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Marriage of Convenience #2
Marry in Scandal
Shy young heiress Lady Lily Rutherford is in no hurry to marry. She dreams of true love and a real courtship. But when disaster strikes, she finds herself facing a scandal-forced marriage to her rescuer, Edward Galbraith, a well-known rake. Despite his reputation Lily is drawn to the handsome Galbraith. In the gamble of her life, she agrees to marry him, hoping to turn a convenient marriage into a love match. As heir to a title, Galbraith knows he must wed, so a convenient marriage suits him perfectly. But there is a darkness in his past, and secrets he refuses to share with his tender-hearted young bride. All Lily's efforts to get close to him fall on stony ground, and in desperation she retreats to his childhood home--the place he's avoided for nearly a decade. Must Lily reconcile herself to a marriage without love? Or will Galbraith realize that this warm-hearted, loving girl is the key to healing the wounds of his past--and his heart? Contains mature themes.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published April 3, 2018
331 people are currently reading
1170 people want to read
About the author
Anne Gracie
95 books1,536 followersI've always loved stories. Family legend has it that I used to spend hours playing in the sand pit, with a dog on either side of me and Rocka the horse leaning over me, his head just touching my shoulder, while I told them stories. I have to say, dogs and horses are great audiences, apart from their tendency to drool occasionally. But people are even nicer.
In case you imagine we were a filthy rich horse-owning family, let me assure you we weren't. The horse period was a time when my parents entered a "let's-be-self-sufficient" phase, so we had a horse, but no electricity and all our water came from the rain tank.
As well as the horse and dogs, we had 2 cows (Buttercup and Daisy and one of them always had a calf), a sheep (Woolly,) goats (Billy and Nanny) dozens of ducks, chooks, and a couple of geese, a pet bluetongue lizard and a huge vegie patch. I don't know how my mother managed, really, because both she and Dad taught full time, but she came home and cooked on a wood stove and did all the laundry by hand, boiling the clothes and sheets in a big copper kettle. Somehow, we were always warm, clean, well fed and happy. She's pretty amazing, my mum.
Once I learned to read, I spent my days outside playing with the animals (I include my brother and 2 sisters here) and when inside I read. For most of my childhood we didn't have TV, so books have always been a big part of my life. Luckily our house was always full of them. Travel was also a big part of my childhood. My parents had itchy feet. We spent a lot of time driving from one part of Australia to another, visiting relatives or friends or simply to see what was there. I've lived in Scotland, Malaysia and Greece. We travelled through Europe in a caravan and I'd swum most of the famous rivers in Europe by the time I was eight.
This is me and my classmates in Scotland. I am in the second front row, in the middle, to the right of the girl in the dark tunic.
Sounds like I was raised by gypsies, doesn't it? I was even almost born in a tent --Mum, Dad and 3 children were camping and one day mum left the tent and went to hospital to have me. But in fact we are a family of chalkies (Australian slang for teachers)- and Dad was a school principal during most of my life. And I am an expert in being "the new girl" having been to 6 different schools in 12 years.The last 4 years, however, were in the same high school and I still have my 2 best friends from that time.
No matter where I lived, I read. I devoured whatever I could get my hands on -- old Enid Blyton and Mary Grant Bruce books, old schoolboys annuals. I learned history by reading Rosemary Sutcliffe, Henry Treece and Georgette Heyer. I loved animal books -- Elyne Mitchell's Silver Brumby books and Mary Patchett and Finn the Wolf Hound. And then I read Jane Austen and Dickens and Mary Stewart and Richard Llewellyn and Virginia Woolf and EF Benson and Dick Francis and David Malouf and Patrick White and Doris Lessing and PD James and...the list is never ending.
This is me posing shamelessly on a glacier in New Zealand.
This is me in Greece with my good friend Fay in our village outfits. The film went a funny colour, but you get the idea. I'm the one in the pink apron.
I escaped from my parents, settled down and went to university.To my amazement I became a chalkie myself and found a lot of pleasure in working with teenagers and later, adults. I taught English and worked as a counsellor and helped put on plays and concerts and supervised camps and encouraged other people to write but never did much myself. It took a year of backpacking around the world to find that my early desire to write hadn't left me, it had just got buried under a busy and demanding job.
I wrote my first novel on notebooks bought in Quebec, Spain, Greece and Indonesia. That story never made it out of the notebooks, but I'd been bitten by the writing bug.
My friends and I formed a band called Platform Souls a
In case you imagine we were a filthy rich horse-owning family, let me assure you we weren't. The horse period was a time when my parents entered a "let's-be-self-sufficient" phase, so we had a horse, but no electricity and all our water came from the rain tank.
As well as the horse and dogs, we had 2 cows (Buttercup and Daisy and one of them always had a calf), a sheep (Woolly,) goats (Billy and Nanny) dozens of ducks, chooks, and a couple of geese, a pet bluetongue lizard and a huge vegie patch. I don't know how my mother managed, really, because both she and Dad taught full time, but she came home and cooked on a wood stove and did all the laundry by hand, boiling the clothes and sheets in a big copper kettle. Somehow, we were always warm, clean, well fed and happy. She's pretty amazing, my mum.
Once I learned to read, I spent my days outside playing with the animals (I include my brother and 2 sisters here) and when inside I read. For most of my childhood we didn't have TV, so books have always been a big part of my life. Luckily our house was always full of them. Travel was also a big part of my childhood. My parents had itchy feet. We spent a lot of time driving from one part of Australia to another, visiting relatives or friends or simply to see what was there. I've lived in Scotland, Malaysia and Greece. We travelled through Europe in a caravan and I'd swum most of the famous rivers in Europe by the time I was eight.
This is me and my classmates in Scotland. I am in the second front row, in the middle, to the right of the girl in the dark tunic.
Sounds like I was raised by gypsies, doesn't it? I was even almost born in a tent --Mum, Dad and 3 children were camping and one day mum left the tent and went to hospital to have me. But in fact we are a family of chalkies (Australian slang for teachers)- and Dad was a school principal during most of my life. And I am an expert in being "the new girl" having been to 6 different schools in 12 years.The last 4 years, however, were in the same high school and I still have my 2 best friends from that time.
No matter where I lived, I read. I devoured whatever I could get my hands on -- old Enid Blyton and Mary Grant Bruce books, old schoolboys annuals. I learned history by reading Rosemary Sutcliffe, Henry Treece and Georgette Heyer. I loved animal books -- Elyne Mitchell's Silver Brumby books and Mary Patchett and Finn the Wolf Hound. And then I read Jane Austen and Dickens and Mary Stewart and Richard Llewellyn and Virginia Woolf and EF Benson and Dick Francis and David Malouf and Patrick White and Doris Lessing and PD James and...the list is never ending.
This is me posing shamelessly on a glacier in New Zealand.
This is me in Greece with my good friend Fay in our village outfits. The film went a funny colour, but you get the idea. I'm the one in the pink apron.
I escaped from my parents, settled down and went to university.To my amazement I became a chalkie myself and found a lot of pleasure in working with teenagers and later, adults. I taught English and worked as a counsellor and helped put on plays and concerts and supervised camps and encouraged other people to write but never did much myself. It took a year of backpacking around the world to find that my early desire to write hadn't left me, it had just got buried under a busy and demanding job.
I wrote my first novel on notebooks bought in Quebec, Spain, Greece and Indonesia. That story never made it out of the notebooks, but I'd been bitten by the writing bug.
My friends and I formed a band called Platform Souls a
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 316 reviews
April 11, 2018
Mmmm... It could be that the heroine is too young for my taste...
She reminded me of Melanie Hamilton from Gone with the Wind, remember?
She has a golden heart and is full of good intentions, but she's soooo naive!!!
She also has a big problem: she cannot read (I think she's dyslexic, but it is never throughly explained).
I can understand that's a big problem, but she's been hiding it from the hero for too long.
