'The Book Of Scandal' by Julia London -Review-

   Eh. The main characters in this novel experience heavy emotions as the scandal that had all hell breaking loose in London 1806 (a factual occurrence) warrants their dealing with some damning and fortunate misfortunes. Our hero and heroine must face each other and their demons once again, while trying to stay out of the society papers.Nathan Grey, the Earl of Lindsey, also known as the Libertine of Lindsey (which you won't be forgetting anytime soon) is urged by a friend to remove his long-estranged wife from London immediately to avoid being a casualty (by association) to royal scandal. Evelyn is now residing (against her will) in the one place she wished never to return. Two tattered souls will be thrusted into a situation together where the flames of love may be waiting to re-ignite.

-Read an excerpt: here

Book Trailer (which reminds me of a bad twilight parody, but still well done!):



   The Libertine of Lindsey is perfectly content with his existence thus far. A sprawling property in Eastchurch, buddies (free-loaders) to room and board and keep him company, outrages and notorious sexcapdes to keep him entertained; he has it all. There is a balance in the dysfunction of his life, but soon that happy medium is thrown for a curve when it is brought to his attention that a royal scandal is about to go public and its ramifications could possibly effect HIM.
   After the death of their son Robert (or Robbie), Nathan and Evelyn's marriage started to fall apart. Eve took it hard and became a shell of her former self. Nathan masked his grief with constant social abandon, drink and gambling; all while his wife started to make her own assumptions. She needed him to be there for her, and he was (or at least tried to be), he just didn't know how to really BE there for her. Eve believed Nathan was carrying-on with a neighbor whom was a dearest friend, and eventually that suspicion corroded itself and played a hand in her leaving for London. Nathan tried to convince himself that he didn't care and that it didn't matter to him. He did a pretty good job of it, that is, until a friend of his stops by to inform him that the wife he let leave him 3 years ago is rumored to be having an affair with a close friend of the Prince of Wales. The Princess and Prince are at odds and desperate to ruin the other; Evelyn Grey may be caught in the cross-fires and if she goes down, so will Nathan.
   Resistant to the point where abduction is necessary, Eve resents Nathan whole-heartedly for uprooting her from her contentment in London to the emotional roller coaster that awaits her at Eastchurch. Her presence instantly brings change and forces Nathan to take another look at the facts. He hurts for Eve; he hurts with Eve, they acknowledge their mutual grief over their lost son and failed marriage and begin to rebuild their foundation. As a result of the 'Book Of Scandal' and the consequent 'Delicate Investigation', Eve is put in mortal danger and Nathan must figure out whose trying to kill his wife so that they can truly turn over a new leaf and begin to live their lives together as it was meant to be.

Rating: 2 1/2 "Aww's"

My Favorite Part of the Book: [Spoiler Alert] Is when Eve finds out/accepts that she is pregnant again. After all the turmoil and grief she endured at the death of their first child, Robbie, she experiences some harsh emotions that real jerk at your heart. you can tell shes sort of leery when it comes to bringing another child into the world, but you can also feel the undercurrent of pure joy at her having a second chance to be a mother.

   I found things to enjoy in this book and pleasant surprises that made it worth picking up. The bare emotion that can be found from chapter to chapter is amazing. The grief Eve and Nathan feel over their lost son has a genuine quality to it that just resonated somewhere with me. It was a bit patchy and melodramatic at time, I think, but overall, I made it to the end of the book with a smile playing at my lips. It may not have been a slam-dunk for me, but there was enough of that 'something' to it to make me want to pick up another Julia London novel.

*Try out a book from the 'Desperate Debutantes' Series, 'The Hazards of Hunting A Duke'

-Read an excerpt from 'The Hazards of Hunting A Duke': here