiness, the pace is quick. The entire novel takes place over a couple of days but the relationship doesnt suffer. Sometimes I did feel a bit lost but I chalked it up to reading the series out of order. I’m definitely looking forward to exploring more from this author.
Edit:I wonder if I read an edited version? The complaints some of the reviewers have (from 2014) are strange because those scenes dont occur in the novel I read. I read the second edition released 2020. I’m glad I didnt have the other book colour my experience.
I’ve only read one novel by this author before but I’m kicking myself for not giving her more of a chance earlier.
The hero and heroine are absolutely endearing. With the adrenaline rush of intrigue, I can absolutely see how they’d form such a quick attachment. The author brilliantly detailed their chemistry and the amount of respect they had for each other. More importantly, they’re a breath of fresh air. The hero is capable (almost too much?) and devoted. He asks for her consent in everything; it felt like a revelation. The heroine is feminine, adaptable, and so strong while still being kind.
The only thing bumping down my enjoyment of the novel was purple prose. This novel had strong writing with exceptional world-building but it could have cut a lot of unnecessary descriptions and redundant feelings. The hero likes to announce his findings like a detective—I thought I was reading a Poirot book. It’s essentially an amalgam of a romance with a detective novel (essentially an Agatha Christie), so anyone looking for a strict house party historical romance will be disappointed.
Despite the wordiness, the pace is quick. The entire novel takes place over a couple of days but the relationship doesnt suffer. Sometimes I did feel a bit lost but I chalked it up to reading the series out of order. I’m definitely looking forward to exploring more from this author.
Edit:
January 10, 2016
Lady Claire is tired of the same redundancy of the Ton and society and never feeling any passion or emotion. Even though she is loved by her parents, she knows they expect her to make a good match. So she reluctantly agrees to go in a dark corner and exchange a kiss with a lord. What she doesn't expect is to be attacked and to be rescued by a handsome Duke. Fenmore hasn't always been a Duke. When he was young, he and his older sister had to survive the streets by thievery, but then they were rescued by a family relative and he was trained and tutored to be the Duke of Fenmore. For quite some time he has watched Claire from a distance and only wishes to prove himself worthy of her. When he finds her being attacked he rescues her and then they stumble upon a dead body and he realizes that Claire isn't safe. So he and Claire decided to look for the murderer themselves, but along the way they start to have a powerful connection, a connection that will prove to be their greatest strength and could save the both of them.
After The Scandal is the fourth installment, and the first book I have read from this author. I have been watching this author for quite some time now. So when I was able to obtain a review copy, I was very excited to try this author out and I find that I really enjoyed her unique style. There was alot more to this book than a simple regency love story. The elements included into this read only added a air of excitement and danger and leaves the reader more intrigued with each turn of page. From the very first chapter we see the instant connection between Clair and Fenmore. They definitely have a unpredictable desire for each other, but even from their first meeting you see that there is alot more to their relationship than just passion.
The hero of the story is Fenmore, and boy I wish more heroes were more like him. Most of the time with this time period and style, the heroes are all about being rakes and seducing. However Fenmore is so different. He has a sense of high honor and respect for Claire, and you see how much he admire Claire and only wants her to return the feelings he has for her. Throughout the story you see him trying to prove his worth of her, and I loved his humble personality. But it wasn't fake, it seemed so genuine and real and I definitely needed a tissue, he definitely evoked certain emotions. Claire is daring and bold and I loved seeing her react toward Fenmore. Claire is put in danger and even though put in certain situations most women would lean away from, she steps right into it, not fearing much of anything. I loved her sense of loyalty toward the hero and their relationship was full of conflict, passion, and adventure. Who wouldn't want to jump right in and join them right? A exciting romantic tale that is guaranteed to weave a spell around you!! FANTASTICALLY WELL DONE!!!
After The Scandal is the fourth installment, and the first book I have read from this author. I have been watching this author for quite some time now. So when I was able to obtain a review copy, I was very excited to try this author out and I find that I really enjoyed her unique style. There was alot more to this book than a simple regency love story. The elements included into this read only added a air of excitement and danger and leaves the reader more intrigued with each turn of page. From the very first chapter we see the instant connection between Clair and Fenmore. They definitely have a unpredictable desire for each other, but even from their first meeting you see that there is alot more to their relationship than just passion.
The hero of the story is Fenmore, and boy I wish more heroes were more like him. Most of the time with this time period and style, the heroes are all about being rakes and seducing. However Fenmore is so different. He has a sense of high honor and respect for Claire, and you see how much he admire Claire and only wants her to return the feelings he has for her. Throughout the story you see him trying to prove his worth of her, and I loved his humble personality. But it wasn't fake, it seemed so genuine and real and I definitely needed a tissue, he definitely evoked certain emotions. Claire is daring and bold and I loved seeing her react toward Fenmore. Claire is put in danger and even though put in certain situations most women would lean away from, she steps right into it, not fearing much of anything. I loved her sense of loyalty toward the hero and their relationship was full of conflict, passion, and adventure. Who wouldn't want to jump right in and join them right? A exciting romantic tale that is guaranteed to weave a spell around you!! FANTASTICALLY WELL DONE!!!
May 18, 2014
Posted on What I'm Reading
A couple of days ago I read After the Scandal by Elizabeth Essex. I guess I should dive into my thoughts.
At the beginning of After the Scandal we find Tanner Evans, the Duke of Fenmore pining of Lady Claire Jellicoe. Tanner plans to get Claire anyway possible. However, he finds his way when she goes off with Lord Rosing. Now Rosing isn't the decent guy he presents himself to be, anyway something happens and Tanner needs to rescue Claire. Claire and Tanner go off on their journey they find a body. There begins the story.
