Once Upon A Scandal

by Barbara Dawson Smith

Her husband, her enemy.

Desperate and alone, Lady Emma tricked Lucas Coulter, the Marquess of Wortham, into a hasty marriage. But on their wedding night, when he learned the truth about his not-so-innocent bride, he abandoned her.

Seven years later, Emma lives in disgrace with her beloved daughter, Jenny. Penniless, Emma provides for her child in the one way she knows in the dark of night, she creeps across the rooftops of London and steals jewels from the wealthy nobles who have wronged her.

Then Lucas catches her in a daring act of burglary. And he proposes a devil's bargain-- give him an heir...or be exposed. Vowing to hide the devastating secret in her past, Emma agrees to share her husband's bed, never dreaming this cold stranger has become a skilled seducer who will sweep her into a world of peril and passion...

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Second Chance, Enemies To Lovers, Historical Fiction, Regency

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 15, 1997

About the author

From http://www.barbaradawsonsmith.com/bio...
A member of Romance Writers of America since 1981, Barbara Dawson Smith sold her first historical romance two weeks after sending it to a publisher. Her books have won the Golden Heart Award from RWA, and Best Historical Romantic Suspense and Best Regency Historical from Romantic Times. She has been a finalist for the National Readers’ Choice Award, Romance of the Year by Affaire de Coeur magazine, the Golden Quill, and the Booksellers' Best Award. She has also been a five-time finalist for the prestigious RITA Award, and realized a lifetime dream in 2002 when she won the award for TEMPT ME TWICE. Barbara also writes romance as Olivia Drake.

Barbara lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband, two daughters, two cats, and who knows how many neighbor children running up and down the stairs. When she's not finishing a chapter or teaching a seminar on writing, she enjoys browsing in her collection of over a thousand research books.

Reviews

[Preeti ♥︎ Her Bookshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story. The following rant may not indicate so but I actually did!

*With Spoilers* This h did, indeed, trap the adoring and unsuspecting H into marriage, years ago. On learning this fact, he walks away, to roam the world and doesn't return for 7 years.
The h lives in almost poverty with her eccentric grandfather and little daughter - and moonlights as a burglar to pay the old man’s gambling debts? That was a bit too extraordinary but adds to the fun as well.
The truth is easy to grab after certain hints crop up.

I am not sure if I like or not - that he had only the one lover/mistress in the interim! That makes her sort of special. {'So you prefer prolific manhoes??!!'- that's me to myself}
But the ow gets treated shabbily in that she gets completely ignored by him, now that she’d technically served her purpose in the story.

The H was too unforgiving and sanctimonious and I did not like him much. Even when he accepts that his wife had been raped instead of having a lover, he still could not get over the ‘betrayal’. That was unforgivable and I could not relate with the pompous ass.

As the self-appointed India expert here - I have to report that I found the inaccuracies quite annoying and distracting. The usual mishmash of hindu/muslim names and cultures. Shalimar would be a muslim name so her son cannot be a Sanjiv. *smh*
And tiger god? Who’s he?
Kashmir and Jaipur are not only afar distance wise but also culturally and I’m sure a Kashmiri won’t give a fig for the divine value and powers of a Jaipuri artefact.
And the lovable Ganesha - if one community has to lay claim to him, it would be the Maharashtrians - and not the Gujaratis.
Oh well, now I know why such things grate on even the most insensitive nerves, whenever a culture gets ravaged (or rumpled at the least) likewise.

But shaking that off, I actually enjoyed this book a lot as the author introduces new details and juicy bits at timely intervals to hold one’s interest.

