The Selkie Scandal: A prequel to the Lady Diviner series

Lady Diviner #1.5

by Rosalie Oaks

A royal ransom, a dangerous rescue, and the famous Beresford jam...

England, 1804: the Earl of Beresford has his morning interrupted by naked selkie royalty. The seal-woman in question wants Beresford to find her brother, the High Prince of Skerry, who has been taken hostage for two thousand guineas.

Lord Beresford knows the coast better than he knows his own cravat - but his wits alone may not be enough to stop a war and save a selkie prince from death. Thankfully, he also has a whole case of the famous Beresford Jam.

Who stole the seal prince? How will Beresford find him? And what really happened at the royal birthday party?

The Selkie Scandal is a prequel novella to the Lady Diviner historical mystery series - set in a paranormal Regency England with magic, manners, and mystery.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Historical Romance, Magic, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Mystery

150 pages, Paperback

First published March 24, 2021

About the author

Rosalie Oaks writes magic and mystery into Regency England, with side servings of jam, jewels, and the occasional naked shapeshifter.

As a child, Rosalie loved conducting home-made theatre productions with her three younger brothers. Now she directs her characters instead, but like her brothers, they don’t always do what she says.

While writing, Rosalie consumes vast quantities of tea and chocolate, and steadfastly ignores the housework.

Join Rosalie’s newsletter to get writing updates, as well as the exclusive prequel novella, A Pendant for Trouble. Find out more at https://rosalieoaks.com

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

'A royal ransom, a dangerous rescue, and the famous Beresford jam...

England, 1804: the Earl of Beresford has his morning interrupted by naked selkie royalty. The seal-woman in question wants Beresford to find her brother, the High Prince of Skerry, who has been taken hostage for two thousand guineas.

Lord Beresford knows the coast better than he knows his own cravat—but his wits alone may not be enough to stop a war and save a selkie prince from death. Thankfully, he also has a whole case of the famous Beresford Jam.

Who stole the seal prince? How will Beresford find him? And what really happened at the royal birthday party?'
___________________________

4.5 stars, rounded down to 4 stars.

The Selkie Scandal is a novella in Rosalie Oaks' Lady Diviner series, which is a historical mystery series with a paranormal twist set in Regency England.

A fun short read that gives us more insight into how Jaq came to be a 'ward' of Beresford. Plus we learn some more about the selkies and and there is the addition of another group of supernatural beings in the form of merpeople. I love that this word keeps expanding.

As the events in this book take place before the first book when Elinor and her family remove to Devon, she does not take an active role in this book, featuring only in Beresford's thoughts. I did miss her character though, both for her quirkiness and the bickering that often takes place between her and Beresford.

I was happy to learn a little bit more about Beresford and see him in a more vulnerabe position. He has felt like a bit of an enigma to me up to this point. He's so serious and always in control that I had been very curious to learn more about how he became involved in a world where supernatural beings are the norm for him.

I was a bit disappointed that there seemed to be a bit of a misdirect regarding Jaq part in what was happening, but other than that I really enjoyed it. I hope we get to learn even more about his background in the next book and I am looking forward to seeing Elinor again.
_____

I would like to thank the author, Rosalie Oaks, for sharing an eARC of The Selkie Scadal with me. This is my honest review.

[PlotTrysts · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have consistently been charmed by the Lady Diviner series. If you've read it and, like us, wanted a little more from Beresford's perspective, this prequel is for you!

This novella tells the story of how Jaq came to be in Beresford's sphere. What exactly did he do? Of course we can't spoil it here, but it is a real romp of an adventure that may involve a little bit of crossdressing.

Do note that Elinor does not appear in the book at all - although Beresford does think about her pretty often! Definitely check this out if you have been enjoying the main entries in the series.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novella.

[Kimmylongtime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jam yeah !!!

This was genuinely a great 👍🏽 book. I love the super natural world 🌎 like no other. I can’t really say much because this was an extremely short read. I can say this I can’t wait to read the other books in the series, I love the writing style and I absolutely adore the fact that the Earl is famous for his jam. lol 😂 This has everything you want in a little harlequin with a fairytale kick 🦵. 🧜🏼‍♀️ 🦭

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens , and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Gabrielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars

I liked Beresford's POV, but the overall story didn't interest me as much? Some things should be allowed to be noodle incidents. Why are we as a society so against noodle incidents now? We should embrace them again.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that this story has a case of kidnapping where the stakes are just high enough to hold your attention as you try to figure out exactly how the villains will be outwitted, but it stays light since no one takes themselves or the situation too seriously. Add some political intrigue, paranormal creatures, and clever gambling, and I'm hooked!