I like Claire, because at the beginning of the story she's naïve and unaware of the dangers the world. However, as the story progresses she grows and learns that her shelter life offered nothing that would help her in the real world. I like Tanner too. He's not your typical duke. Growing basically on the streets, he learn how to survive. Those skills helped him and Claire solve the mystery.
I liked the characters and I liked the story. I didn't mind that the story held more mystery than romance. However, I wasn't really pulled into the story. Don't get me wrong the story was well written and interesting, but just didn't wow me. I liked that how Claire and Tanner use deduction and reasoning to solve the murder, but I just never really felt that they connected. I felt that they were focusing more on who done it. Yes, Tanner has been wanting Claire for sometime and I guess that's a enough. I guess I felt like there romance was a little rush towards the end. Overall, I liked After the Scandal, just didn't fall in love with story.
Copy provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley
A couple of days ago I read After the Scandal by Elizabeth Essex. I guess I should dive into my thoughts.
At the beginning of After the Scandal we find Tanner Evans, the Duke of Fenmore pining of Lady Claire Jellicoe. Tanner plans to get Claire anyway possible. However, he finds his way when she goes off with Lord Rosing. Now Rosing isn't the decent guy he presents himself to be, anyway something happens and Tanner needs to rescue Claire. Claire and Tanner go off on their journey they find a body. There begins the story.
I like Claire, because at the beginning of the story she's naïve and unaware of the dangers the world. However, as the story progresses she grows and learns that her shelter life offered nothing that would help her in the real world. I like Tanner too. He's not your typical duke. Growing basically on the streets, he learn how to survive. Those skills helped him and Claire solve the mystery.
I liked the characters and I liked the story. I didn't mind that the story held more mystery than romance. However, I wasn't really pulled into the story. Don't get me wrong the story was well written and interesting, but just didn't wow me. I liked that how Claire and Tanner use deduction and reasoning to solve the murder, but I just never really felt that they connected. I felt that they were focusing more on who done it. Yes, Tanner has been wanting Claire for sometime and I guess that's a enough. I guess I felt like there romance was a little rush towards the end. Overall, I liked After the Scandal, just didn't fall in love with story.
Copy provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley
March 7, 2015
This could have easily been a 4, but I lost interest during the middle part, which kept it at a 3 for me. I lost interest because there was a little too much mystery solving (could have followed less clues and gotten back home far earlier; it felt like it was just an opportunity for Tanner to show off more knowledge to Claire, it just wasn't needed. The book would have benefited from being 50-75 pages shorter).
That said, I did love Tanner, especially how the author shows that he really cherishes Claire. I loved how his infatuation/crush-level love became real love. Rather than be disillusioned that his angellic image of Claire wasn't accurate, he embraced everything new he learned about her and each new thing made him admire her more. (Though, again in the middle area, I kind of thought- ok, ok, we know he's intrigued by everything about her, we don't need to see so many different instances of this). But, I did love how beautifully the author described how he thought of/ felt for Claire.
I also liked Claire a lot. She was fun, sweet, strong, smart and principled. The biggest draw back about Claire was there were times I thought she should have had a stronger reaction to her troubles; also, although I think it's clear Claire was aware of Tanner prior to the events of the story, ultimately how the book is written it seems she falls whole-heartedly in love with Tanner in the immediate 24 hours after what would usually be a life-changing trauma. Although I believed Claire loved Tanner, this is one of those little things that I don't believe can be successful in real life, thus it doesn't allow me to suspend disbelief and immerse myself in the story.
That said, I did love Tanner, especially how the author shows that he really cherishes Claire. I loved how his infatuation/crush-level love became real love. Rather than be disillusioned that his angellic image of Claire wasn't accurate, he embraced everything new he learned about her and each new thing made him admire her more. (Though, again in the middle area, I kind of thought- ok, ok, we know he's intrigued by everything about her, we don't need to see so many different instances of this). But, I did love how beautifully the author described how he thought of/ felt for Claire.
I also liked Claire a lot. She was fun, sweet, strong, smart and principled. The biggest draw back about Claire was there were times I thought she should have had a stronger reaction to her troubles; also, although I think it's clear Claire was aware of Tanner prior to the events of the story, ultimately how the book is written it seems she falls whole-heartedly in love with Tanner in the immediate 24 hours after what would usually be a life-changing trauma. Although I believed Claire loved Tanner, this is one of those little things that I don't believe can be successful in real life, thus it doesn't allow me to suspend disbelief and immerse myself in the story.
July 27, 2014
The book lacks logic by any stretch of the imagination.
Tanner Evans-former pickpocket turned Duke of Fenmore-can't resist getting his hands on one more prize. He has observed and obsessed about Lady Claire Jellicoe from afar for years; he fancies himself in love.
So..a duke as handsome as Tanner has never been introduced to Claire, the daughter of an Earl for nearly four seasons? By all counts, and all the regencies that I've read, the matchmaking mamas would be going crazy pairing him with their daughters..
After averting a rape attempt by an unsavoury peer, Tanner promptly whisks her away on the Thames. He wants to compromise her so that he can get to keep her. Because that's love isn't it? And our innocent flower Claire goes right along with the deception, presumably zoinked by the rape attempt and the Duke's timely rescue.
Their night time jaunt is interrupted by the discovery of the dead body of Claire's maid. Annd.. Tanner the Duke takes her along with him to the seedy, dangerous side of London to solve a murder. Cue a breakneck ride through the myriad 'dark, dangerous, desperate' places of London- Claire the Lady casting off her sheltered upbringing, proceeding to grasp the working classes hands' in sympathy and snuggling against the hitherto unknown Duke.
By this point, I had given up..