[Raffaella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very angsty and dark.
Both characters are unpleasant, the heroine more than the hero.
She basically trapped and deceived the young hero who was something of a social klutz because she was pregnant.
When he found out on their wedding night he dumped her and left for exotic places.
Seven years later he’s back and the heroine asks him for a divorce because she wants to marry another man.
He refuses and asks her for a heir.
She has a daughter of 7, he takes them both and tries to persuade the heroine to have sex with him.
She’s traumatized because hellooooo, her only experience was when she was raped and became pregnant.
The hero wants to have a heir and to send her back to where she belongs, he’s quite cruel but she’s an idiot with capital letters because she never told him the truth.
And the truth came out in the end, when he finds out that the man who actually raped her was his own - now dead-brother. Who was gay and tried to show he wasn’t raping an innocent.
Yay!
There’s also a thriller in the end with various characters and an unlikely heroine who was for some time a thief… yeah right.
The book was not bad but there are some things I hated.
-the hero had a mistress and he went to her even after he saw the heroine again. No men for the heroine of course.
- the heroine never told anyone who raped her and never told the hero who was her husband and should have been told. At least when they reconciled. She married him as a retribution for his brother’s rape but I think she should have gone to him immediately after being raped and asked for retribution.
All those years of not telling anything we’re years wasted.
- not fond of mystery to fill the pages.
- ow was not evil because she was a submissive eastern woman and there was no love between them but the hero wanted to live with her, not his wife.
- the hero was a coward and no alpha because he never thought he should help his young wife. He only left her alone. It’s true that she told him a bunch of lies though.

[Luana ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a nice plot but the main characters were quite immature. They married when she was 18 and he 20. She married him without telling him she was pregnant and from the wedding night on it was only misery for both parts.

She is a lier and a thief. I liked her but I couldn't understand why she simply didn't tell the truth in her wedding night. Not the whole truth, but such a huge lie to a man she had just lied to and trapped into marriage, was the picture of a childish behavior.

So, this book is about she lying about basically everything 7 years later, trying to overcome what happened in her past and he fighting his physical attraction towards his wife, not knowing what to trust and what not to trust.

[Serial Romance Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** Book Q & A***

* How did the book make you feel?: I had high hopes for this one, but it didn’t do it for me.
* How do you feel about how the story was told?: I felt like the plot was all over the place. The situations the h found herself in were very unrealistic. So much of the book’s conflict stemmed from the h’s growing pile of lies and it was maddening.
* What did you think about the main characters?: I wasn’t fond of either of them. The H was quite the heartless mercenary and the h was impulsive, needlessly deceptive, and immature. I didn’t relate to the way her PTSD from her violent rape was handled. Somehow she just got over it. I didn’t like the insincerity of the H and how he joked that now she was sex starved after finally realizing it could be good. He simply sees Emma as a vessel he’s blackmailed into carrying his heir. The deal they make says she has to leave her child! How evil. I never felt the chemistry between the MC’s and I thought the H was gross—both his infidelity and callous disregard for his wife including repeatedly calling her a bitch. I also didn’t like the ultra subservient and stereotypically-inferior manner in which the Indians were portrayed.
* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: I liked the grandfather’s antics, but even his character was inconsistent.
* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: abandoned wife, big misunderstanding
* What did you think about the ending?: The ending was a predictable and crazy mess. I saw it coming. The whole reason that the h was raped made very little sense to me, though. I did like the epilogue. I never felt the H redeemed himself, but I was too annoyed with the h to really care.
* What is your impression of the author?: I like this author but this book wasn’t a winner for me.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I've reread it numerous times.

It's unique, heartwarming, and romantic. It is very well written. I admire Emma. She does what is best for her daughter and Lucas is a sexy, good guy. The secondary characters are well defined as well.

I highly recommend this read!!!

[Jena]

Self note:
They married when she was 18 and he 20.
She tricked him into marrying her- without telling him that she was pregnant with the OM's baby (she was raped).
He's angry for getting tricked and leaves her.
They're apart for years.
He had 1 mistress during their seperation.

All the reviewers are complaining about him cheating. lol

OK, I am against cheaters myself, but in this situation, his cheating is completely understandable and justified.
Some bitch ruined his entire life and was going to fob off another mans child on him.

[Izzie d · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's okay.
Cheating husband as he feels wronged and he has thrown her out.
HEA.

[Love love · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm pretty sure this is the first book by this author that I've read and it won't be the last. I loved her writing, voice and her characters felt real.

Emma (h) had tricked a young and impressionable man into marrying her. On their wedding night he found out how she had betrayed him and left her and England behind.
Years later Emma is doing the best she can to provide for her daughter, grandfather and herself. Barely making ends meet. When she hears that her long lost husband is home at last and knowing that she needs to do something about their situation and the fact that her daughter needs a father, she does the only thing she can think of........she asks her husband for a divorce.