Beresford really shines in this one. His stoic, no-nonsense attitude and (almost) unwavering politeness provide more than a few laughs, especially in the rare situation that manages to disconcert him. And can I just say that Beresford Plum Jam appears to be in a category of its own and has officially joined the ranks of fictional foods I'm hungry for.

This is a perfect weekend read, light-hearted and fun, and short enough to read in one sitting. Highly recommended for fans of Jane Austen with a twist, irascible selkies, or plum jam.

I received a complimentary ARC from the author. A positive review was not required.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tells the story of how the Earl of Beresford meets with the selkies and his relationship with Jaq, the selkie prince. Jaq is a handsome person when in human form but is certainly one for a good time. This is the start of a whimsical but very entertaining series. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[ForTheLoveofBrishen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was clever, witty fun and just lightheared! A selkie in a regency fiction juat works so well it's gorgeous. This is reminiscent of Sofi Laporte's series without the romance plot but potential Romance lingers hence shelving it here on this profile.

I adored this so much. It made me want to put on my best gloves, grab a parasol and a few friends and Go do brunch but in high-tea style (big poofy dresses optional) and then go seal-watching - that's a thing right?

I so so love finding new authors with interesting worlds in their books.
So...an important notice I've come away with:
as drunk as a selkie is now a descriptor I will be using ad nauseum.

Plot/Storyline/Themes:
A missing prince who just happens to be a selkie. A two-legged, landbound rich earl to the rescue - oh and apparently mermen are the trickers of the sea - yeah okay, believe it. Look at beautiful Loki now look at out of this world merfolk; they could trick me without effort.

Two Sentences, A Scene or less - Characters:
Likeable characters the lot of them.

Jaq- Well your highness, that's what you get for swimming with the wrong crowd. Also, you are a mess.
Beresford- Good Gad! I mean he says it a lot it was bordering on cringe.
Seraphine - crazy brave just deciding to ask for help from a human.
Fenner- Pretty beautiful sneaky merman.
Costo - do not let this mer anywhere near a prince or Mer-Selkie treaties.

Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Scene:
So many good scenes
I'll settle for Seraphine as my fave. Showing up everywhere Beresford goes was courageous in the fave of landfolk silly rules about being clothed and not alone with men. Boarding his ship (that's not a euphamism by the way) was a whole event🤣

She is hilarious and an absolute spitfire. I love her.

Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Quotes:
🖤 “Brides are boring.” (Beresford on courtship)
🖤 “Combined with skerrysun, he had been as high as a kestrel that day, ecstatic at every tiny thin?” (Would it be weird if I asked for a sip?🤔)

Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Concepts:
■ Selkie Culture: Age Stars
■Skerry: Imravoe
■Wastrels, Merlures
■Mer-Selkie treaties
■Underwater games: Craken, Swordfish
■Underwater Booze: skerrysun, mermaid tears, coral cutthroat
■Underwater Curses&Sayings : Cure The Fish! Triton's Luck, Amphitrite's Luck, Pestilence of sea slugs

StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Fantasy Books by 2025

[Vivenya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"A Selkie Scandal" is a prequel to the 'Lady Diviner' series. It accompanies the Earl of Beresford on his first encounter with the Selkie people, which also plays an important role in the main series.

The Novella has a very good tempo, tells the story in a condensed way, but not too fast. Anyone who knows the main series will get an interesting insight into well-known characters, but newcomers will also be familiarized with the characters well enough that, in my opinion, the Novella can be read first.

The plot about Beresford search for the Selkie Prince was exciting, even with the knowledge to which end it has to lead to. There was interesting new information about the world, which made me want to explore it more in the main series. For fans of the series a clear recommendation and for newbies it may be a good place to start if you want to know how the main-series reads.

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 3 out of 5]

A selkie, a mermaid and an earl play cards for a winner take all high stakes... what sort of sea creature shenanigans is this? New to me author Rosalie Oaks surprises me with this historical fantasy with selkies involved. I would not have thought to have selkies set in Regency era England but it works quite well and I like it.


To read the rest of my review, click on the image below to see it on my website.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed returning to this story to get the backstory for Jaq and the Earl. It was fun with a dash of mystery and exactly what I wanted, I cannot wait to continue with the novels to come!