Tanner Evans-former pickpocket turned Duke of Fenmore-can't resist getting his hands on one more prize. He has observed and obsessed about Lady Claire Jellicoe from afar for years; he fancies himself in love.
So..a duke as handsome as Tanner has never been introduced to Claire, the daughter of an Earl for nearly four seasons? By all counts, and all the regencies that I've read, the matchmaking mamas would be going crazy pairing him with their daughters..
After averting a rape attempt by an unsavoury peer, Tanner promptly whisks her away on the Thames. He wants to compromise her so that he can get to keep her. Because that's love isn't it? And our innocent flower Claire goes right along with the deception, presumably zoinked by the rape attempt and the Duke's timely rescue.
Their night time jaunt is interrupted by the discovery of the dead body of Claire's maid. Annd.. Tanner the Duke takes her along with him to the seedy, dangerous side of London to solve a murder. Cue a breakneck ride through the myriad 'dark, dangerous, desperate' places of London- Claire the Lady casting off her sheltered upbringing, proceeding to grasp the working classes hands' in sympathy and snuggling against the hitherto unknown Duke.
By this point, I had given up..
August 12, 2017
Oh, I really liked this story! Claire is backward and suppressed by trying to be the perfect young lady. Tanner is a enigmatic character. He has a mixed-up past and doesn't fit in with good society even though he is now a duke. And he LOVES Claire right from the very beginning. The two immediately become enmeshed in a complicated mystery adventure during which Claire comes out of her comfort zone, Tanner learns to trust, and they fall in love. Just a very, very good book. 4.5 stars.
August 23, 2023
Could be an outstanding book.
There are so many errors in this book. A grammar check should have been done. Did an editor even read it. I found it hard going to get past the glaring mistakes. Do the rest of her books have this problem? This was a free book, but I would never pay for another one of hers.
There are so many errors in this book. A grammar check should have been done. Did an editor even read it. I found it hard going to get past the glaring mistakes. Do the rest of her books have this problem? This was a free book, but I would never pay for another one of hers.
January 15, 2018
I really wanted to like this, but I honestly didn't.
First: Trigger warnings. This whole book is a really long rape trigger. It's not one scene, or several, it's the whole damn novel start to finish. If you're looking for a book that won't be a horrible slog through unpleasant memories, give this one a hard pass. I'm not even hiding the triggers under a spoiler warning like I usually do, because this isn't a 'potentially triggering scene' situation, this is an entire novel about a rapist and discussing rape and serial rapists and the main character is almost raped and spends the entire book (which takes place over a 24 hour period as near as I can tell) having flashbacks about her assault.
That being said: Other novels by Elizbeth Essex were beautifully done, but the whirlwind romance in A Breath of Scandal is nothing compared to the accelerated pace in this one.
So Tanner (side note, his name is apparently Timothy, but that information isn't present at all in this book as far as I can recall. He is called Tanner by his friends, and Fenmore by his peers.) is apparently the creep who stands at the edge of a party and lurks, staring fixatedly at pretty women while never talking to them. This... is not a particularly good beginning. So he stands and lurks in the corners, and it's only because of his inappropriate fixation on Claire that he realizes that she is in the company of a man noted for being a serial rapist, and led out onto the terrace. He follows them, and interrupts mid sexual assault.
He is appropriately concerned for Claire, but not concerned enough to take her someplace safe and to find her relatives so she would be surrounded by safe and concerned people while she recovers. Instead, he decides that he may as well capitalize on an opportunity to compromise her himself, albiet in a less violent fashion.
So, vaguely creepy (although, refreshingly non-rapey) hero makes an amoral decision to tarnish a woman's reputation -- a woman to whom he has never before been introduced. Or spoken to. This is a particularly high-handed and manipulative decision, because a) this woman has almost been violently raped, and is thus emotionally vulnerable; b) this woman has almost been violently raped, and it would be entirely reasonable for her to object to her autonomy being violated, c) this woman has almost been violently raped, and only a fucking asshole would seek to capitalize on that.
There's a lot of stuff to unpack thematically and I don't want to get into all of it, but here are my main objections to the novel:
1) The entire book takes place in a 24 hour period, with the exception of an epilogue meant to sum up the following weeks. I don't care how extreme the circumstances, a 24-hour courtship does not a love connection make. At best, I could call it infatuation. I genuinely want to believe in the longevity of a relationship when I read a romance, and that's simply not possible in a single day.
2) Claire in a highly emotional state (because as I've said before, she has almost been violently raped) and I find it highly suspect that the entire ntlovel takes place before this woman has a single night's sleep. To me, that speaks of emotional transference or dependence, not love. It looks like hero worship because this man saved her from a horrible fate, but admiring a mostly nice man after he save you is not the same as being ready to marry him. Do you remember the movie Speed, with Keanu Reeves? "Relationships based on extreme circumstances rarely work out."
3) The plot. Tanner and Claire take off immediately to investigate a murder, but... that investigation could have been done on-site. There was no need for them to leave. The murderer could have been discovered by simply interviewing the housekeeper and staff on grounds, especially with the evidence (watch fob and scrap of fabric) found in Maisy's hands. Taking the body away to have a post-mortem examination done by a doctor sounds good to modern thinking, but the whole adventure is a circuitous, juevenille jaunt into less reputable areas, investigating things that in the end didn't need to have been investigating. Sure, the whole coin-forgery thing sounds like a real mystery, but it also had nothing to do with Maisy's murder and could have been left out of the novel as a whole.
