Bound by a Scandalous Secret - Diane Gaston (HH #1308 - Dec 2016)

Read December 6, 2016

Series: Scandalous Summerfields (Book 3)

A most shocking betrothal!

The pleasure-seeking Marquess of Rossdale has little interest in his birthright and even less in finding a bride. So he comes up with the perfect plan to survive the Season unscathed -- a fake engagement to a most unsuitable girl!

Outspoken Genna, the youngest of the scandalous Summerfields, has no wish to marry, either. So agreeing to be Ross's temporary fiancée will grant her freedom for a little longer. But with every kiss, both Ross and Genna must face up to what they really desire…a true match!

Good book. Genna is the youngest of the Summerfield siblings, living with her sister Lorene and her husband. Years ago, when they were kicked out of their home by the new heir, Lorene had married a much older man as a way to make sure her siblings were cared for.  It is not a happy marriage, as Lord Tinmore never lets any of them forget what he has done for them. The Summerfield siblings are also known as the Scandalous Summerfields because their parents created quite a scandal when their mother ran off with another man. Sister Tess created more scandal when forced to marry her husband though it turned out well, and their brother Edmund is illegitimate.

Genna has no intention of marrying. What she has seen of marriage doesn't inspire her to try it herself. Instead, she plans to hold out against Lord Tinmore's plans to marry her off until her twenty-first birthday then make her own way in the world as a painter. One day while painting she meets the Marquess of Rossdale and they strike up a friendship. Ross is also under pressure to marry and is putting it off for as long as he can.

Ross is visiting his friend Dell, who is a distant cousin to the Summerfields when he meets Genna. He is intrigued by her and wants to get to know her better. His few encounters with her over his visit only increase his fascination. A few months later they meet in London during the Season. Ross is intrigued by Genna's determination to make her own way in the world as an artist and is determined to help her. But because of the rules of the time, spending much time with her is difficult. He comes up with the idea that they pretend to be engaged, enabling them to spend more time together and, as a bonus, getting their matchmaking families off their backs. Neither one thinks about the drawbacks to the plan.

I loved the development of their relationship. All Ross wants to do is make it possible for Genna to fulfill her dreams. He remembers back to his childhood and his mother's unhappiness and doesn't want the same thing to happen to her. It was sweet to see the joy he got from each new experience he gave her. As the weeks went on, Ross frequently found himself wondering what it would be like if they actually got married, but he's afraid it would kill her chances to make her dreams come true. Genna loves the time she spends with Ross, who she feels is the only one who really understands what she wants in life. She finds that her feelings for him are changing, but she knows very well that there is too much of a gulf between them for a marriage to be possible. She also has no confidence that she would even be capable of doing what is required of a duchess. When the attraction that has been building between them has his honor butting up against her fears, Genna flees, telling Ross he needs someone better than she is. It's up to Ross to decide if he wants to break the unhappy pattern set by his father and grandfather and go for the life he wants for himself. I loved his big moment at the end and the epilogue was sweet.

There were several secondary characters that played important roles. Lord Tinmore is a nasty piece of work. I didn't like the way he always put Lorene down. In this book he was also quite the suck-up. Once he found out who Ross's father was, he was determined to take advantage of the relationship. I also didn't much care for the Duke and Duchess. He was far too focused on politics, to the detriment of having a real relationship with his son. The Duchess was just plain manipulative and snobby. I hated her attitude about Genna and loved seeing Genna stand up to her. Most fascinating were Lorene and Dell. Lorene is married to Tinmore and constantly doing whatever she can to keep the peace between him and her siblings. Dell has recently inherited Summerfield under tragic circumstances and is still trying to recover. There is an instant connection between the two of them. I ached for Dell as he saw what she is going through and can do nothing about it. The subtle attention he pays her seems to soften her a bit toward others, and bolsters her confidence as seen in the epilogue. I'm looking forward to seeing if something comes of it.

Bound by One Scandalous Night - Diane Gaston (HH #1278 - Apr 2016)

Series: Scandalous Summerfields (Book 2)

Marrying a stranger

On the eve of battle, Lieutenant Edmund Summerfield rescues mysterious Amelie Glenville from attack by marauding soldiers. Heady from the anticipation and uncertainty in the air, they spend the night together, but their scandalous actions have one inescapable consequence…!

The illegitimate son of an aristocrat, Edmund won't consign his unborn child to the same fate, so he offers Amelie marriage. With a honeymoon spent weathering a storm of scandal, can these two strangers hope to turn their convenient marriage into something real?

Good book about two people with scandal in their backgrounds who come together in a scandal of their own. The night before the battle of Waterloo, Edmund rescues Amelie from an attack. She is his half-sister's sister-in-law, one he has been drawn to but feels is too far above him. The emotions of the night overpower their common sense and they give in to the attraction they feel. Three months later, Edmund discovers that Amelie is carrying his child and insists on marrying her.

Amelie had been engaged to another man, but after an argument, he abandoned her on the crowd filled street. She had offered him physical comfort before heading off to battle and instead he had said terrible things to her. Now Amelie is convinced that she will never marry, that no one will want her for herself. The desire between her and Edmund gives her what she believes will be her only chance to know what it would be like. 

I liked Edmund and Amelie together. They had some serious obstacles to overcome, individually and together. Edmund is an honorable man. He had tried hard to resist Amelie's advances back in Brussels because he knew it wasn't right. When faced with her pregnancy, he was determined to do the right thing. He knew what it was like to be illegitimate and didn't want his own child to suffer the same way. Because of his background, he feels unworthy of her. He also has to fight her family's opinion of him. I ached for him every time he had to suffer through their rudeness. I loved his determination to show them that he can take care of Amelie.

Amelie had her own issues to fight through. She sees the love that her parents have for each other and wants the same for herself. She thought she had found it, and was devastated by the things her ex-fiance told her. She takes what he says to heart and believes that she is wicked and wanton for it. When Edmund proposes marriage, she blames herself for trapping him into something he doesn't want.

When she loses the baby, both she and Edmund blame themselves. Each one's guilt is so deep that they can't even speak of it. All Edmund wants to do is to make sure that he takes care of Amelie and that he provides her with what she wants. I loved his devotion to her while she was recovering, even in the face of her family's attitude. Amelie is sure that Edmund wishes he weren't trapped in marriage, and is determined to put a brave face on everything in order to make things easier on him. I liked the fact that they talked enough to agree that getting away from London was the best thing to do.

Once they arrived at the farm, they finally began to regain some of their closeness. The life there was so different than what they were used to that it really was a new beginning. I really enjoyed seeing them both take to life in the country. Their relationship still had its ups and downs because they were avoiding talking about the hard things. There was a truly emotional scene when they finally talked about the loss of the baby. A discovery about some possibly shady doings on the farm, and a visit from Amelie's father brought about an unexpected result. I loved seeing Edmund face down her father and show Amelie just how much he really cares.

The secondary characters in this book all had important parts to play. Marc and Tess, from Bound by Duty, were somewhat less likable in this one. I was really mad at Tess for her lack of belief in and support for her brother, and Marc's prejudice against him was disappointing. I did like his sister Genna's immediate acceptance of Amelie and the friendship she offered. The oldest sister's husband, Lord Tinmore, was a truly nasty piece of work. I hated his attitude toward the family, especially Edmund, and I loved seeing Edmund shut him down. I was also very disappointed in Amelie's parents. For people who had stood up to scandal of their own, their treatment of Edmund was especially bad. My favorite character was Amelie's maid, Sally. I loved her parallel with Amelie, and the way that they supported each other.

I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.