I had the feeling that the hero was kind of absent from the story... she's the main character. He was present, but also somehow suspended from it all... I don't know how to explain better...
It was kind of bland romance. Yes, full of good intentions, but also with kind of stupid villains...
It's not completly bad, but I could do without it. Lily is such an insignificant heroine and I wasn't involved. she and her navie actions almost gave me a toothache, they're so sweet!
She reminded me of Melanie Hamilton from Gone with the Wind, remember?
She has a golden heart and is full of good intentions, but she's soooo naive!!!
She also has a big problem: she cannot read (I think she's dyslexic, but it is never throughly explained).
I can understand that's a big problem, but she's been hiding it from the hero for too long.
I had the feeling that the hero was kind of absent from the story... she's the main character. He was present, but also somehow suspended from it all... I don't know how to explain better...
It was kind of bland romance. Yes, full of good intentions, but also with kind of stupid villains...
It's not completly bad, but I could do without it. Lily is such an insignificant heroine and I wasn't involved. she and her navie actions almost gave me a toothache, they're so sweet!
May 31, 2018
Readers first met Lily Rutherford, heroine of Marry in Scandal (the second book in Anne Gracie’s
Marriage of Convenience
series), in Marry in Haste, where she was introduced as one of the two somewhat unruly sisters of its hero, Cal, Earl of Ashendon. Now eighteen years old, Lily, her sister, Rose and their niece, Georgiana (who is of an age with them) are all partaking of the London season under the chaperonage of their dragon of an Aunt Augusta, who orders them about, and bullies them (or tries to) into doing whatever she wants them to.
Being the quieter of the three, Lily is usually the main target for Aunt Augusta’s lectures and disparaging comments, many of which relate to the fact that Lily has never been able to learn to read or write, and was regarded by their late father as stupid. Lily’s ‘shortcoming’ is not widely known however, and given she is an heiress, their aunt holds out hope that there may be a man out there who is desperate enough to marry her. All Lily wants is someone who will love and care for her, and whom she can love and care for in return, yet Aunt Agatha insists on thrusting the trio of young ladies into the paths of the sorts of cold, ennui-laden, self-important gentlemen they dislike - and Lily’s refusal to attend the opera so she can meet a duke and two of his friends all but sends the older lady into apoplexy.
It’s unusual for Lily to stand up to their aunt so strongly, but she refuses to be cowed on this occasion. Agatha always makes her feel fat (naturally, Lily isn’t fat, but lusciously curved) and stupid, and she wants to escape from her aunt’s censure for a few hours; and besides, she has agreed to attend another event because she has promised to meet an old schoolmate there. Sadly for Lily however, her promise almost proves her undoing. At the function, she is introduced to the handsome and charming Victor Nixon – who proceeds to slip Lily a mickey, construct a weak excuse to get her outside and then bundle her into a carriage that immediately takes off at speed. Drugged, bound and confused, Lily doesn’t know what’s happening until she hears her captor and his companion bandying around words like ‘bride’ and ‘heiress’ – and realises they must be heading to Gretna Green.
Lily may be quiet and shy, but she discovers her backbone during the uncomfortable journey, and at last manages to escape, running headlong into the path of the coach containing Mr. Edward Galbraith, a notorious rake and friend of Cal’s, who immediately comes to her rescue. Nixon and his henchman are summarily dispatched and, having ascertained Lily’s identity, Edward determines to take her home.
The difficulty is going to be in keeping Lily’s identity and standing as an unmarried lady a secret while they are on the way back to London. Edward has no wish to be forced into marriage because society perceives Lily has been compromised – so they have to be incredibly careful to stop in out-of-the-way places where it’s unlikely anyone of their acquaintance will see them. Things go in their favour – until the very last leg of the journey when one of Aunt Agatha’s rivals sees Lily and starts spreading rumours of her ruin the moment she gets back to London.
When Edwards hears them, he’s furious. He doesn’t want to be married, but he can’t stand by and let an innocent young woman be falsely accused and publicly ruined. He likes Lily, admires her intelligence and pluck and is most definitely attracted to her lush body, but he knows she wants to marry for love and that’s the one thing he cannot give her. If, however, he offers for Lily but makes it clear from the start that love isn’t an option… then perhaps marriage isn’t completely out of the question.
Marry is Scandal doesn’t break any new ground, but it’s an easy, undemanding read featuring two attractive principals who have lots of lovely romantic chemistry, and I enjoyed it. Lily is the more well-drawn of the two protagonists and undergoes the most character growth; she has spent all her life hurting and lacking confidence because of her father’s rejection and belief that she must be stupid because she was unable to learn to read or write, and I was rooting for her as she learnt to stand up for herself and to fight for the man she loves. Edward is rather stereotypical; another of those marriage-shy bachelors with such deep hurt in his past that he believes himself unworthy of love or happiness, but for all that, he’s an attractive hero, and Ms. Gracie clearly shows the reader that he’s falling hard for Lily in spite of his determination to remain detached. She injects a little bit of mystery into the story courtesy of his flat refusal to return home, even though he loves the place and the grandfather who practically raised him – but his about-face and coming to terms with the past come rather too late in the story to feel anything other than rushed and glossed over.
There’s an engaging and well-characterised secondary cast in the story, and it’s refreshing to discover Edward’s grandfather is a decent, kind man who loves his grandson dearly rather than one of those ruthless, harsh and dictatorial father-figures so often found in the genre. The writing is smooth and laced with warmth and gentle humour, and in short, Marry in Scandal is sure to appeal to fans of the marriage-of-convenience trope and to anyone looking for a charming and sweetly sensual historical romance without too much overblown drama.
Being the quieter of the three, Lily is usually the main target for Aunt Augusta’s lectures and disparaging comments, many of which relate to the fact that Lily has never been able to learn to read or write, and was regarded by their late father as stupid. Lily’s ‘shortcoming’ is not widely known however, and given she is an heiress, their aunt holds out hope that there may be a man out there who is desperate enough to marry her. All Lily wants is someone who will love and care for her, and whom she can love and care for in return, yet Aunt Agatha insists on thrusting the trio of young ladies into the paths of the sorts of cold, ennui-laden, self-important gentlemen they dislike - and Lily’s refusal to attend the opera so she can meet a duke and two of his friends all but sends the older lady into apoplexy.
It’s unusual for Lily to stand up to their aunt so strongly, but she refuses to be cowed on this occasion. Agatha always makes her feel fat (naturally, Lily isn’t fat, but lusciously curved) and stupid, and she wants to escape from her aunt’s censure for a few hours; and besides, she has agreed to attend another event because she has promised to meet an old schoolmate there. Sadly for Lily however, her promise almost proves her undoing. At the function, she is introduced to the handsome and charming Victor Nixon – who proceeds to slip Lily a mickey, construct a weak excuse to get her outside and then bundle her into a carriage that immediately takes off at speed. Drugged, bound and confused, Lily doesn’t know what’s happening until she hears her captor and his companion bandying around words like ‘bride’ and ‘heiress’ – and realises they must be heading to Gretna Green.
Lily may be quiet and shy, but she discovers her backbone during the uncomfortable journey, and at last manages to escape, running headlong into the path of the coach containing Mr. Edward Galbraith, a notorious rake and friend of Cal’s, who immediately comes to her rescue. Nixon and his henchman are summarily dispatched and, having ascertained Lily’s identity, Edward determines to take her home.
The difficulty is going to be in keeping Lily’s identity and standing as an unmarried lady a secret while they are on the way back to London. Edward has no wish to be forced into marriage because society perceives Lily has been compromised – so they have to be incredibly careful to stop in out-of-the-way places where it’s unlikely anyone of their acquaintance will see them. Things go in their favour – until the very last leg of the journey when one of Aunt Agatha’s rivals sees Lily and starts spreading rumours of her ruin the moment she gets back to London.