4) The plot. Even the villains didn't make sense-- why would a "respectable" English peer (even one known to rape servant women) violently assault a young woman of good family? Especially knowing that the father is apparently a good shot-- were these fucking awful men seriously expecting that neither father nor brothers would challenge them to a duel over this? Peter the fucking rapist should have known the same think that Tanner did-- keeping the woman away from the party for thirty minutes or so ought to do it. Being found in her bedroom (and he was in her bedroom earlier) would have done it. I'm sure plently of men would have shown their violent tendencies once the wedding was over, but any man smart enough to be sweet and charming to a girl's face while planning to rape her ought to be smart enough to hold back on the face-bruising until they were properly betrothed.
5) the PLOT. Why did they choose Claire? What fucking association with the Earl of Sanderson was so vital to their methods that they skipped over 'diplomacy' and 'courting a girl for her family connections' and went straight to rape and forced marriage? Why, when they had decided on their course of action, did Peter rape Maisy? If Peter was able to rape Maisy, clean himself up (her nose was broken and she was bleeding profusely) and then attend the ball, dance with Claire, and abscond with her into the night, did it matter if after the fact Maisy might have spoken to Claire about their mutual horror? The damage would have been done. Her murder made no sense-- she wouldn't talk to her mistress during the ball, and after the ball Claire would have been compromised. Why bother himself at all with a servant girl? And lastly, what the hell were they going to gain from all of this machinations-- Sanderson already disliked the man and wasn't willing to invest in his bullshit, so why would Claire's marriage to Peter have changed things?
The plot doesn't make any sense at all. It isn't a mystery. It isn't a romance. It isn't even a logical series of events. It's just... there.
My last criticism of the book is Claire. Not the heroine herself, but rather her characterization. Yes, she's sheltered. Yes, her family spoil her, and shield her from all the unsavoury parts of life. That's par for the course for a historical heroine, I'm not complaining about that. But the one thing I do find very out of character for her is that at no point in the book does she think about her mother. And that to me seems... wrong. Anachronistic. What gentlewoman of 20, living at home in her parents house, as the only female child of a loving woman, doesn't consider what her own mother is going through? She empathizes so easily with Maisy's mother, who is absolutely distraught at the loss of her daughter, but for some reason Claire doesn't think of what the situation (just what is known: Claire disappears from a ball with a man she's never spoken to. Neither can be found.) might mean for her mother's state of mind. She doesn't at any point wonder if her family is worried about her (yes, she sent a note) but even hearing the gossip at Tatterstall's (and seeing her brother looking equally distraught) she immediately forgets about her family's concern and traipses off into another ill-conceived adventure. It's childish. It's emotionally vacant. I don't get it at all.
I will say this, though-- the entire novel is beautifully written. Essex has a way with words. A lesser author would have ended up in my DNF pile, but I read this one through to the end. I'll keep reading Elizabeth Essex, but this one wasn't worth my time.
First: Trigger warnings. This whole book is a really long rape trigger. It's not one scene, or several, it's the whole damn novel start to finish. If you're looking for a book that won't be a horrible slog through unpleasant memories, give this one a hard pass. I'm not even hiding the triggers under a spoiler warning like I usually do, because this isn't a 'potentially triggering scene' situation, this is an entire novel about a rapist and discussing rape and serial rapists and the main character is almost raped and spends the entire book (which takes place over a 24 hour period as near as I can tell) having flashbacks about her assault.
That being said: Other novels by Elizbeth Essex were beautifully done, but the whirlwind romance in A Breath of Scandal is nothing compared to the accelerated pace in this one.
So Tanner (side note, his name is apparently Timothy, but that information isn't present at all in this book as far as I can recall. He is called Tanner by his friends, and Fenmore by his peers.) is apparently the creep who stands at the edge of a party and lurks, staring fixatedly at pretty women while never talking to them. This... is not a particularly good beginning. So he stands and lurks in the corners, and it's only because of his inappropriate fixation on Claire that he realizes that she is in the company of a man noted for being a serial rapist, and led out onto the terrace. He follows them, and interrupts mid sexual assault.
He is appropriately concerned for Claire, but not concerned enough to take her someplace safe and to find her relatives so she would be surrounded by safe and concerned people while she recovers. Instead, he decides that he may as well capitalize on an opportunity to compromise her himself, albiet in a less violent fashion.
So, vaguely creepy (although, refreshingly non-rapey) hero makes an amoral decision to tarnish a woman's reputation -- a woman to whom he has never before been introduced. Or spoken to. This is a particularly high-handed and manipulative decision, because a) this woman has almost been violently raped, and is thus emotionally vulnerable; b) this woman has almost been violently raped, and it would be entirely reasonable for her to object to her autonomy being violated, c) this woman has almost been violently raped, and only a fucking asshole would seek to capitalize on that.
There's a lot of stuff to unpack thematically and I don't want to get into all of it, but here are my main objections to the novel:
1) The entire book takes place in a 24 hour period, with the exception of an epilogue meant to sum up the following weeks. I don't care how extreme the circumstances, a 24-hour courtship does not a love connection make. At best, I could call it infatuation. I genuinely want to believe in the longevity of a relationship when I read a romance, and that's simply not possible in a single day.
2) Claire in a highly emotional state (because as I've said before, she has almost been violently raped) and I find it highly suspect that the entire ntlovel takes place before this woman has a single night's sleep. To me, that speaks of emotional transference or dependence, not love. It looks like hero worship because this man saved her from a horrible fate, but admiring a mostly nice man after he save you is not the same as being ready to marry him. Do you remember the movie Speed, with Keanu Reeves? "Relationships based on extreme circumstances rarely work out."
3) The plot. Tanner and Claire take off immediately to investigate a murder, but... that investigation could have been done on-site. There was no need for them to leave. The murderer could have been discovered by simply interviewing the housekeeper and staff on grounds, especially with the evidence (watch fob and scrap of fabric) found in Maisy's hands. Taking the body away to have a post-mortem examination done by a doctor sounds good to modern thinking, but the whole adventure is a circuitous, juevenille jaunt into less reputable areas, investigating things that in the end didn't need to have been investigating. Sure, the whole coin-forgery thing sounds like a real mystery, but it also had nothing to do with Maisy's murder and could have been left out of the novel as a whole.