There is only two reasons why Lucas (H) has returned home and neither of them has to do with his wife. When she forces a meeting he decides to give her what she wants, but before he will grant her a divorce she must provide him with a son...... and then leave them for good. Unable to think of another way, Emma agrees to this horrible bargain not knowing how she could ever part with her child.

As these two are forced to spend time with each other, they learn that there is more to the other than what they had thought. Sparks fly, barriers are broken through and truths are learned . I feel this was a very gratifying read. =)

[Nancy Alatorre · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 75%
I just couldn’t. The hero was a self absorbed asswhole. I hated how imposing he was towards her and so nonchalant about her trauma.
The heroine was extremely unlikeable. She’s just a lier covering her lies with more lies.

[Kesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. I hated Lucas at first because he treated his wife like crap. Seriously, in all those years he was gone, no one in his family snooped to see what his wife was up to. She was barely getting by and she had a little girl to look after. He just assumed she had all these admirers paying her way. So glad Lucas overcame his asshatness. Emma just had to do what she had to do, understood why she lied about what happened to her. I did not see Woodrow and the Andrew story coming at me. I literally had my mouth hanging open.

[Ritsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book should be a 2 stars. Well, 2,5 stars at most. So why the extra star?

1. This book is the first book that I read and managed to finish in between my endless stream of assignments that is neither a paper or a textbook. Thank God.
2. Despite the plot holes, somehow I enjoy the writing. This is my first book of this author (ms Smith) and I think I'd like to read her other books.
3. It's not often to find a heroine that was raped and coping with intimacy issue. I have read 1-2 books that have similar themes, and I say this book is doing fine in explaining heroine's action regarding the rape and the pregnancy.
4. I like the initial establishment of the couple's relationship. It's interesting that the heroine was never in love with the hero, because she was too caught up in her own "situation" at that time. (yeah, before the hero came home and transformed into this tall-dark-handsome stranger.)
5. Of course, the misunderstanding. The so-called plot twist at the end also helps (No, it's not about the father of the heroine's daughter, which I bet readers can guess halfway through the book already.)

So now, the reason for the 2 stars:

1. Plot holes. The reason why the heroine has to end up as thief is silly. Oh, really, a lady can just be a thief whenever she likes? And sometimes even her grandfather, too? Please. The rest of the plot is filled with holes.
2. The grandfather. Aside from being the very reason of the heroine's financial destitution, I feel like the grandfather's character reeling back and forth between serious and comical - for the sake of the plot.
3. The development of the romance is not very convincing.

In the end, I end up enjoying reading this. It's a HR, and it gives you what you want.

[Barbara ★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emma wronged her husband, Lucas and he abandoned her and left England for seven years. Upon his return, Emma begs him for a divorce so they can both get on with their lives. He refuses claiming he wants an heir then maybe he'll grant her request. The new courtship is fraught with danger for Emma since there are questions about her past that she can't tell Lucas. The give and take between them makes for an interesting story. I really liked Lucas and felt great pity for Emma. I haven't read this author in years, and now I'm wondering why I stopped. Hmmm.

[Mancho283 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Deyanira C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

No tengo idea de cuántas estrellas merece este libro, ni cuántas debería darle, por qué ahí tantas cosas que me dejaron inconforme pero lo disfruté y me gustó la trama general así que le doy 3.5 estrellas.

Ok veo que mucha gente lo odio, o simplemente se sintieron decepcionados, no es mi caso de hecho siento que las reseñas no le hacen justicia y creo que muchos lectores son muy duros con este libro, pero fom hacemos por la trama;