When Edwards hears them, he’s furious. He doesn’t want to be married, but he can’t stand by and let an innocent young woman be falsely accused and publicly ruined. He likes Lily, admires her intelligence and pluck and is most definitely attracted to her lush body, but he knows she wants to marry for love and that’s the one thing he cannot give her. If, however, he offers for Lily but makes it clear from the start that love isn’t an option… then perhaps marriage isn’t completely out of the question.
Marry is Scandal doesn’t break any new ground, but it’s an easy, undemanding read featuring two attractive principals who have lots of lovely romantic chemistry, and I enjoyed it. Lily is the more well-drawn of the two protagonists and undergoes the most character growth; she has spent all her life hurting and lacking confidence because of her father’s rejection and belief that she must be stupid because she was unable to learn to read or write, and I was rooting for her as she learnt to stand up for herself and to fight for the man she loves. Edward is rather stereotypical; another of those marriage-shy bachelors with such deep hurt in his past that he believes himself unworthy of love or happiness, but for all that, he’s an attractive hero, and Ms. Gracie clearly shows the reader that he’s falling hard for Lily in spite of his determination to remain detached. She injects a little bit of mystery into the story courtesy of his flat refusal to return home, even though he loves the place and the grandfather who practically raised him – but his about-face and coming to terms with the past come rather too late in the story to feel anything other than rushed and glossed over.
There’s an engaging and well-characterised secondary cast in the story, and it’s refreshing to discover Edward’s grandfather is a decent, kind man who loves his grandson dearly rather than one of those ruthless, harsh and dictatorial father-figures so often found in the genre. The writing is smooth and laced with warmth and gentle humour, and in short, Marry in Scandal is sure to appeal to fans of the marriage-of-convenience trope and to anyone looking for a charming and sweetly sensual historical romance without too much overblown drama.
April 3, 2018
ARC provided by NetGalley and Publisher for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
First time reading this author.
Lady Lily Rutherford is holding out for true love. Even though her not so nice Aunt is determined to marry her, her sister and niece off to cold, arrogant, titled men of the ton. But Lily dreams of true love.
She know she has some challenges that need to be overcome, as her dearest Aunt continues to point out. Lily can't read and as been disparaged by her Father and Aunt to be made to feel small and "stupid". But thankfully she has a great support system with her sisters and niece.
Edward Galbraith, is known as cold and aloof. He's aware that he's being pursued for his future title and has no wish to marry. He has baggage that just is too burdensome and troubling to bring into a marriage. Edward sister and Lily are friends.
Lily defies her dearest Aunt and attends an event to meet up with some past schoolmate. Unbeknownst to Lily a plan has been hatched to abduct and take her inheritance. But she finds a knight in shining armor in Edward. The two are put in a compromising situation (due to traveling together) and her reputation is in jeopardy. So again Edward, being a gentleman does the right thing and marries Lily.
And so the two begin learning about each other and they start developing feelings for each other. But insecurities come in to play as well as deep secrets and hurts that need to be revealed.
The writing at times was good, flow of the book in there first couple chapters anyway (though I did think it took a little to long to introduce Edward). But as I progress I found the flow to be stifled as characters seemed to disappear or drop off. Also some issues seemed unresolved, Auntie needed some closer. And then there was Sylvia that was unresolved in my book. I also found some of Lily's behavior a little to naive, like why meet someone who hands you a note that you can't really read?!?! And Edwards reveal could have been dealt with sooner in my opinion. Also the end seemed rush and clumsily put together.
I will try this author again, this one book was just not as promising as I hoped.
First time reading this author.
Lady Lily Rutherford is holding out for true love. Even though her not so nice Aunt is determined to marry her, her sister and niece off to cold, arrogant, titled men of the ton. But Lily dreams of true love.
She know she has some challenges that need to be overcome, as her dearest Aunt continues to point out. Lily can't read and as been disparaged by her Father and Aunt to be made to feel small and "stupid". But thankfully she has a great support system with her sisters and niece.
Edward Galbraith, is known as cold and aloof. He's aware that he's being pursued for his future title and has no wish to marry. He has baggage that just is too burdensome and troubling to bring into a marriage. Edward sister and Lily are friends.
Lily defies her dearest Aunt and attends an event to meet up with some past schoolmate. Unbeknownst to Lily a plan has been hatched to abduct and take her inheritance. But she finds a knight in shining armor in Edward. The two are put in a compromising situation (due to traveling together) and her reputation is in jeopardy. So again Edward, being a gentleman does the right thing and marries Lily.
And so the two begin learning about each other and they start developing feelings for each other. But insecurities come in to play as well as deep secrets and hurts that need to be revealed.
The writing at times was good, flow of the book in there first couple chapters anyway (though I did think it took a little to long to introduce Edward). But as I progress I found the flow to be stifled as characters seemed to disappear or drop off. Also some issues seemed unresolved, Auntie needed some closer. And then there was Sylvia that was unresolved in my book. I also found some of Lily's behavior a little to naive, like why meet someone who hands you a note that you can't really read?!?! And Edwards reveal could have been dealt with sooner in my opinion. Also the end seemed rush and clumsily put together.
I will try this author again, this one book was just not as promising as I hoped.
April 11, 2020
For my thoughts, comments, and quotes: Marry in Scandal Buddy Read
This started off promising for me but meandered in the middle and then had an ending that was full of pointless, annoying, quickly done with reveals.
This started off promising for me but meandered in the middle and then had an ending that was full of pointless, annoying, quickly done with reveals.
July 28, 2018
The author is really good at writing endings. The last quarter is pretty amazing. Like the 1st book, it takes way too long for the buildup of the plot.
I was looking forward to Lily’s book, but she was kinda eh for most of it except for a bit in the beginning and the ending. I like Edward, especially when we get his backstory towards the end. His grandfather is the sweetest!
So overall. 3 stars (maybe 2.5). Solid last quarter of the book, but the middle was so blah.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level?
Tears-worthy?
Humor?
Favorite scenes?
What age level would be appropriate?
I was looking forward to Lily’s book, but she was kinda eh for most of it except for a bit in the beginning and the ending. I like Edward, especially when we get his backstory towards the end. His grandfather is the sweetest!
So overall. 3 stars (maybe 2.5). Solid last quarter of the book, but the middle was so blah.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level?
Tears-worthy?
Humor?
Favorite scenes?
What age level would be appropriate?
May 11, 2018
Lady Lily Rutherford gets kidnapped by a jackass and she has a SECRET. Edward Galbraith rescues her and HE TOO HAS A SECRET. Kissing, scandal, marriage, sex, emotions, revealing of secrets, THE END.
1. HER SECRET IS THAT SHE CANNOT READ. OTHER BOOKS HAVE DONE IT BETTER.
2. HIS SECRET IS THAT HE HAS SURVIVOR'S GUILT. OTHER BOOKS HAVE DONE IT BETTER.
3. This just didn't stick. Lily just a golden-hearted idol with nothing to her beyond her dyslexia. Ned is 900% not present until his ~big reveal which is ultimately both too obvious and too small. So much of the plot felt underdeveloped and incomplete. Ned's realization of feelings happens off site, off page and without any narrative. Lily's realization of feelings happens so early as to mean practically nothing and then goes no where as she struggles with ~trying to make Ned love her.
4. It's just inoffensive and dull and I don't even have that much to say about it because it just—didn't do anything for me in any way.
1. HER SECRET IS THAT SHE CANNOT READ. OTHER BOOKS HAVE DONE IT BETTER.
2. HIS SECRET IS THAT HE HAS SURVIVOR'S GUILT. OTHER BOOKS HAVE DONE IT BETTER.
3. This just didn't stick. Lily just a golden-hearted idol with nothing to her beyond her dyslexia. Ned is 900% not present until his ~big reveal which is ultimately both too obvious and too small. So much of the plot felt underdeveloped and incomplete. Ned's realization of feelings happens off site, off page and without any narrative. Lily's realization of feelings happens so early as to mean practically nothing and then goes no where as she struggles with ~trying to make Ned love her.