4) The plot. Even the villains didn't make sense-- why would a "respectable" English peer (even one known to rape servant women) violently assault a young woman of good family? Especially knowing that the father is apparently a good shot-- were these fucking awful men seriously expecting that neither father nor brothers would challenge them to a duel over this? Peter the fucking rapist should have known the same think that Tanner did-- keeping the woman away from the party for thirty minutes or so ought to do it. Being found in her bedroom (and he was in her bedroom earlier) would have done it. I'm sure plently of men would have shown their violent tendencies once the wedding was over, but any man smart enough to be sweet and charming to a girl's face while planning to rape her ought to be smart enough to hold back on the face-bruising until they were properly betrothed.
5) the PLOT. Why did they choose Claire? What fucking association with the Earl of Sanderson was so vital to their methods that they skipped over 'diplomacy' and 'courting a girl for her family connections' and went straight to rape and forced marriage? Why, when they had decided on their course of action, did Peter rape Maisy? If Peter was able to rape Maisy, clean himself up (her nose was broken and she was bleeding profusely) and then attend the ball, dance with Claire, and abscond with her into the night, did it matter if after the fact Maisy might have spoken to Claire about their mutual horror? The damage would have been done. Her murder made no sense-- she wouldn't talk to her mistress during the ball, and after the ball Claire would have been compromised. Why bother himself at all with a servant girl? And lastly, what the hell were they going to gain from all of this machinations-- Sanderson already disliked the man and wasn't willing to invest in his bullshit, so why would Claire's marriage to Peter have changed things?
The plot doesn't make any sense at all. It isn't a mystery. It isn't a romance. It isn't even a logical series of events. It's just... there.
My last criticism of the book is Claire. Not the heroine herself, but rather her characterization. Yes, she's sheltered. Yes, her family spoil her, and shield her from all the unsavoury parts of life. That's par for the course for a historical heroine, I'm not complaining about that. But the one thing I do find very out of character for her is that at no point in the book does she think about her mother. And that to me seems... wrong. Anachronistic. What gentlewoman of 20, living at home in her parents house, as the only female child of a loving woman, doesn't consider what her own mother is going through? She empathizes so easily with Maisy's mother, who is absolutely distraught at the loss of her daughter, but for some reason Claire doesn't think of what the situation (just what is known: Claire disappears from a ball with a man she's never spoken to. Neither can be found.) might mean for her mother's state of mind. She doesn't at any point wonder if her family is worried about her (yes, she sent a note) but even hearing the gossip at Tatterstall's (and seeing her brother looking equally distraught) she immediately forgets about her family's concern and traipses off into another ill-conceived adventure. It's childish. It's emotionally vacant. I don't get it at all.
I will say this, though-- the entire novel is beautifully written. Essex has a way with words. A lesser author would have ended up in my DNF pile, but I read this one through to the end. I'll keep reading Elizabeth Essex, but this one wasn't worth my time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2014
3.5 stars
While this was a historical romance, I'd classify it as a romantic suspense as well, because it was full of murder and intrigue. The hero saves the heroine and what ensues is a whirlwind adventure to catch a murderer. There were a few romantic scenes (the one sex scene was hot and had me curling my toes), but those took a back seat to the solving of the murder.
There were some instances of repetitiveness (can you say "stealth and guile"?) that took me out of the story, but for the most part, I felt this was a well written story. I'll read more by Elizabeth Essex.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
While this was a historical romance, I'd classify it as a romantic suspense as well, because it was full of murder and intrigue. The hero saves the heroine and what ensues is a whirlwind adventure to catch a murderer. There were a few romantic scenes (the one sex scene was hot and had me curling my toes), but those took a back seat to the solving of the murder.
There were some instances of repetitiveness (can you say "stealth and guile"?) that took me out of the story, but for the most part, I felt this was a well written story. I'll read more by Elizabeth Essex.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
July 7, 2014
How do you get a woman to marry you? In Regency/Victorian times, you can always link her with you through a scandal. One man tries to do that with Lady Claire Jellicoe in a very brutal fashion, and another gentleman rescues her. But are his intentions as above-board as they appear? And can he prove his worth to her despite his own scandalous past?
Ms. Essex has once again spun an historical tale of romance and intrigue that will keep readers wondering just how Lady Jellicoe is going to extract herself from possible scandal -- or if she even wants to.
Ms. Essex has once again spun an historical tale of romance and intrigue that will keep readers wondering just how Lady Jellicoe is going to extract herself from possible scandal -- or if she even wants to.
November 28, 2017
SOMETIMES people who have terrible reputations for being jerks are just shy! And weirdly obsessed with you! So he did break the leg of her attempted rapist and they did embark on a series of japes and solve a murder. But also, the only reason that he saved her from the rapist was because he was a creepy weirdo obsessed with her and her whereabouts at all times, desperately in love with her and unnervingly up on all her family history etc despite never being introduced...NEVER MIND ALL THAT IT'S ROMANTIC I guess
July 8, 2020
In any series of romance novels, there's usually a weak link - one book that just isn't as sharp or satisfactory as the others and unfortunately, AFTER THE SCANDAL, is that book in Elizabeth Essex's "Reckless Brides" sequence. I should note, I haven't gotten to the 5th book, A Scandal to Remember, but I have higher hopes for it, as it returns to the seafaring setting that Essex wrote so beautifully in the 1st installment, Almost a Scandal.