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, short story in which we learn how Lord Beresford came to be in possession of one Selkie Prince. It all starts with a birthday party; some seal-napping, gambling, Beresford Jam, copious amounts of alcohol and mermaid tears later, Jaq becomes Lord Beresford's "ward" for his own good, of course. An enjoyable light read that will make you laugh; I particularly liked Rosalie's take on merpeople. I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Candy Briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beresford is an earl and lives by the sea. He gets a visit from a naked female Selkie. Her brother is missing and she needs help finding him. She sets up a meeting with some Mermaids. They go and have refreshments and talk. It comes to light that he is on the Southside of the French coast. Seraphin, his sister, and the earl start nosing around.
There are a lot of creatures in this story. But it is such a good one. It is so entertaining and it is fun.
Jaq is the high prince and Seraphina is the high Princess. Queen Glowdon is their mother and she will not put up with bad children. It was engaging and the characters were good-looking and smart. It was great to read all the shenanigans they got into, especially Jaq. I highly recommend this witty tale.
I received this ARC from the book Sirens and voluntarily reviewed it.

[Nad · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have been an easy 5-star read if it only focused on Jaq getting himself in and out of trouble, because the beginning was hilarious. But no, we had to drag in Beresford as well (who is an even bigger self-centered prick than in the main series) and then go into chaotic shenanigans with a deus ex machina resolution (which also somewhat contradicts how Beresford describes his connection to Jaq in later books). And maybe I'm just ranting about something that was supposed to be a fun romp, but I am astonished that in this whole series (4 books and 2 novellas) - and in this book even more so than in the rest - the author put so little effort into basic research, consistency, common sense, or even correctly identifying the time period she set her books in.


FULL RANT STARTS HERE!


There's no concept of distance or the passage of time whatsoever. So they start in the south of Devon and spend a day searching "the caves along the south of England", because Seraphine says the merfolk are "deep in the sea" but also "like caves and lagoons" and will keep Jaq "ashore so he can breathe". Then they drop the anchor and spend the night somewhere along the south coast. Then they decide to go "to the merfolk lagoon" to talk to them directly, and that lagoon is mentioned as being "quite near here". In the very next chapter we learn that "the lagoon was hidden in a rocky isle out in the middle of the ocean" (probably the Atlantic?) and it took them 3 hours to find it. In the middle of the ocean! Sailing from the English Channel! The mermaids then inform them that Costo could be hanging out on the southern coast of France - which they reach in two days!!!

Other inconsistencies pile up: suddenly the ropes prevent the selkies from taking seal form; mermaid tears change effect as plot demands; the selkie queen claims she found them because she saw Seraphine waving her shirt on the shore after her escape - but in order to see that she would have to be heading in this direction anyway - they are on the southern coast of France! Also, what was the point of Ethel showing up in the caves?

Moreover, why the hell is Beresford lauded as the one who found Jaq if Seraphine did all the searching and parley, and then the mermaids literally told them where Costo would be? She seemingly needed Beresford because he "can search on land" - but they only ever search on-the-shore caves and lagoons which she reaches by swimming in her seal form. He did miraculously happen to know the exact spot on the whole southern coast of France known for shipwrecks, but mostly he just provided the ship.

In general, poor Seraphine. She's infantilised, yelled at by Jaq, pestered by Beresford, and practically character assassinated the moment she reaches Jaq.

Speaking of Beresford, his obsession with propriety was cool in the main series when it came to human society, but here he not only keeps pestering Seraphine who is a selkie, but has double standards - he keeps making a fuss about her nudity yet doesn't even blink at Jaq's (unlike Perry in the main series, who is equally indignant when anyone shows up naked).

On the plus side, I loved the insights into selkie and merfolk society and the tensions between them, including fleshing it out with the names of drinks specifically. However, I hated that the selkie seem to live in the English Channel (it becomes apparent in the second book in the series) instead of Scotland and that they swear by Greek gods for some reason.

[Etta (Chonky Books Review) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this second prequel to the Lady Diviner series, we see how Jaq, the selkie, and the Earl of Beresford came to have a friendship/bond. It gives the background of how they met and how their relationship exists once the events in the Lady Diviner series takes place. Although it is considered book number 1.5 in the series, this prequel could be read before A Pendant for Trouble (#0.5) or Lady Jewel Diviner (#1) or even after. It is not required to read this one before beginning the main series, but it does give the fun backstory for Jaq and his star.