4. It's just inoffensive and dull and I don't even have that much to say about it because it just—didn't do anything for me in any way.
June 11, 2021
4.5 stelline
La dolcissima Lily rimane vittima di una trappola. Allontanata con l'inganno dalla sua famiglia si ritrova rapita e condotta a forza a Gretna Green da un furfante che vuole appropriarsi della sua eredità. Riuscita a fuggire si imbatte in Edward , Ned , amico di suo fratello che la aiuta a ritornare a Londra. Vittime di pettegolezzi saranno costretti a sposarsi e Ned mette in chiaro che oltre all'amicizia non potrà esserci nulla , ma ci riuscirà a non farsi coinvolgere ?
Sempre più conquistata da questa serie
La dolcissima Lily rimane vittima di una trappola. Allontanata con l'inganno dalla sua famiglia si ritrova rapita e condotta a forza a Gretna Green da un furfante che vuole appropriarsi della sua eredità. Riuscita a fuggire si imbatte in Edward , Ned , amico di suo fratello che la aiuta a ritornare a Londra. Vittime di pettegolezzi saranno costretti a sposarsi e Ned mette in chiaro che oltre all'amicizia non potrà esserci nulla , ma ci riuscirà a non farsi coinvolgere ?
Sempre più conquistata da questa serie
April 12, 2018
4.5 Stars for a lovely story. It would have been five, but the big mystery was a bit disappointing to me. Great marriage of convenience that turns into love transition. Really enjoyed listening to it!
July 4, 2020
Young debutante develops a serious case of infatuation for dashing hero after he rescued her from the clutches of a nasty abductor. In the process, they're compromised and being the honourable gentleman that he is, Edward proposes marriage to Lily, the youngest sister of his close friend.
Marriage follows. Marriage bed is bliss naturally, after a less than fine start by the hero to their connubial coital relations. It seems that Gracie's heroes have a tendency to build up the expectations only to rush in search of their own pleasures, leaving the heroines frustratingly unfulfilled. While making up for his initial neglect of her carnal needs, he fails her dismally in the emotional department, determined to keep her at a distance and to keep his past locked up to her probings. He's been carrying around a cart load of guilt on his broad shoulders and it takes the sweetness and patience of Lily some time to smash his cart and free him of his burden.
It's an uneven match and I dislike these. She's eighteen to his almost twenty-eight, I think. The age gap appears even wider, because she is so idealistic and naive, not just with Edward but in her interactions with others also. There was no matching wit between them. He was defeated by her sweet disposition eventually, but it really wasn't that thrilling a journey to get there. She also hid her dyslexia form him for far too long and why didn't anyone figure out Lydia's guilt since it was obviously through her information and participation that allowed her cousin to kidnap Lily to start with?
The narration does a great job with all the characters except Lily's voice which was very little girlish, adding to the perception of her being quite immature.
Marriage follows. Marriage bed is bliss naturally, after a less than fine start by the hero to their connubial coital relations. It seems that Gracie's heroes have a tendency to build up the expectations only to rush in search of their own pleasures, leaving the heroines frustratingly unfulfilled. While making up for his initial neglect of her carnal needs, he fails her dismally in the emotional department, determined to keep her at a distance and to keep his past locked up to her probings. He's been carrying around a cart load of guilt on his broad shoulders and it takes the sweetness and patience of Lily some time to smash his cart and free him of his burden.
It's an uneven match and I dislike these. She's eighteen to his almost twenty-eight, I think. The age gap appears even wider, because she is so idealistic and naive, not just with Edward but in her interactions with others also. There was no matching wit between them. He was defeated by her sweet disposition eventually, but it really wasn't that thrilling a journey to get there. She also hid her dyslexia form him for far too long and why didn't anyone figure out Lydia's guilt since it was obviously through her information and participation that allowed her cousin to kidnap Lily to start with?
The narration does a great job with all the characters except Lily's voice which was very little girlish, adding to the perception of her being quite immature.
November 4, 2018
Find this review and many more on my blog: Ipshita's Book Alley
I enjoyed this book. The characters sort of grew on me by the time I finished with it. One cannot help but fall for Gracie's characters. And I've been a devoted follower of Anne Gracie for several years. Having said that, I couldn't help but feel that this one wasn't up to par with her usual books.
Two things that bothered me were her dyslexia (not a spoiler, trust me) and the hero not returning to his estate despite having such a great relationship with his grandfather. I felt both of these issues were overly stretched, so much so that they lost their effectiveness. I'm not being insensitive to the issues but they could have been handled far better. The author certainly has the talent to do it, she's proved as much in The Perfect Stranger and The Gallant Waif (books whose copies have worn out due to my re-reading).
I enjoyed this book. The characters sort of grew on me by the time I finished with it. One cannot help but fall for Gracie's characters. And I've been a devoted follower of Anne Gracie for several years. Having said that, I couldn't help but feel that this one wasn't up to par with her usual books.
Two things that bothered me were her dyslexia (not a spoiler, trust me) and the hero not returning to his estate despite having such a great relationship with his grandfather. I felt both of these issues were overly stretched, so much so that they lost their effectiveness. I'm not being insensitive to the issues but they could have been handled far better. The author certainly has the talent to do it, she's proved as much in The Perfect Stranger and The Gallant Waif (books whose copies have worn out due to my re-reading).
April 13, 2020
3.5. Rather abrupt last few chapters, very quick turnaround of events. I feel as if it was missing some buildup.
Aaaand, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but, yeah, it was missing some filler. Some pasta or rice with all that meat.
The characters were great though. They conveyed genuine affection for each other, and there was a cute portrayal of growing feelings.
I also like that no easy solution was offered for her issue, at this stage of her life it might have been frustrating for her if everyone was trying to ‘fix’ her rather than being accepting.
Aaaand, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but, yeah, it was missing some filler. Some pasta or rice with all that meat.
The characters were great though. They conveyed genuine affection for each other, and there was a cute portrayal of growing feelings.
I also like that no easy solution was offered for her issue, at this stage of her life it might have been frustrating for her if everyone was trying to ‘fix’ her rather than being accepting.
March 31, 2018
Something had begun, in that trip back from Yorkshire, and every instinct she had was to nurture it. She felt certain—as certain as a girl full of doubts could—that this was what she had to do. She loved Edward and would do her very best to make him the best wife she could be. And she would hope and pray that he would become the loving kind of husband she'd always dreamed of. He might be marrying in scandal, but she would marry in hope.3.5 stars
Our Heroine. Lady Lily Rutherford (18) is an heiress, the daughter of an earl, and youngest of three siblings. Her brother (the new Earl) is the hero of Book 1, but if you haven't read it, don't worry; I hadn't and I don't think it took anything away from my enjoyment. She's the sweet, "meek," quiet one of the group (in addition to her siblings, there is her niece, Georgiana, or "George," who is actually older than her and hysterical as f***! Can't wait for her story). Lily doesn't know how to read or write (from the description, it seems like dyslexia), and she is very self-conscious about this and it really defines a lot about her and how her family treats her and is so protective. She's not as pretty as her sister, Rose, and George, and is the plumper, shier one of the trio.
It was a disgrace, her greatest shame. And she had no excuse for it. There was nothing at all wrong with her eyesight. She could see perfectly well to embroider, to knit, to pluck a stray hair from her eyebrows. It was stupidity, that was all. There could be no other answer. She didn't feel stupid, but the evidence to the contrary was overwhelming.I didn't fall in love with Lucy, but I did grow to like her a whole hell of a lot. She really grows in the book, and I appreciated that; I liked seeing her become stronger, stick up for herself, face things head-on, take what she wants, etc. It was definitely what I liked best about her character, and I can't really put my finger on what spark was missing for me. Somehow, she was just a bit too washed out or a bit too ... placid, is maybe the right word. She evolves a lot though, so I don't know if the impression was so strong at the beginning that that just stuck with me, or if Gracie was a bit inconsistent at times and the old Lucy came through too much.