AFTER THE SCANDAL and I got off to a rough start, as I found the opening conceit a little hard to believe. The story begins with the attempted rape of the heroine, Claire Jellicoe (the sister of the heroes from A Breath of Scandal and Scandal in the Night), which is violently interrupted by the hero, the Duke of Fenmore, Tanner Evans. Although he could easily return her to her family or the safety of his house, he absconds with her to the Thames because while he has rescued her from her assailant who would've ruined her, he also wants to compromise her so they may marry. Apparently, he's been infatuated with her for years.
Once onboard his boat, they discuss the assault and she's - quite understandably! - traumatized and full of self-recriminations. This conversation definitely raised an eyebrow because throughout her turmoil, Tanner doesn't come out and say that the attack wasn't her fault. Instead, he offers to teach her how to be more aware of her surroundings and shows off how to shoot a gun. Tanner's "street wise" knowledge and his skill as a teacher to Claire are the bedrock of their relationship for the rest of the novel, but the introduction of this theme, directly after she was nearly raped, just read as insensitive and vaguely victim-blaming. These exchanges, alongside Tanner's motivation for persuading her to leave with him, definitely didn't predispose me to like his character.
As they're bonding over self-defense in his getaway boat, they come upon the corpse of a murdered lady's maid who happened to be the servant assigned to Claire at Tanner's house. Rather than return to the scene of the crime or summon the authorities, they decide to take the body onboard and row to London so the Duke can summon a surgeon to help with an autopsy. And this is where Essex lost me because I just couldn't imagine a young woman escaping a brutal attack and subsequently finding herself eager to solve a homicide. Murder mysteries are fun, but maybe not in the same night that you're assaulted?
AFTER THE SCANDAL also managed to combine one of my favorite tropes, when heroes spend years secretly pining after a heroine, and one of my least favorite, the impoverished-pickpocket-turned-nobleman/woman. Unfortunately, I thought the treatment of the former was nearly nonexistent while the latter was especially annoying. Like Claire's motivation for following him after they've found a corpse, Tanner's character strains credulity: in addition to being an experienced pickpocket, he's an expert in lock picking, burglary, forensic pathology, forgery, criminal profiling, crime scene investigation, and disguise. His Olympian feats of deduction and vast encyclopedic knowledge wouldn't be as obnoxious if Claire, his fellow sleuth, were similarly competent or useful.
Unfortunately, Claire is the least realized of Essex's heroines in the "Reckless Brides" series. There's a scene in which she helpfully interrogates the mother of the murder victim and throughout the story, her eyes are slowly opened to her own naivete and the well-meaning ways in which her family have left her dependent, but these moments are overshadowed by the numerous passages devoted to Tanner's hardscrabble childhood, his cornucopia of pragmatic skills and talents, and the lonely isolation of living between the social orbits of the slums and the nobility. Claire lacked the resourcefulness, self-reliance, and confidence of Essex's previous heroines which only served to magnify the discrepancies between her character and Tanner's. I wish she had more substance, even if it was only to better balance her hero.
Admittedly, my reading history may have prejudiced me against AFTER THE SCANDAL. Earlier this month, I read Joanna Bourne's My Lord and Spymaster which features another former-child-pickpocket-prodigy, Jess Whitby, who successfully runs her father's shipping company. She also uses her exceptional memory and wide-ranging criminal skill set to uncover a criminal in her midst. And yesterday, I read Julie Anne Long's The Perils of Pleasure, which sees the main couple on a road romance through London to solve a series of interconnected mysteries. They also don disguises, break into private homes, and interrogate citizens across the social spectrum. Perhaps, if I hadn't read those books, I might've been inclined to see AFTER THE SCANDAL in a more positive light..?
And this is very nit picky, but I've got to say it -- I'm really, really not in favor of Essex's go-to expletive: "God's balls". It reads a little too incongruous and, um, Earthy for me. She has used it in some of the previous books and yeah, not a fan.
AFTER THE SCANDAL does have a number of points to recommend it: positive, enthusiastic consent is wonderfully modeled throughout the novel, the secondary characters are impressively done, the historical setting is well realized, and overall the writing is, as usual, incredibly strong.
Passes muster, but the weakest "Reckless Bride" so far. Grade: B.
AFTER THE SCANDAL and I got off to a rough start, as I found the opening conceit a little hard to believe. The story begins with the attempted rape of the heroine, Claire Jellicoe (the sister of the heroes from A Breath of Scandal and Scandal in the Night), which is violently interrupted by the hero, the Duke of Fenmore, Tanner Evans. Although he could easily return her to her family or the safety of his house, he absconds with her to the Thames because while he has rescued her from her assailant who would've ruined her, he also wants to compromise her so they may marry. Apparently, he's been infatuated with her for years.
Once onboard his boat, they discuss the assault and she's - quite understandably! - traumatized and full of self-recriminations. This conversation definitely raised an eyebrow because throughout her turmoil, Tanner doesn't come out and say that the attack wasn't her fault. Instead, he offers to teach her how to be more aware of her surroundings and shows off how to shoot a gun. Tanner's "street wise" knowledge and his skill as a teacher to Claire are the bedrock of their relationship for the rest of the novel, but the introduction of this theme, directly after she was nearly raped, just read as insensitive and vaguely victim-blaming. These exchanges, alongside Tanner's motivation for persuading her to leave with him, definitely didn't predispose me to like his character.
As they're bonding over self-defense in his getaway boat, they come upon the corpse of a murdered lady's maid who happened to be the servant assigned to Claire at Tanner's house. Rather than return to the scene of the crime or summon the authorities, they decide to take the body onboard and row to London so the Duke can summon a surgeon to help with an autopsy. And this is where Essex lost me because I just couldn't imagine a young woman escaping a brutal attack and subsequently finding herself eager to solve a homicide. Murder mysteries are fun, but maybe not in the same night that you're assaulted?