In Regency England, the year 1804, the Earl of Beresford meets a female selkie. She is Seraphine, the princess of Skerry and selkie royalty. She wants the Earl’s assistance to find her brother, Jaq, the High Prince of Skerry, who has been kidnapped and is being held ransom for two thousand guineas. There are also the mysterious events that took place at a birthday party to take into account.

This is a very fun and easy short read that gives some fun background into selkies and introduces a new supernatural being in this universe, the merpeople. It was nice to see a new group of beings introduced to this universe and I am curious how they will be featured, if at all. As both Jaq and the Earl of Beresford are featured in the main series, this novella provides background for both characters. I missed Elinor as she is a delightful character, but it was nice to see Jaq and the Earl in their own tale as their relationship existed before Elinor comes across either in novel one.

Similar to the other prequel, this novel was a delightful quick read. Lord Beresford gets directly introduced to magic with the merfolk and selkies around him. He becomes a believer as he witnesses magic right in front of him. It was great to learn about his character while he interacts with Seraphine and later Jaq. Both Jaq and Beresford experience some character growth that sets them up perfectly to give background to their personalities in the main part of the series. For a shorter novella, the writing covers a lot of material that did not feel rushed or dragged. After finishing this novella and novel one, I am looking forward to moving forward and starting novel two and, eventually, novel three!

**I want to give a special thank you to BookSirens and the author, Rosalie Oaks, for an ARC of this enjoyable prequel novella. The opinions expressed are completely own.**

[Asha - A Cat, A Book, And A Cup Of Tea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love little more than a good fantasy of manners, and this fun novella is a great start to a new series that looks like it’ll be exactly my cup of tea!

I think this is one of those reads where you’ll be able to tell instantly from the blurb if it’s going to be your cup of tea or not! If the mix of mystery and humour in an alt-Regency setting appeals to you, then I’m pleased to report The Selkie Scandal does exactly what you’re hoping for. At just over 100 pages, it’s a fast-paced and fun little introduction to a series I’m really looking forward to continuing with.

We have two viewpoint characters, the Earl of Beresford and Jaq, the selkie prince. At first glance, Beresford is a hero in the Bertie Wooster mould (much less silly and more competent, but someone who simply seems to fall into ridiculous situations and mostly solves issues by being a good egg), while Jaq is a bit more of a disaster, a hard-partying playboy whose troubles tend to be his own fault. They complement each other nicely as leads, and it’s nice to see that even in such a short book, it becomes clear that there’s more than meets the eye with both of them. Jaq’s sister Seraphine is the third major player of the book, and though we don’t get any chapters from her perspective, she was probably my favourite of them all, with her fun combination of naivety and daring. I know that Beresford and Jaq will be key in the rest of the series, but I hope Seraphine comes back too!

The story rollicks along at a fine pace, and I found myself reading the whole thing in one sitting – it’s definitely the kind of fun and frothy sort of thing you can happily curl up with for an afternoon. There’s a definite PG Wodehouse feel in the light-hearted tone, which I enjoyed a lot! Occasionally the humour felt a little laboured – I thought the famous Beresford Jam was leant on a few too many times – but on the whole, it’s nice to read something that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a romp through and through!

Overall, this is a very fun introduction to a new fantasy of manners series. I think the mix of mystery, humour, and fantasy of manners would definitely suit fans of Tansy Rayner Roberts’s Teacup Magic series, or those looking for something like Gail Carriger’s Soulless (though this is less steampunk, I think it has similar vibes). It definitely has me intrigued to pick up The Lady Jewel Diviner!

[Sumedha Wasan (throughthepassages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jam Saves the Day

This novella, prequel to Rosalie Oaks “Lady Diviner’ Series, is a mystery with the fantasy twist to it.

It is a fun read to gain some insight into the world of Beresford and how the High Prince of Skerry, Jaq came to be the ‘ward’ of Beresford. Having read only The Lady Jewel Diviner in the series, this book gave me some insight into the world of Selkies and the other fantasy and paranormal beings of their world.

As this book is from the perspective of Earl of Beresford, we learn a little bit more about him, especially because he is quite active in action.

This book opened to the world of Jaq for us. About how he fits into the world of humans and how he came to be in that sphere in the first place.

Elinor doesn’t appear physically in the novella at all, even though she does in Beresford’s thoughts. I appreciate this exclusion and that this novella was wholly focused on characters other than Elinor to bring them into brighter colours in the Technicolour world of The Lady Diviner Series.

And how does the Beresford Jam fit into all this will have to wait till you read the book.

I will definitely check out the rest of the series.

This objective review is based on a compliment copy of the novella by the author and BookSiren.

[Marissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Selkie Scandal can be best described as a historical paranormal mystery featuring members of high society, selkies, and merfolk with a bit of dry humor thrown in. The members of the underwater royalty find themselves getting in a bit of a jam (pun intended) when one of them is kidnapped. Its up to the Earl of Beresford to save the day and help with the hostage negotiations. As the story unravels, it begins to become clear that things may not be as they seem.

I appreciated the lack of in your face romance that I find often comes with books of this nature featuring naked mythological characters. There was such a stark difference amongst the characters - Jaq was egotistical and selfish while Lord Beresford was heroic and willing to help others - which helped keep the story entertaining. This is a novella, so it's a nice, quick read. This was my first visit to the Lady Diviner universe so I didn't quite get some of the inside story such as why the famous Beresford jam was so famous. Regardless, I'm very curious to see where the author takes her characters from here.

I received a copy of this book from the author.

[Dora · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Prince selkie turned out to be incorrigible, given to having his way and fond of drinking. Hanging out with reprehensible friends, he got into trouble that could have disastrous repercussions. Trying to help, Lord Beresford found himself in the middle of a situation that was risky, compromised him even more and that not even his famous Beresford Plum Jam would save him. Interesting and very entertaining adventure for Beresford, funny that his jam was known and desired by everyone by land and sea and like that his new knowledge of the existence of selkies and mermen will be more than beneficial. Jaq, pampered and conceited, now he was going to be forced to take things more seriously, but will he straighten out or would he continue up to no good? Some action and suspense, bickering, lots of funny scenes and we got to know how Lord Beresford met Jaq the Selkie, and their power over him. Voluntarily reviewed this copy that I received free from Book Sirens and I enjoyed.

[Brandi Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Selkie Scandal is a novella in a regency era supernatural series. This is a brief book about selkies, mermaids and an Earl. I found this book to be very unique; I surprisingly had never even heard of a selkie before, and I appreciated having a new supernatural creature to study up on! This book has a heavy dose of 'silly', however, it's a purposeful silly that knows what it is, and doesn't take itself too seriously!

The Earl of Beresford is asked for help by the Princess Seraphine, a selkie, to find her missing brother. Hijacks and adventures await them, as they get to the bottom of this lightweight mystery. There is also famous jam involved.

I think I would definitely read more in this series, just because it's so unique, and it can be hard to find a series that truly has a unique flair to it. This is a fun and lightweight type of read, but there is nothing wrong with that!

I got this ebook as an ARC from BookSirens, to read and give my honest review.

[Elpis G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

As someone who likes seals a lot. This book intrigued me from the start. It’s not really often that I’ve found books that feature seals and selkies and this book in particular looked interesting.

The book features a wide range of characters from Selkie Royalty to merpeople and the conflicts between them. And also a human who finds himself involved in all this too. I found it interesting to learn about Selkie culture in particular. There were also some unexpected plot twists in this quick read too.

One final thing I liked was that books that usually feature beings in the water that transform into human form usually have said beings struggle between wanting to be a part of the human world and their own world. But this book didn’t really have any of that and it was a welcome thing to read.

[Candy Briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beresford is an earl and lives by the sea. He gets a visit from a naked female Selkie. Her brother is missing and she needs help finding him. She sets up a meeting with some Mermaids. They go and have refreshments and talk. It comes to light that he is on the Southside of the French coast. Seraphin, his sister, and the earl start nosing around.
There are a lot of creatures in this story. But it is such a good one. It is so entertaining and it is fun.
Jaq is the high prince and Seraphina is the high Princess. Queen Glowdon is their mother and she will not put up with bad children. It was engaging and the characters were good-looking and smart. It was great to read all the shenanigans they got into, especially Jaq. I highly recommend this witty tale.
I received this ARC from the book Sirens and voluntarily reviewed it.

[T. S. Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nice little dive into the mind of The Earl of Beresford and also Prince Jaq, before Elinor and my dear Perry enters the scene.
I enjoyed a story from their points of view, and I felt I got to know the characters better. It was an enjoyable romp, with your usual taste of plum jam.
Since reading these books, I have indulged in quite a bit of plum jam, a flavour I never even thought of before, but it has quickly become my favourite, no wonder everyone is so obsessed with it in these novels, and not just because of certain magical reasons. Wink wink to those who have read the second installment of the series.

I have nothing but love for this series, and I highly recommend this short novella for anyone who wants to dive back into this world in between instalments.