SPOILERS

Emma vive de forma miserable, tiene una hija de 6 años a quien apenas puede alimentar y su única familia es su abuelo, quien tiene problemas con las apuestas, lo que lo llevo a perder la fortuna familiar y a endeudarse, por ello Emma constantemente debe robar a quienes estafan a su abuelo, pero la vida de Emma no siempre fue tan mala, 7 años atrás Emma era una noble hermosa pretendida y admirada por todos, pero ella eligió un conde Lucas con quién se casó, sin embargo Emma estaba embarazada de otro hombre, así que cuando Lucas se enteró de todo, la hecho de su vida y se fue a viajar por el mundo, Emma dió a luz 5 meses después de la boda y la razón de su separación se volvió un secreto a voces así que ella termino hechada de la sociedad, solo un barón la apoyo y ah sido la figura paterna de la pequeña Jeny, este baron quiere casarse con Emma, y darles una buena vida pero Emma necesita el divorcio así que cuando Lucas vuelve a Londres ella acude a él para pedirle el divorcio, no solo pensando en ella sino también en que el puede ser feliz con otra esposa y tener hijos, pero Lucas lo toma terriblemente mal, se niega a divorciarse aunque al final acuerda que la dejara legalmente libre si ella le da un heredero, Emma se niega pero es forzada por qué sino Lucas además la acusara de robar, Emma y Jenny se mudan a la casa familiar de Lucas dónde la relación comienza a evolucionar, ellos se desean, tienen buen sexo, se enamoran, y Jenny se gana el cariño de Lucas, pero claro que muchos problemas llegan, los robos que Emma ah hecho, la amante de Lucas, pero sobre todo el secreto que ah guardado Emma, de que en realidad el hermano ahora muerto de Lucas al que todos creían un héroe la violo y es el padre de Jenny, además de otro misterio interesante que involucra al Baron.....


Personalmente amo la idea de la trama, me gusta eso de secretos, matrimonios disfuncionales que se vuelven de amor, niños involucrados, y amantes, por lo que para mí este libro pudo ser perfecto PERO....por desgracia la trama tiene demasiadas inconsistencias, primero creo que era importante que la autora mostrará el proceso en que Emma enamoro a Lucas, esos meses previos a la boda, por qué realmente el libro nunca muestra el proceso en que se conocen y se enamoran, así que les falta desarrollo, ahora nunca se explica por qué Lucas recibió regalos tan importantes de gobernantes al rededor del mundo ¿Que hacía ?¿Era diplomático? Además la trama con la búsqueda del hijo de su amante me pareció que sobraba es improvable y no fue nada entretenida, por otro lado creo que el asunto con los robos fue algo tonto en momentos, y además aunque ame que Lucas aceptará a Jenny, me parece que un so fue muy rápido, por último diré que el final me pareció algo que solo pasaría en un tiempo moderno no en esa época, y me parece que nunca se ve que Lucas haga que Emma sea aceptada en la sociedad lo que hace que todo se sienta incompleto.


Ahora hablemos de los personajes, muchas reseñas dicen que ambos son desagradables, a mi no me lo parece, creo que más bien lo que pasa es que usualmente las novelas de regencia presentan héroes y heroínas perfectas, personas hermosas, víctimas, bondadosas, inteligentes etc, en este libro las cosas no son así, aquí son dos personajes imperfectos, que comenten errores y que son tanto víctimas como victimarios, es cierto Emma puede ser inmadura y claro que habría sido todo más fácil si hubiera revelado su secreto desde el inicio, pero ella tiene razones para callarse, es verdad fue una perra por enamorar a Lucas quien no tenía culpa pero, ella no parecía tener más opciones era su única oportunidad de venganza, a ella la violaron la embarazaron y tuvo que escuchar como todos hablaban de su violador como si fuera un héroe, así que yo la apoyo además es una buena madre, y es una luchadora, mientras que Lucas aunque puede ser demasiado machista y autoritario, también tiene su lado bueno y se entiende que está amargado por lo que Emma le hizo, Emma no solo lo engaño y lo enamoro, también
le robó la oportunidad de tener una familia, no es poca cosa, así que es obvio y normal que ninguno pueda ser perfecto, pero lo que me gustó es que Lucas acepta su error y se disculpa igual que Emma.

La trama tiene otras cosas que son refrescantes como la homosexualidad, las apuestas, la violencia familiar y la esclavitud.

Pero como dije la trama es muy muy imperfecta ahí cosas que no se explican del todo y también es angustiante arrastran el secreto hasta el final así que si no te gustan esos componentes este libro no es para ti.