Aunt Agatha's advice was all very well, but Lily was fed up with pretending all was well when it wasn't. And she wasn't going to be plagued by questions any longer.Our Hero. Mr. Edward (Ned) Galbraith (27) is friends with Cal, Lily's brother, and was the best man at his wedding. He's basically alone in the world, except for his grandfather, whom he's incredibly fond of and who is extremely fond of him. His parents were pretty horrible, and at the age of 6 he went off to live with his grandfather in the country; his grandfather is Lord Galbraith, but I'm not sure what level his title is. He enlisted in the army when he was 18, much to his father and grandfather's dismay, and ever since leaving for the war, he has not returned to his childhood (his grandfather's) home. They're not estranged, he just won't go home, and it's a big mystery to us, the readers, as well as to everyone else, why that's the case.
He'd been more or less alone since his first weeks in the army. Since that first battle. Surrounded by men, but essentially alone. A few friends, but not the kind of friends he'd had before.I really liked Edward and thought he was a sweet hero. When we first meet him, he literally is a hero, because he saves Lily (after she has saved herself). His hang-ups could have easily been harped on too much, but Gracie managed that line very finely, so that he didn't come off as annoyingly tortured. His determination to not fall in love is the oldest trope in the book for our beloved romance heroes, but this was also well-managed. Yes, he's determined to not let Lily get too close, but it wasn't overboard. I did feel that the turnaround came a bit quick and rushed at the end, but oh well.
Dammit! Ned had revealed more than he meant to. It was harder than he'd expected, being married and keeping himself to himself. The trouble was, his wife had this way about her, a way of causing him to lower his barriers without realizing it—until it was too late.Summary. I really don't feel like this counts as a spoiler, because it happens at the very beginning and is really the core of the first half of the story (as always, the back cover summary is misleading and doesn't actually tell you much).
Short version? Unfortunately, attempts to hush over her absence don't work, she and Edward's names become linked, her reputation is on the brink of being ruined, and so he offers and she accepts (despite her family's protestations). The rest of the book is their honeymoon, the beginning of their marriage, them working out some trust issues, and both coming to terms with their feelings for one another. Besides for the aforementioned huge ass prick, there is no real needless-mystery subplot, which makes for a nice change.
Reaction. I definitely enjoyed the book, the characters, and the relationship development. The chemistry was great and there were some lovely laugh-out-loud moments. As I already mentioned, I really appreciated Lily's character development; whereas Edward's development comes from accepting love into his life and coming to terms with the past, Lily's is much more internal, but lovely to watch. I also appreciated that for once, a heroine didn't feel the need to rush everything, and understood that marriage is for a long-ass time and if her husband doesn't feel a certain way at one point, it doesn't mean that that will always be the case.
For me, a 3.5-star romance rating means I'm glad I read it, but wouldn't reread, whereas a 4-star and above indicates it's worth rereads in the future. And this is where I'm torn, because I'm not sure if I will want to reread this. There was a little spark missing and some things that annoyed me, for instance Lily's naiveté and way-too-trusting nature, which sometimes almost bordered on TSTL, and her belief way too early that she might be in love with Edward. On the other hand, there were great aspects, as I've described above, which is what make the book worth reading in the first place ... Will have to come back to this to make a final decision.
Excerpt. Really funny exchange between Cal, Lily's brother, and Ned, when they finally get back to London.
"The messenger told me when you carried my sister into that godforsaken village inn, she was naked but for a fur rug."Recommendations.
"Not naked—under the rug, she was wearing one of my shirts."
Cal's fists clenched. "Why was she virtually naked? Did that bastard—?"
"No, that was my doing. I made her strip—"
"Your doing?" Cal took two steps and grabbed Ned by the throat. "You stripped my baby sister naked, and—"
Ned broke his hold and pushed him away. "Calm down, you fool, it's not what you think. She stripped herself." Some demon of provocation made him add, "And if you haven't noticed, she's no longer a baby."
"You bastard." Cal threw a punch.
This book is much a marriage-to-avoid-scandal than marriage-of-convenience (I consider those two different things). Here are my favorite of the former:
• The Devil Takes a Bride by Julia London — ⑤ my review
• Her Christmas Earl by Anna Campbell — ⑤ my review
• Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas — ④½ my review
• The Scoundrel's Honor by Christi Caldwell — ④½
• The Lady Who Loved Him by Christi Caldwell — ④½ my review
My other Anne Gracie recommendation:
• The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie — ⑤ my review
*An ARC was provided to me by Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review; certain quotes may be different in the finished book
June 17, 2021
Ok read. This book had one of the sweetest heroine ever.
Recommended.
Recommended.
May 11, 2019
4,5 rounded to 5
Sweet story of a dyslexic heroine (at least I think she was, although not expressly mentioned) and a tortured hero that end up in a marriage of convenience.
The heroine (Lilly) is sweet and adorable, but feels inadequate because of her inability to read and because she is less slender than what the ton considers fashionable.
The hero (Edward) is a lonely man who have some demons to face but is hiding it all behind a mask of indifference and aloofness.
When he sees his friend’s sister running from a man in a country road he jumps to help her having no clue how that decision is going to change his life forever.
Sweet story of a dyslexic heroine (at least I think she was, although not expressly mentioned) and a tortured hero that end up in a marriage of convenience.
The heroine (Lilly) is sweet and adorable, but feels inadequate because of her inability to read and because she is less slender than what the ton considers fashionable.
The hero (Edward) is a lonely man who have some demons to face but is hiding it all behind a mask of indifference and aloofness.
When he sees his friend’s sister running from a man in a country road he jumps to help her having no clue how that decision is going to change his life forever.
May 13, 2018
This review was originally posted on Addicted To RomanceI received this book for free from Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Marry in Haste was such a wonderful read, and I adore everything about this book. There wasn't really anything I didn't like except the beginning was a bit slow. But once it picked up then it really set fire to the story and the romance. I have always been a fan in how Anne Gracie handles historical romance, she writes them so very well. So I was delighted to grab this one up. I haven't read book one, but I feel like you don't need to. Although now, I really REALLY want to since it features our heroine's older brother and sister in lawn. But this story totally worked for me, because of the heroine.
She was pretty wonderful but she is not a character that everyone will love reading. She is shy and reserved but has a strong resilience but she can be a bit naive but I think its due to her circumstances and how protective her family is of her. We see her grow into her own wings in this story and see what she is capable of.
In this story, our heroine, Lily, was sent away to school with her sister when her father learned that she couldn't learn to read and considered her "defective". Lily is kindhearted but shy and innocent. She has been overly protected by her sisters and brother and shield her from any conflicts of life. But while attending a party to help a girl who once hated her in school, she is kidnapped by a man who wants her inheritance and is determined to marry her in Gretna Green. After a few days, she manages to escape and runs into a man she least expected...Edward Galbraith. One of her brothers closest friends and even though he is rumored to be a rake, he treats her with kindness and generosity. But when a scandal reaches the Ton about her bring "alone" with Edward, they are forced to marry. but Lily is determined to find love with Edward and to be the best wife. Both Edward and Lily have a friendship and have some powerful chemistry that they share. But Edward once fought in the war when he was eighteen and came back hardened and emotionally damaged. We see how the love that Edward and Lily have for each other, help both of them overcome their weaknesses and become stronger together. And the chemistry was suprisingly well done and sweeps you off your feet
I found Marry in Scandal to be a heartwarming and romantic story that curled my toes and I couldn't put this story down. I was so fully invested in this story and I was charmed by these characters that tug at your heartstrings.
