I really wanted to like this book. I've read other work of the author's, several of her erotic stories written under the name Jess Michaels that I truly enjoyed. Pertaining to this novel, I was a bit shocked at the lack of editing on Avon's part, given how this was her debut novel with them.
I had been following her career on her Passionate Pen website and was so happy when she got the multiple book deal with a mainstream publisher and so excited to see this historical novel come out as a mass paperback. But Scandalous disappointed me just a few pages in.
The writing, dialogue and actions didn't seem fresh. Page after page it just felt like I had read the same story a hundred times before. I have bought a couple others of hers but haven't read them yet. I think I've been gun shy because I really hope I like her other stories more than this one.
I found this a very enjoyable read with a twist on the marriage of convenience by the so called bad brother saving the supposedly good brother. The twists in the plot and the couple learning to live together and build a lasting marriage worked for me. I do like this author.
There's very good story telling in this debut tale, which includes high emotions, passionate interludes, and characters that you love and hate. Both Dominic and Katherine have painful and traumatic childhoods though my heart ached more for him. I never understood how a heroine could be passed off from one fiance to another to save a family from scandal, and this rarely sits well with me. But it's wonderful to see the growing love between Kat and Dom and the resulting outcome with his brother, sister-in-law, and mother. 3.8 stars.