AFTER THE SCANDAL also managed to combine one of my favorite tropes, when heroes spend years secretly pining after a heroine, and one of my least favorite, the impoverished-pickpocket-turned-nobleman/woman. Unfortunately, I thought the treatment of the former was nearly nonexistent while the latter was especially annoying. Like Claire's motivation for following him after they've found a corpse, Tanner's character strains credulity: in addition to being an experienced pickpocket, he's an expert in lock picking, burglary, forensic pathology, forgery, criminal profiling, crime scene investigation, and disguise. His Olympian feats of deduction and vast encyclopedic knowledge wouldn't be as obnoxious if Claire, his fellow sleuth, were similarly competent or useful.
Unfortunately, Claire is the least realized of Essex's heroines in the "Reckless Brides" series. There's a scene in which she helpfully interrogates the mother of the murder victim and throughout the story, her eyes are slowly opened to her own naivete and the well-meaning ways in which her family have left her dependent, but these moments are overshadowed by the numerous passages devoted to Tanner's hardscrabble childhood, his cornucopia of pragmatic skills and talents, and the lonely isolation of living between the social orbits of the slums and the nobility. Claire lacked the resourcefulness, self-reliance, and confidence of Essex's previous heroines which only served to magnify the discrepancies between her character and Tanner's. I wish she had more substance, even if it was only to better balance her hero.
Admittedly, my reading history may have prejudiced me against AFTER THE SCANDAL. Earlier this month, I read Joanna Bourne's My Lord and Spymaster which features another former-child-pickpocket-prodigy, Jess Whitby, who successfully runs her father's shipping company. She also uses her exceptional memory and wide-ranging criminal skill set to uncover a criminal in her midst. And yesterday, I read Julie Anne Long's The Perils of Pleasure, which sees the main couple on a road romance through London to solve a series of interconnected mysteries. They also don disguises, break into private homes, and interrogate citizens across the social spectrum. Perhaps, if I hadn't read those books, I might've been inclined to see AFTER THE SCANDAL in a more positive light..?
And this is very nit picky, but I've got to say it -- I'm really, really not in favor of Essex's go-to expletive: "God's balls". It reads a little too incongruous and, um, Earthy for me. She has used it in some of the previous books and yeah, not a fan.
AFTER THE SCANDAL does have a number of points to recommend it: positive, enthusiastic consent is wonderfully modeled throughout the novel, the secondary characters are impressively done, the historical setting is well realized, and overall the writing is, as usual, incredibly strong.
Passes muster, but the weakest "Reckless Bride" so far. Grade: B.
March 13, 2016
ARC received for review
2.5 stars
I can't believe I'm rating this one so low. I have always loved Ms. Essex's book but this one just fell a little flat for me. There was more mystery than romance and that romance felt really rushed.
2.5 stars
I can't believe I'm rating this one so low. I have always loved Ms. Essex's book but this one just fell a little flat for me. There was more mystery than romance and that romance felt really rushed.
August 11, 2023
Re-imagined; Sherlock Holmes in Love
After the Scandal by Elizabeth Essex is a pleasant and interesting mix of sleuthing and romancing by a hero who is more suited to the streets than the ballroom. His object of desire is a truly sweet young lady who has yet to step out over proper boundaries. Together they unravel a mystery, break every societal boundary, see justice done and fall in love.
All in all this is an entertaining read with a satisfying conclusion. If not for the authors acute wordiness, I would have rated it as five stars.
Content 411: This book is for readers who are not easily offended. In addition to secular and religious swearing, this book also has no less than 16 times. This read also features lots of passionate kissing an a steamy and descriptive bedroom scene.
After the Scandal by Elizabeth Essex is a pleasant and interesting mix of sleuthing and romancing by a hero who is more suited to the streets than the ballroom. His object of desire is a truly sweet young lady who has yet to step out over proper boundaries. Together they unravel a mystery, break every societal boundary, see justice done and fall in love.
All in all this is an entertaining read with a satisfying conclusion. If not for the authors acute wordiness, I would have rated it as five stars.
Content 411: This book is for readers who are not easily offended. In addition to secular and religious swearing, this book also has no less than 16 times. This read also features lots of passionate kissing an a steamy and descriptive bedroom scene.
November 3, 2019
Where the mystery grabbed me somewhat and was very readable, the romance felt a bit forced. The characters are so busy thinking about how wonderful and beautiful and clever (a word that the author uses over and over and over and over...) each other are, that it packs little heat until the end. For me, the best part was the pacing, taking place within a 48 hour period, with lots of action and wonderful descriptions of moving through different sections in London. I also thought how EE handled shifts in dialect was really well done--I was almost more interested in the passages with characters from the poorer parts of London than I was the mains because of the rhythm she managed to capture brilliantly. Solid, but didn't sweep me off my feet.
December 8, 2023
Book 1 and Book 2 in this series were great. This one was a MESSSSSS.
The spelling and grammar errors alone infuriated me. One or two in a book? Mistakes happen. TEN IN A CHAPTER?! Nope.
Somehow I read this out of order and skipped book 3. I just read the synopsis and what in the White Jesus??? Nope, I think I’m done here.
That’s BEFORE we get into the nonsense of the plot of this book, the bizarre timeline (or lack thereof), and how it’s all absolutely driven by the rape and murder of one woman and the attempted rape of her doppelgänger, and the book NEVER LETS YOU FORGET IT. But hey, these two crazy kids are gonna fall in love anyway. There was potential here, I don’t know where it went.
The spelling and grammar errors alone infuriated me. One or two in a book? Mistakes happen. TEN IN A CHAPTER?! Nope.
