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A review by chloe_liese
It Started with a Scandal by Julie Anne Long
5.0
If you're a hot-blooded human, you probably had or have a thing for Captain Von Trapp...Well, it's time for the fine captain (immortalized by stern brunch daddy Christopher Plummer) to step aside—there’s a new ice king captain in town. And this time, he’s actually a Bourbon prince.
Convalescing in Pennyroyal Green, Philippe—son of French aristocrats who were killed or scattered in the revolution—is recovering from the loss of his family and way of life. He’s scarred from a near-death attack, he’s in pain, he’s lonely, and he’s ice cold. He’s also deliciously French—dry witted and sensual even as he tries to subdue it for his pragmatic, ruthless plans to restore his fortunes and do what it takes to fulfill his duty. The last thing he counted on was falling for the determined, creative, compassionate Elise Fountain—his new housekeeper.
Elise was a fiercely lovable heroine. She’s a single mother just barely skirting total ruin, abandoned by her family. Her painful circumstances never leave her, yet she focuses on doing whatever good she can in her present. She epitomizes resilience. I loved how even though she’d been deeply hurt, she didn’t allow herself to be numbed. She still felt, empathized, desired. She had pride and vision and principles. As it goes for Philippe, it wasn’t hard to fall for Elise.
As for the romance itself? Hoooo boy, the sexual tension. This was a fierce slow burn and I wouldn’t say the physical intimacy was JAL’s steamiest, but where this book truly shone—and let’s be real, it always shines in JAL’s writing—was the emotional intimacy. She has a true talent for crafting characters whose chemistry, whose connection and soul-mate belonging you never question. Her romances are a masterclass in writing a One True Pairing, and It Started with a Scandal is a shining example.
I probably sound like a broken record by now, but once again, I adored this. I love the Pennyroyal Green world—its characters and haunts and the cozy belonging I now feel when I read a Pennyroyal book. I can’t wait to read the next one.
Convalescing in Pennyroyal Green, Philippe—son of French aristocrats who were killed or scattered in the revolution—is recovering from the loss of his family and way of life. He’s scarred from a near-death attack, he’s in pain, he’s lonely, and he’s ice cold. He’s also deliciously French—dry witted and sensual even as he tries to subdue it for his pragmatic, ruthless plans to restore his fortunes and do what it takes to fulfill his duty. The last thing he counted on was falling for the determined, creative, compassionate Elise Fountain—his new housekeeper.
Elise was a fiercely lovable heroine. She’s a single mother just barely skirting total ruin, abandoned by her family. Her painful circumstances never leave her, yet she focuses on doing whatever good she can in her present. She epitomizes resilience. I loved how even though she’d been deeply hurt, she didn’t allow herself to be numbed. She still felt, empathized, desired. She had pride and vision and principles. As it goes for Philippe, it wasn’t hard to fall for Elise.
As for the romance itself? Hoooo boy, the sexual tension. This was a fierce slow burn and I wouldn’t say the physical intimacy was JAL’s steamiest, but where this book truly shone—and let’s be real, it always shines in JAL’s writing—was the emotional intimacy. She has a true talent for crafting characters whose chemistry, whose connection and soul-mate belonging you never question. Her romances are a masterclass in writing a One True Pairing, and It Started with a Scandal is a shining example.
I probably sound like a broken record by now, but once again, I adored this. I love the Pennyroyal Green world—its characters and haunts and the cozy belonging I now feel when I read a Pennyroyal book. I can’t wait to read the next one.