[Emma Demopoulos · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 / 5 Stars.
Backstory: I got this book through an online bookstore that sells bulk mystery grab bags in different genres. I bought a romance one. The plot seemed super interesting, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

This shit is so wild. It was a train wreck I couldn't help watching. Let's start with the trigger warnings: sexual assault, dubious consent, misogyny, racism, homophobia, and purity culture bullshit. What drew me in initially is a female character who's a jewel thief. Love a lady criminal. It isn't a huge part of the book, but it's still entertaining. Also, the main character's name is Emma and that made me feel some type of way. Anyway, Emma gets pregnant out of wedlock and 'tricks' Lucas into marrying her. On their wedding night, he figures out that she's pregnant and deuces out of there straight to India. SEVEN YEARS LATER, he returns to England to help his mistress find her long lost son. Emma wants a divorce, so she can remarry and take care of her child. Lucas catches her in the act of stealing his jewels and is like in return for not turning you in to the authorities (plus a future divorce), have my son. Emma's like "Christ, okay, fine." Then the most dubious consent scenes I've read in a while occur. Turns out Lucas's brother, Andrew, raped Emma and, in an effort, to secure the child and have revenge, she seduced Lucas. Then at the end we discover that Andrew was (he died in a war) gay and was trying to not like men anymore by raping Emma. The man that Emma wants to marry was Andrew's lover, who only wants Emma so he can 'be close to Andrew' again via her daughter! So, naturally, he kidnaps the daughter when Emma falls in love with Lucas and calls off their engagement. Yes, you did spot that homophobia, SA, and kidnapping all rolled in one. Entertaining hot garbage I tell you.

[Leandra Azer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did I enjoy this book... Kind of? I didn't like the main characters, the H would be a modern day 'alpha male' podcast bro, h a doormat and there's problematic submission fetishism of Indians & villanization of LGBT people. BUT the TV-drama esq storyline had me hooked.

Heroine chose to marry brother of person who r*ped her, then lives in poverty and kleptomaniism to atone for 7 years... 🤷🏾‍♀️

Hero believes he owns her body, that she owes him sex. Doesn't care what happened to her, only that she get over it so he can slake his lust. ALSO, he brought a nice submissive Indian mistress and man servant that literally bow to him... 🤨

So I can't recommend it, but I don't regret reading it.... Weird 🤔

[Nelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok... I felt bad for Emma but I really couldn't root for her because truly, the lady was such a fraud. Right from the beginning, with her tricking Lucas into marrying. I understand why she felt the need to do it but during that time, a lady from a proper background like her could demand reparation from the family right? Simple and honest, and same outcome!
But no, she had to lie... and she kept lying years after.
I get why Lucas had trust issues when it came to his wife.

The story was good, lot of angst, suspense, mystery, twist... I just didn't like the main characters, Emma and Lucas for being so mean to her in general.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting storyline, lots of twists and turns. Keeps a great pace and you develop a strong connection with the characters.
Addresses quite a few issues in this book, sexual assault, deception, thievery, gambling, adultery, and a few other things.
I enjoyed how the characters worked through each situation and stayed the course.

[Buk A · Rating 1 out of 5]

This wasn't a bad book per se. It just wasn't for me. I was on board until we find out who raped her (which I guessed at 33% but I was hoping to be wrong) and that there is a 'reason' he raped her (As if any reason is valid). Everything that followed after was just in bad taste, and it left a bad taste in my mouth.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved!!😍

I very much enjoyed this story. I would recommend this story. I could not put the book down. It was very much worth my time reading. I may even later re-read. I do have a habit of re-reading very good stories.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading it and how the events unfolded throughout the story.

[Paola · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Alyx · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this so many years but I loved it. My heart ached for the heroine in this but she was so strong after what happened (the scandal in the title). She and the H were engaged but they never got married because the H's brother raped her (he was gay but didn't want to admit it so he raped the next woman he encountered which happened to be the h). Such a good, angsty story. Oddly enough I don't quite remember the hero (though I guess the MC's were in love when they were first engaged) but the heroine and the daughter totally made this story.

[Bint · Rating 3 out of 5]

So the story started a bit shaky.Did not like the male lead Lucas at all, he kept calling female lead Emma Bitch. But then a story picks up and I ofund it interesting still I think i could have been better so its a 3 star from me .

[Karen Darling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't like him referring to her as a "BITCH", four times. It did have a lot of twists and turns. I did predict who the daddy was before it was revealed.