[foogallery id="56694"]
Marry in Haste was such a wonderful read, and I adore everything about this book. There wasn't really anything I didn't like except the beginning was a bit slow. But once it picked up then it really set fire to the story and the romance. I have always been a fan in how Anne Gracie handles historical romance, she writes them so very well. So I was delighted to grab this one up. I haven't read book one, but I feel like you don't need to. Although now, I really REALLY want to since it features our heroine's older brother and sister in lawn. But this story totally worked for me, because of the heroine.
I love you, Lily Rutherford Galbraith, with all my heart. It doesn't matter to me what you can or can't do. Whatever life throws at us, we'll manage it together.
She was pretty wonderful but she is not a character that everyone will love reading. She is shy and reserved but has a strong resilience but she can be a bit naive but I think its due to her circumstances and how protective her family is of her. We see her grow into her own wings in this story and see what she is capable of.
In this story, our heroine, Lily, was sent away to school with her sister when her father learned that she couldn't learn to read and considered her "defective". Lily is kindhearted but shy and innocent. She has been overly protected by her sisters and brother and shield her from any conflicts of life. But while attending a party to help a girl who once hated her in school, she is kidnapped by a man who wants her inheritance and is determined to marry her in Gretna Green. After a few days, she manages to escape and runs into a man she least expected...Edward Galbraith. One of her brothers closest friends and even though he is rumored to be a rake, he treats her with kindness and generosity. But when a scandal reaches the Ton about her bring "alone" with Edward, they are forced to marry. but Lily is determined to find love with Edward and to be the best wife. Both Edward and Lily have a friendship and have some powerful chemistry that they share. But Edward once fought in the war when he was eighteen and came back hardened and emotionally damaged. We see how the love that Edward and Lily have for each other, help both of them overcome their weaknesses and become stronger together. And the chemistry was suprisingly well done and sweeps you off your feet
Kissing Edward was like hot spiced wine, and ....fire--oh, there were no words, only feelings.
I found Marry in Scandal to be a heartwarming and romantic story that curled my toes and I couldn't put this story down. I was so fully invested in this story and I was charmed by these characters that tug at your heartstrings.
[foogallery id="56694"]
April 26, 2018
Also posted
HERE
.
I want to say this bit before getting to the review:
I have a point to make at the end, but as it’s something of a spoiler, you might want to avoid it.
Sometimes there’s a book you just have to write a dot-point review for to stop it turning into an essay. Marry in Scandal is one of those books:
• The cover is odd. Lily struggles with her weight; this cover model obviously does not. She is also described as having “tawny” curls; this cover model does not.
• What Anne Gracie does best is make her characters sympathetic. Whether it’s a heroine who is very self-conscious about her appearance who we really feel for, or a secondary character who hides past hurts behind a not-so-nice exterior, you always identify with them in some way.
• Gracie’s books have a heavy focus on the female characters, which I love. I doubt less established authors would get away with introducing their heroes so late in so many books, but Gracie takes her time setting the scene before the hero makes it onto the page.
• She also tends to give her leading ladies personal quests, little things they achieve throughout the book without the hero’s assistance.
• This heroine is naïve and dumb sometimes, but she is also only eighteen.
• There was a scene towards the end of the first book in the series that some thought was too rushed. The heroine of that book is shot, and it takes that for the hero to realise he loves her. The criticism in book one was that it came out of the blue and was dealt with in only a few pages.
• Something very similar happens in this book, but it’s even more obvious. Lily is riding her horse, thinking about that gunshot scene in book one, and wondering if she’ll have to have an accident to make the hero realise he loves her.
• In the next instant – in the same scene – something happens, and the hero’s attitude to her changes. It was too much, too obvious.
• A lot happens in the last ten percent of the book, and I think it all deserved more page time.
Marry in Scandal deals with a lot of interesting things, and has some unique characters. I do feel that it needed some more editing for the pacing in order for it to be the best book it could have been.
I want to say this bit before getting to the review:
I have a point to make at the end, but as it’s something of a spoiler, you might want to avoid it.
Sometimes there’s a book you just have to write a dot-point review for to stop it turning into an essay. Marry in Scandal is one of those books:
• The cover is odd. Lily struggles with her weight; this cover model obviously does not. She is also described as having “tawny” curls; this cover model does not.
• What Anne Gracie does best is make her characters sympathetic. Whether it’s a heroine who is very self-conscious about her appearance who we really feel for, or a secondary character who hides past hurts behind a not-so-nice exterior, you always identify with them in some way.
• Gracie’s books have a heavy focus on the female characters, which I love. I doubt less established authors would get away with introducing their heroes so late in so many books, but Gracie takes her time setting the scene before the hero makes it onto the page.
• She also tends to give her leading ladies personal quests, little things they achieve throughout the book without the hero’s assistance.
• This heroine is naïve and dumb sometimes, but she is also only eighteen.
• There was a scene towards the end of the first book in the series that some thought was too rushed. The heroine of that book is shot, and it takes that for the hero to realise he loves her. The criticism in book one was that it came out of the blue and was dealt with in only a few pages.
• Something very similar happens in this book, but it’s even more obvious. Lily is riding her horse, thinking about that gunshot scene in book one, and wondering if she’ll have to have an accident to make the hero realise he loves her.
• In the next instant – in the same scene – something happens, and the hero’s attitude to her changes. It was too much, too obvious.
• A lot happens in the last ten percent of the book, and I think it all deserved more page time.
Marry in Scandal deals with a lot of interesting things, and has some unique characters. I do feel that it needed some more editing for the pacing in order for it to be the best book it could have been.
November 22, 2019
I truly enjoyed this story of Lilly and Edward. Although the story doesn't say, I think the heroine is dyslexic and this was her biggest secret. The story focused more on the heroine with the hero being introduced here and there to satisfy his sexual appetite that did not bother the heroine. The big secret with the hero was a flop and wasn't a changing or pivitol event in the story.
The romance and intimacy betweent he characters was nice and transitioned well throughout the story. This was an audiobook listen and the pace was nice done and the narrator did a good job.
4-Stars
The romance and intimacy betweent he characters was nice and transitioned well throughout the story. This was an audiobook listen and the pace was nice done and the narrator did a good job.
4-Stars
May 13, 2018
Anne Gracie never disappoint.
March 26, 2018
It is no secret that Anne Gracie is one of my favourite authors and this story is going on my favourite list as well, I savoured every word in this delightfully beautiful story I made it last because, although I wanted to get to that HEA I wanted to stay with Lily and Edward as long as I could, actually it was fabulous being with Cal and Emm, and Lily’s sister Rose and niece Georgiana again. Do yourself a favour and make yourself comfortable for a journey that is sure to leave you smiling.
Lady Lily Rutherford is young shy and has a disability that that causes her shame and problems but her family are there to support and help her and this is one reason why Lily is in no hurry to marry another reason she wants to marry for love, even though her aunt is pushing for her find a suitable husband. While Lily is at a ton rout disaster happens and Lily is abducted and whisked away by a no good cur. Lily shows such strength though her ordeal and is rescued by Edward Galbraith a cold hearted rake or is he?
Edward is shocked to see the woman standing in the freezing rain on the road, as a gentleman he rescues her and saves her not realizing who she is, but of course a gentleman and a Lady of the ton do not travel together even in these circumstances without scandal, and Edward is drawn to her, a sister of his friend although she is so very innocent that first kiss sets sparks flying and when Edward proposes marriage a marriage of convenience and Lily after some thought accepts this starts a journey for Edward, will Lily get under that brick wall that Edward has built around himself since the war?
MS Gracie has a knack at bringing the regency period and her characters to life on the pages, humour abounds as does love and a sensuality that will have you falling into the story and falling in love with her heroes and heroines, in this case Edward and Lily, this one is a beauty moving, emotional and so very delicious, I loved it from page one, seeing Lily and then Edward fall for each other is a dream and I highly recommend it and woohoo I look forward to more in this series George and Rose’s stories are sure to be another hit. Thank you MS Gracie you have left this reader so very happy fabulous story.
