I really wanted to stop reading about halfway through. Thank goodness for HEAs. ( )

It Takes a Scandal

A delightful Regency romance with an appealing couple and a minor mystery.

Wounded in the Napoleanic Wars, Sebastian Vane embodies all of the superior qualities of a soldier - honesty, dignity, loyalty and courage. His treatment at the hands of his so-called friends and neighbors is abominable, especially considering his sacrifice, but this make's the heroine's appreciation for him all the sweeter.

Abigail Weston is a wonderful heroine. She is able to see beyond Sebastian's cold reserve to the passionate and caring man beneath. Her faith in him is admirable and she manages to navigate the strictures and limitations of society with aplomb.

Thankfully, Linden manages to avoid many of the annoying pitfalls that can undermine the love-triangle trope, i.e., keeping secrets, silly misunderstandings and angsty moments, by having her characters communicate with one another.

The secondary characters are also appealing, especially Abigai's sister, Penelope, and it will be interesting to see how Linden manages to overcome the obstacles established between her and Benjamin Lennox in the next book. He is going to have to redeem himself in her and my eyes. ( )

So often fiction authors have characters toss out all reason and just do whatever causes the most drama. And I've gotten kind of used to them keeping secrets when they should just be straightforward, or having a blow-up over something small. So it was just really pleasant how sensible these characters were. They didn't do everything perfectly of course, but I appreciated the break from all the unnecessary drama! And it made them more believable for me. Good relationship development, good hurdle for the couple to overcome to be together, just far from run of the mill. This is my second book by Linden and I am impressed. I look forward to more books by her. ( )

3.5 Stars

Typical romance with all the requisites of that genre. The characters were pretty well-rounded with personalities that stood out. The emotional pull was definitely there, always a good thing with this genre.

I enjoyed the fact that Sebastian’s strapped-for-cash situation wasn't stopping him from pursuing his girl. In a similar plot setup, I could see where an author might strive for melodrama by making the guy angst over not being able to get his love and brooding over that fact. I also liked how Abigail wasn't afraid to tell Benedict to take a hike and her father to basically “stick it”, she was marrying the guy she wanted. She had balls, and I like that in a romantic heroine. No wimpy chicks here!

There seemed to be an unresolved nature to the book, though. A lot was left in the air with no resolution, Sebastian’s financial state as well as the situation with his estate being a major one. I also found myself desperately wishing for more stuff after the dramatic get-together resolution, maybe a wedding or some domestic scenes. Something like that would have rounded the romantic feel of the novel nicely for me. Some of the motivations for the secondary characters were also left unexplained, thinking Benedict’s actions and his turn around towards the end.

The H/h and the emotional content were perfect for a romance novel. Even though some stuff was left unresolved and unexplained, that didn't stop me from enjoying this tale of love and getting together, despite the odds and scandals. Truly a lovely historical romance, all told. ( )

http://www.thebookvixen.com/2015/07/book-review-giveaway-scandalous-series.html ( )