Somehow I read this out of order and skipped book 3. I just read the synopsis and what in the White Jesus??? Nope, I think I’m done here.
That’s BEFORE we get into the nonsense of the plot of this book, the bizarre timeline (or lack thereof), and how it’s all absolutely driven by the rape and murder of one woman and the attempted rape of her doppelgänger, and the book NEVER LETS YOU FORGET IT. But hey, these two crazy kids are gonna fall in love anyway. There was potential here, I don’t know where it went.
October 4, 2020
This was my second read through this book. I love Elizabeth Essex and I love this book.
It is a romance novel, first and foremost, but it is also contains a murder mystery and suspense. I can admit that I had to suspend my disbelief throughout the murder investigation and in moments that seemed far too convenient for our hero and heroine. But the romance is so sweet, so unbelieveably cute, that I can't help but think of this book with fondness. It is one of my most favorite romance novels, and I continued to enjoy it on the second read.
It is a romance novel, first and foremost, but it is also contains a murder mystery and suspense. I can admit that I had to suspend my disbelief throughout the murder investigation and in moments that seemed far too convenient for our hero and heroine. But the romance is so sweet, so unbelieveably cute, that I can't help but think of this book with fondness. It is one of my most favorite romance novels, and I continued to enjoy it on the second read.
March 19, 2017
Again, Truly Sublime!
It matters not the how by which the happy accident of my discovery of author extraordinaire Elizabeth Essex's work occurred, simply that it did while I have the heart and breath to relish each one must suffice. That they must also be a labour of love, although hopefully an intuitive supposition on my part, comes across in each chapter, page & word I read.
I was just laughing to myself at a thought which I've decided to ask Elizabeth directly, since I have the great honour to do so for many fabulous writer's!
So, dear Elizabeth, since I have time and hours and days to spare since retirement should you ever be desirous of another ARC reader please contact Anne Renwick. Who will hopefully not be appalled with the bandying about of her good name. Texas should supply a clue, if needed. And while waiting I will continue to read and review as many wonderful tomes as possible, for it is one of the few habit's "I" choose not to break!
It matters not the how by which the happy accident of my discovery of author extraordinaire Elizabeth Essex's work occurred, simply that it did while I have the heart and breath to relish each one must suffice. That they must also be a labour of love, although hopefully an intuitive supposition on my part, comes across in each chapter, page & word I read.
I was just laughing to myself at a thought which I've decided to ask Elizabeth directly, since I have the great honour to do so for many fabulous writer's!
So, dear Elizabeth, since I have time and hours and days to spare since retirement should you ever be desirous of another ARC reader please contact Anne Renwick. Who will hopefully not be appalled with the bandying about of her good name. Texas should supply a clue, if needed. And while waiting I will continue to read and review as many wonderful tomes as possible, for it is one of the few habit's "I" choose not to break!
October 2, 2025
Beautifully written, needs proofreading
I loved this story. The protagonists are, of course, aristocrats of the highest order, but refreshingly different. He's not on arrogant, overbearing jerk. She's neither a shrew nor an idiot. The only reason I gave this four stars instead of five is because the content desperately needs to be proofread. A few errors I understand, but this book is liberally sprinkled with copy errorz.
I loved this story. The protagonists are, of course, aristocrats of the highest order, but refreshingly different. He's not on arrogant, overbearing jerk. She's neither a shrew nor an idiot. The only reason I gave this four stars instead of five is because the content desperately needs to be proofread. A few errors I understand, but this book is liberally sprinkled with copy errorz.
March 7, 2018
This book has good parts but the boring parts outweighed it for me. It wasn’t that exciting for me even with the murder mystery. No one ever solves a case in 2 days in that time. It kinda suspended too Moluccan reality for me. The characters were easy to like but they seem like they would be boring people to talk too.
Next!
Next!
August 24, 2023
A chance at last
Wonderful story, great story line, wonderful characters,who will no doubt steal your heart.
This is the story of Duke Tanner and Claire, the young lady he loved since she was 14. When she was 20 he saved her from a violent rapist., That is where their love story really begins.
Thank you ❤️
Wonderful story, great story line, wonderful characters,who will no doubt steal your heart.
This is the story of Duke Tanner and Claire, the young lady he loved since she was 14. When she was 20 he saved her from a violent rapist., That is where their love story really begins.
Thank you ❤️
July 14, 2024
This is my first romance written by Elizabeth Essex, and I'm so impressed! The intelligence of our leads, Tanner and Claire, practically leaps off the page, and I really enjoyed the mystery plot and the clear, evocative writing, as well as the charming romance which grows between Tanner and Claire. I can't wait to check out more of Essex's books!
November 30, 2016
This book was quite a bit different than what I usually read. I like fluff and fun, but this was more serious and I felt it was more mystery than romance. It kept moving pretty well and yes there were lots if romantic elements but the mystery is mire what kept me reading.
July 6, 2017
The idea of the book is kinda interesting - the blend between detective and romance set old England. But the author's narration was so very tedious. Nothing really was happening, but lots of words with descriptions of every thought in each head.
August 22, 2023
Treachery and murder
Lady Claire finds herself in trouble from the start. Nieve, she doesn't realizing the world around her was full of wicked people , gets into one scrap after another. Can the Duke save her and himself before it's to late?
Lady Claire finds herself in trouble from the start. Nieve, she doesn't realizing the world around her was full of wicked people , gets into one scrap after another. Can the Duke save her and himself before it's to late?
August 30, 2023
The story is unique with fun twists in the plot, the characters were well fleshed out, but the writing is in desperate need of a good edit. Wrong words were used (i.e., through for though or thought, and many others). I recommend hiring an editor!
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