Lady Lily Rutherford is young shy and has a disability that that causes her shame and problems but her family are there to support and help her and this is one reason why Lily is in no hurry to marry another reason she wants to marry for love, even though her aunt is pushing for her find a suitable husband. While Lily is at a ton rout disaster happens and Lily is abducted and whisked away by a no good cur. Lily shows such strength though her ordeal and is rescued by Edward Galbraith a cold hearted rake or is he?
Edward is shocked to see the woman standing in the freezing rain on the road, as a gentleman he rescues her and saves her not realizing who she is, but of course a gentleman and a Lady of the ton do not travel together even in these circumstances without scandal, and Edward is drawn to her, a sister of his friend although she is so very innocent that first kiss sets sparks flying and when Edward proposes marriage a marriage of convenience and Lily after some thought accepts this starts a journey for Edward, will Lily get under that brick wall that Edward has built around himself since the war?
MS Gracie has a knack at bringing the regency period and her characters to life on the pages, humour abounds as does love and a sensuality that will have you falling into the story and falling in love with her heroes and heroines, in this case Edward and Lily, this one is a beauty moving, emotional and so very delicious, I loved it from page one, seeing Lily and then Edward fall for each other is a dream and I highly recommend it and woohoo I look forward to more in this series George and Rose’s stories are sure to be another hit. Thank you MS Gracie you have left this reader so very happy fabulous story.
July 21, 2023
Re-reading an old favorite
Wow!! I have a new favorite historical romance writer...
Anne Gracie's heroines are sweet, strong, honest, sassy, and everything I want in a heroine!!
Lady Lily Rutherford
Lady Lily has a few things going against her when it comes to finding a husband. She's a little plump, and she can't read. Luckily for Lily, there are men that love women with curves. Unfortunately, her inability to read causes her to become the victim a horrific crime.
Edward Galbraith may be a rake, but he is still an honorable man. His attempt to rescue a damsel in distress places him in the middle of a scandal. Galbraith finds himself honor bound to do the right thing in order to save Lady Lily's reputation.
The book was absolutely Wonderful!! It had me on the edge of my seat from the start, and I loved the characters. I also love that all the characters from Mary in Haste were present involved in this book as well.
Wow!! I have a new favorite historical romance writer...
Anne Gracie's heroines are sweet, strong, honest, sassy, and everything I want in a heroine!!
Lady Lily Rutherford
Lady Lily has a few things going against her when it comes to finding a husband. She's a little plump, and she can't read. Luckily for Lily, there are men that love women with curves. Unfortunately, her inability to read causes her to become the victim a horrific crime.
Edward Galbraith may be a rake, but he is still an honorable man. His attempt to rescue a damsel in distress places him in the middle of a scandal. Galbraith finds himself honor bound to do the right thing in order to save Lady Lily's reputation.
The book was absolutely Wonderful!! It had me on the edge of my seat from the start, and I loved the characters. I also love that all the characters from Mary in Haste were present involved in this book as well.
May 27, 2019
this Book was written and edited properly, everything had been done right, it was good enough I suppose but it was completely forgettable. As in literally: i’d Previously read it and had forgotten almost all of it.
April 3, 2018
Originally posted on Adria's Musings and Reviews
* A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. All conclusions are my own responsibility and I was not compensated for this review.
What’s it About? Lady Lily Rutherford dreams of marrying for love but when she finds herself in the middle of a disaster, she has no choice but to marry her rescuer and known rake, Edward Galbraith. Despite being forced to marry in order to avoid scandal, Lily is drawn to Edward and hopes to turn their marriage of convenience into a real one. Edward however doesn’t want a real marriage, he has secrets in his past that he’d rather not share with Lily so he keeps her at arm’s length until she finally leaves and runs to Edward’s childhood home, a place he hasn’t seen in years. Once there, Lily starts to piece together her husband’s secrets as she waits to see if he will come for her and face his past or leave her to live a separate life from him.
Overall reaction to the story? Anne Gracie really won me over with the first book in this series (Marry in Haste), Cal Rutherford’s story introduced his two half sisters, Rose and Lily. Lily’s come a long way in a short time but she is still that same smart, shy girl with a big heart.
I was a little nervous about reading Marry in Scandal though. I was afraid Lily would be dull and too much of a pushover as a heroine. She’s a clever woman now but at the same time she still had that fragile, naïve air of the little girl she once was. I liked grown up Lily because while she wasn’t as outspoken and mischievous as her sister Rose and definitely not wild like her niece Georgiana, Lily had a silent but no less determined personality. She didn’t scold, she didn’t nag, and she didn’t get hysterical even though at certain times it would have been totally justified. I loved her way of handling Edward who could be quite the bear from time to time. Lily never reacted in a shrewish way; instead she countered his attitude with patience, firmness, and compassion, the last of which is one of her defining qualities. I loved that about her, she was sweet but not a pushover.
Edward on the other hand was closed off, surly and very secretive but underneath that is a man with a heart as big as Lily’s. He just doesn’t handle loss very well. I actually do enjoy the grumpy heroes, the ones who have all but shut themselves off from the world and only exist without living. It makes it all the more satisfying when they fall in love. In Edward’s case I love that he was overwhelmed by Lily’s quiet presence in his life. He was befuddled by her even as he was attracted to her. Their romance was slow in progressing from infatuation to attraction and then to love but in the meantime Marry in Scandal grants the reader a chance to really get to know Edward and Lily and to reacquaint themselves with Lily’s unconventional family. Lily’s sister Rose and niece Georgiana are both older and still as feisty as ever. Rose is a lady with a sharp tongue and a fierce loyalty to her loved ones. Georgiana on the other hand may have the same fierce loyalty as Rose but she spent quite a bit of time running wild before she was discovered. She loves animals more than people (My kind of character), can ride and shoot like a man, and has rebellion swimming in her veins. I can’t wait for her to get her own story and I hope she retains that spirited attitude.
Marry in Scandal is its own story, Lily and Edward are for the most part, on their own away from Lily’s family so that they can get to know each other. The book is a standalone but I would highly recommend reading the series in order. I loved the first book and I loved this one as well.
Click It or Skip It? Click It. Lily’s gentle spirit will win you over just like she did Edward.
* A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. All conclusions are my own responsibility and I was not compensated for this review.
What’s it About? Lady Lily Rutherford dreams of marrying for love but when she finds herself in the middle of a disaster, she has no choice but to marry her rescuer and known rake, Edward Galbraith. Despite being forced to marry in order to avoid scandal, Lily is drawn to Edward and hopes to turn their marriage of convenience into a real one. Edward however doesn’t want a real marriage, he has secrets in his past that he’d rather not share with Lily so he keeps her at arm’s length until she finally leaves and runs to Edward’s childhood home, a place he hasn’t seen in years. Once there, Lily starts to piece together her husband’s secrets as she waits to see if he will come for her and face his past or leave her to live a separate life from him.
Overall reaction to the story? Anne Gracie really won me over with the first book in this series (Marry in Haste), Cal Rutherford’s story introduced his two half sisters, Rose and Lily. Lily’s come a long way in a short time but she is still that same smart, shy girl with a big heart.
I was a little nervous about reading Marry in Scandal though. I was afraid Lily would be dull and too much of a pushover as a heroine. She’s a clever woman now but at the same time she still had that fragile, naïve air of the little girl she once was. I liked grown up Lily because while she wasn’t as outspoken and mischievous as her sister Rose and definitely not wild like her niece Georgiana, Lily had a silent but no less determined personality. She didn’t scold, she didn’t nag, and she didn’t get hysterical even though at certain times it would have been totally justified. I loved her way of handling Edward who could be quite the bear from time to time. Lily never reacted in a shrewish way; instead she countered his attitude with patience, firmness, and compassion, the last of which is one of her defining qualities. I loved that about her, she was sweet but not a pushover.
