Scan barcode
accidentalra's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
Full disclosure: I’m half afraid that I’m overrating Sophie Irwin’s A Lady’s Guide to Scandal simply because my loudest complaints about her debut novel, A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting, are essentially absent in this follow-up. No narrative head-hopping! No eye-roll-worthy chapter endings! No misleading minor character arcs! It’s like the author eavesdropped on my string of mid-novel rants and committed herself to sending me a great big “eff you” by way of a much improved follow-up. I am so glad I didn’t give up on her (although I suspect she hasn’t given me a single thought).
The storyline itself was enjoyable: After a loveless decade of marriage to a man twenty years her senior, Eliza finds herself widowed and in possession of a great fortune. The only catch is the morality clause that could cause the great bulk of that fortune to revert to her husband’s family…and the power to rescind her inheritance lies with the new Earl of Somerset, who just happens to be the man Eliza loved but couldn’t marry all those years ago. Dramatic scene set…but wait, there’s more! Accompanied by her cousin, Eliza removes to Bath, reconnects with Somerset, and befriends the scandal-embroiled Melville siblings. A love triangle develops (natch), and Eliza must make some hard choices.
Except not really. Eliza’s character and sense of self do develop in a (mostly) believable manner throughout the novel, but she’s never really required to make a choice. Why not, you ask? Because the overlapping second-chance romance and love triangle tropes ended up rather…clunky? Botched? Bait-and-switch-y? I basically moved from thinking, “How refreshing: a love triangle where both heroes come across as generally good guys,” to, “Oh, wait, they’re actually both d*cks.” Once the heroes' full characters were revealed in a choppy kind of plot twist, Eliza's choices were essentially eliminated. I suspect that, had I not been basking in the happy glow of a consistent third-person limited narrator, this would have infuriated me. As it was, it merely annoyed.
Despite my personally mixed feelings about the novel, I would still recommend it as a Readers’ Advisor. If you enjoy clean Regency romances with just enough heft to spark some lively discussion—particularly about race, gender, cultural restrictions and double standards— A Lady’s Guide to Scandal would be a great addition to your TBR pile.
[I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.]
Full disclosure: I’m half afraid that I’m overrating Sophie Irwin’s A Lady’s Guide to Scandal simply because my loudest complaints about her debut novel, A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting, are essentially absent in this follow-up. No narrative head-hopping! No eye-roll-worthy chapter endings! No misleading minor character arcs! It’s like the author eavesdropped on my string of mid-novel rants and committed herself to sending me a great big “eff you” by way of a much improved follow-up. I am so glad I didn’t give up on her (although I suspect she hasn’t given me a single thought).
The storyline itself was enjoyable: After a loveless decade of marriage to a man twenty years her senior, Eliza finds herself widowed and in possession of a great fortune. The only catch is the morality clause that could cause the great bulk of that fortune to revert to her husband’s family…and the power to rescind her inheritance lies with the new Earl of Somerset, who just happens to be the man Eliza loved but couldn’t marry all those years ago. Dramatic scene set…but wait, there’s more! Accompanied by her cousin, Eliza removes to Bath, reconnects with Somerset, and befriends the scandal-embroiled Melville siblings. A love triangle develops (natch), and Eliza must make some hard choices.
Except not really. Eliza’s character and sense of self do develop in a (mostly) believable manner throughout the novel, but she’s never really required to make a choice. Why not, you ask? Because the overlapping second-chance romance and love triangle tropes ended up rather…clunky? Botched? Bait-and-switch-y? I basically moved from thinking, “How refreshing: a love triangle where both heroes come across as generally good guys,” to, “Oh, wait, they’re actually both d*cks.” Once the heroes' full characters were revealed in a choppy kind of plot twist, Eliza's choices were essentially eliminated. I suspect that, had I not been basking in the happy glow of a consistent third-person limited narrator, this would have infuriated me. As it was, it merely annoyed.
Despite my personally mixed feelings about the novel, I would still recommend it as a Readers’ Advisor. If you enjoy clean Regency romances with just enough heft to spark some lively discussion—particularly about race, gender, cultural restrictions and double standards— A Lady’s Guide to Scandal would be a great addition to your TBR pile.
[I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.]
laurjuli's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sarahinthecapital's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
lisa15's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
chanelwritesromance's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
4.5
I don't usually enjoy a love triangle, but this one was incredibly well executed.
leilah_'s review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
princesscheetopuff's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
freya_amber's review against another edition
Bought in an audible sale because I liked the first book without bothering to process the cover or read the blurb. My fault. I hate love triangles.
winemakerssister's review against another edition
3.0
Influenced by [b:Persuasion|2156|Persuasion|Jane Austen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385172413l/2156._SY75_.jpg|2534720] and probably Mary & Henry Crawford of [b:Mansfield Park|45032|Mansfield Park|Jane Austen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1397063295l/45032._SY75_.jpg|2722329], this just didn't work all that well for me. I thought the love triangle was particularly awkward and uncomfortable.