Well done, and now for some plum jam on toast. (unfortunately I have no scones and cream)

[Mary Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A royal ransom, a dangerous rescue, and the famous Beresford jam... Again, Rosalie Oaks’ prose is a delight. Lord Beresford is approached by the lovely selfie princess Seraphina for his help in rescuing her wayward brother Jaq. Much peril and hijinks ensue, and there’s jam!

England, 1804: the Earl of Beresford has his morning interrupted by naked selkie royalty. The seal-woman in question wants Beresford to find her brother, the High Prince of Skerry, who has been taken hostage for two thousand guineas.

Lord Beresford knows the coast better than he knows his own cravat—but his wits alone may not be enough to stop a war and save a selkie prince from death. Thankfully, he also has a whole case of the famous Beresford Jam.

Who stole the seal prince? How will Beresford find him? And what really happened at the royal birthday party?

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** I received a free digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. ***

If you've already read The Lady Diviner series, you will finally get to know how Jaq and Beresford came to meet via Seraphine and if you haven't started the series yet, this is one of the prequels and you'll have to read the series after!

As expected from Rosalie, the story is very well written and laid out. I am glad I now know what happened before the main story takes place.
It is very easy to read, doesn't take too long. I would just not read it as a standalone, it has to be read as part of the wider story, which you'll greatly enjoy if you like a mix of regency romance and dystopian stories!!

[Arpita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This story has a delightful plot set in regency England and sprinkled with magical fantasy elements. The characters were funny and heart-warming and I really enjoyed their interactions. The main characters are the Earl of Beresford and the Selkie twins Seraphine and Jaq (selkies are half human, half seals). This is an adorable world where jars of plum jam are traded as high value commodities :-) and merfolk, seals and humans intermingle in odd activities. The language is humorous and easy. It lends a good quality to the characters and the time it's set in. This was a quick read but thoroughly delightful and I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a good, unusual adventure story.

[Kit Moonstar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a delightful little novella, though it does raise more questions than answers. It’s the prequel to a mystery series that I’m definitely going to have to check out. I have some many questions: Do regular humans know about selkies and merfolk outside of stories? Is magic a thing in this world or is it just the mythical creatures who have it? What is it with the Beresford Plum Jam? The story went in directions that I did not expect which was a nice surprise, and I’m sure the events of the novella will inform the series proper. Beresford is an interesting character, and it seems like he might have more hidden depths than explored in this story. There are clear hints that he’s a spy or something for the English crown. Three out of five stars.

[Korinne Tande · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Earl of Beresford to the Rescue. A quick read that is another prequel in the Lady Diviner series. These stories always make me chuckle. Even though there is always some type of danger for a member of the diverse cast of characters (selkies, merfolk, humans, and others), the dangers are not nail biting situations, but rather the danger is delivered in a comical manner with follies galore. And, of course, the famous Beresford jam is key to the kidnapping plot. The prequels are quick reads that give you clues to the various relationships and antics of the key players in the books. I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding a naked woman wouldn’t normally be a problem for a red blooded male, however this is different. Not only is she a Princess, she is also a Selkie, and Lord Beresford doesn’t really believe the stories about them. And she needs his help, in finding her brother, who has been kidnapped.

This is a prequel to the Lady Jewel Diviner, Elinor Avely, and sets the scene for an interesting series.

This is a nice light, quick read, about mermaids and mermen, selkies and gentry, oh and jam. Nicely written fantasy set in the early 1800s.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Anna Beste · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Selkie Scandal is an accompanying short story and prequel to A Lady Diviner Series. It told the wild tale of how Jaq came to be a companion to the Earl of Beresford, thanks to him trying to kidnap himself for the ransom with the help of dishonest and treacherous mermen. Jaq's sister, Seraphine, asked Beresford for help and thanks to quick thinking and his famous plum jam he was able to save Jaq. Jaq's mother, the queen of the Selkies, put Beresford in charge of Jaq and keeper of his Seal Star, which binds them together. It was interesting to learn more about their relationship and how it came about.

[Jacqui Licht · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second prequel in the Lady Diviner series and sets the stage well. In the first prequel, Lord Beresford didn't believe in magic. After his adventures with selkies and merpeople, he definitely does. This will help him going forward with his attachment to Miss Elinor Avely (the Lady Diviner herself).

The book reads well, has humour, and creates a wonderful hero (like Darcy after he learnt his lesson on pride). I'm looking forward to our dashing Lord working together with Elinor Avely and both learning to love each other (I'm such a romantic).