Edward on the other hand was closed off, surly and very secretive but underneath that is a man with a heart as big as Lily’s. He just doesn’t handle loss very well. I actually do enjoy the grumpy heroes, the ones who have all but shut themselves off from the world and only exist without living. It makes it all the more satisfying when they fall in love. In Edward’s case I love that he was overwhelmed by Lily’s quiet presence in his life. He was befuddled by her even as he was attracted to her. Their romance was slow in progressing from infatuation to attraction and then to love but in the meantime Marry in Scandal grants the reader a chance to really get to know Edward and Lily and to reacquaint themselves with Lily’s unconventional family. Lily’s sister Rose and niece Georgiana are both older and still as feisty as ever. Rose is a lady with a sharp tongue and a fierce loyalty to her loved ones. Georgiana on the other hand may have the same fierce loyalty as Rose but she spent quite a bit of time running wild before she was discovered. She loves animals more than people (My kind of character), can ride and shoot like a man, and has rebellion swimming in her veins. I can’t wait for her to get her own story and I hope she retains that spirited attitude.
Marry in Scandal is its own story, Lily and Edward are for the most part, on their own away from Lily’s family so that they can get to know each other. The book is a standalone but I would highly recommend reading the series in order. I loved the first book and I loved this one as well.
Click It or Skip It? Click It. Lily’s gentle spirit will win you over just like she did Edward.
March 25, 2018
Another winner from Anne Gracie. This story just grabs the reader with emotion packed scenes and dialog. There is a heroic intervention by Edward when he saves Lily from kidnappers. But in saving her life he may ruin her reputation. Can this battle-scarred man learn to love? Can loving a man be enough when he doesn’t love you back? This author can bring a story to life with action, adventure, and sensuality. This is a standalone novel in this series.
I received this book free for review from the publisher.
More reviews on my blog: http://ladeetdareads.wordpress.com
I received this book free for review from the publisher.
More reviews on my blog: http://ladeetdareads.wordpress.com
January 18, 2020
This was another great addition to a wonderfully entertaining series! I loved the kidnapping plot and I think as a whole I enjoyed this even better than book one.
If there’s anything about these to complain about, it’s that we seem to get one love scene of the couples first time in these books and then not much else description wise. I’m fine with that, but I did think it could have used a love scene after Edward thought lily was dead from the horse fall and then was so relieved when she was ok. It’s hinted at that they go to bed together, but i just wanted more since this was their first true time after Edward realizes he’s in love with her.
All that said, it was a joy to read and I can’t wait to go on to Rose’s book!
SERIES IMPORTANCE: low. I enjoyed book one and definitely recommend it, but you don’t need to read that to understand or enjoy what happens here. There are however scenes with the family and it does make it easier to know who’s who, and how cal came into the girls lives, but the author does a good job of catching people up to speed.
If there’s anything about these to complain about, it’s that we seem to get one love scene of the couples first time in these books and then not much else description wise. I’m fine with that, but I did think it could have used a love scene after Edward thought lily was dead from the horse fall and then was so relieved when she was ok. It’s hinted at that they go to bed together, but i just wanted more since this was their first true time after Edward realizes he’s in love with her.
All that said, it was a joy to read and I can’t wait to go on to Rose’s book!
SERIES IMPORTANCE: low. I enjoyed book one and definitely recommend it, but you don’t need to read that to understand or enjoy what happens here. There are however scenes with the family and it does make it easier to know who’s who, and how cal came into the girls lives, but the author does a good job of catching people up to speed.
June 22, 2018
It was okay.
Ned's character wasn't developed until the -nth hour and Lily was adorable but far too naive at times. I'll continue reading this series though, mostly because I want George's story.
Ned's character wasn't developed until the -nth hour and Lily was adorable but far too naive at times. I'll continue reading this series though, mostly because I want George's story.
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May 9, 2024this was such an addictive read!!
Lily is kidnapped by a man after her fortune, and Edward becomes her savior. But there is scandal after the whole ordeal, and the two get married to staunch it.
I love how hard these two fell for each other!
REP: Lily has dyslexia
Lily is kidnapped by a man after her fortune, and Edward becomes her savior. But there is scandal after the whole ordeal, and the two get married to staunch it.
I love how hard these two fell for each other!
REP: Lily has dyslexia
April 1, 2018
Marry in Scandal by Anne Gracie is book Two in the Marriage of Convenience series. This is the story of Lady Lily Rutherford and Edward Galbraith. I haven't yet read the previous book, so for me this was a standalone book.
Lily was holding out for a true courtship and true love but a mishap has her tied to Edward. Lily has a disability that made her wish for the true love part as to ease her life into a marriage. But moving forward Lily tries to find love with Edward but he won't open up to her and is standing on a marriage of convenience.
Edward knows of Lily's Innocent and of her friendship with his sister but with one kiss is all it takes to opens him to seeing her as more. Edward has past issues that he hasn't dealt with that make what Lily wants from him hard to give but he wants her.
Ms. Gracie knows who to write a book that takes you through so many emotions! I am just crazy about her books and this one did not disappoint!
Lily was holding out for a true courtship and true love but a mishap has her tied to Edward. Lily has a disability that made her wish for the true love part as to ease her life into a marriage. But moving forward Lily tries to find love with Edward but he won't open up to her and is standing on a marriage of convenience.
Edward knows of Lily's Innocent and of her friendship with his sister but with one kiss is all it takes to opens him to seeing her as more. Edward has past issues that he hasn't dealt with that make what Lily wants from him hard to give but he wants her.
Ms. Gracie knows who to write a book that takes you through so many emotions! I am just crazy about her books and this one did not disappoint!
August 6, 2018
To my chagrin, this book was such an utter disappointment. While Annie Gracie has never been one of my favorite authors, her books are always solidly decent and engaging. However, this book was simply dreadfully dull. It was a complete chore to get through. A complete snooze fest.
The beginning of the book starts out decently enough. Lady Lily Rutherford is kidnapped (a real shake up from the typical trope of random kidnapping at the end of books) for her inheritance. In the process of escaping she runs into her brother’s friend Edward Galbraith.
Edward Galbraith isn’t really sure what to think about Lily (other than that she gets his engines running), but knows he has to return her home safely. However, when word gets out that they traveled through the countryside together, scandal and propriety forces them to marry.
All of this is set up for a greatly entertaining book but it just fell flat. It was definite insta-love on Lady Lily’s part. Of course her infatuation makes sense—Edward did save her life. However, I never really felt like Lady Lily moved past her hero worship of Edward. Her feelings for him reminded me more of a young girl’s endless devotion to a boy band than a deep love grown out of mutual respect. Furthermore, I just found Lady Lily a thoroughly annoying character. Gracie waxes on about Lady Lily’s loyalty and ability to forgive but all I saw was a girl that lets everyone walk all over her.
Edward wasn’t much better. He was a very angsty man who just wallowed in his own misery for most of the book. For the life of me, I couldn’t see why Lily found him so appealing. The chemistry between Edward and Lily (other than during sexy times) felt non-existent. There were too many scenes in this book where they just sat in comfortable silence. While I understand that some people are more talkative than others, and that “comfortable silence” is important, one does need to converse to build a proper relationship.
I give this book two stars instead of one because it never made me angry or deeply uncomfortable. I never wanted to chuck my Kindle at the ground or murder one of the main characters. Furthermore, it was well written. That is it for the nice things I have to say about this book. It was painstakingly boring and the characters were annoying. Definitely a miss.
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June 3, 2020
I absolutely loved this series – this is how Regency romance should be written! Although the books are standalone, I’d recommend reading them in order as that enhances the experience. Marry in Scandal is a lovely Regency story with a heroine you empathise with right from the start – I loved the fact that she was dyslexic at a time when most young women seem to have spent their days endlessly reading and writing very long letters! A wonderful hero too – who doesn’t love a rake? – and I have to admit I really liked his grandfather. If you love Regencies you won’t want to miss this one!
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