jjares reviewed on 11/16/2016 + 3316 more book reviews

ONE NIGHT of SCANDAL is the middle book of a trilogy ('Bluestocking Brides') by Nicola Cornick. The time is 1803 and the locale is Suffolk. The British and Napoleon are trying to second-guess each other regarding an invasion of Great Britain by the French. There's a bit of a mystery about someone acting treasonous by giving info to the French and using a local book club as the swapping place.

Young widow Deborah Stratton had a disastrous first marriage; fortunately it was of short duration. She's been acting the retiring widow in Midsummer Village for three years. When she receives a missive from her father demanding that she attend her brother's wedding and move back home permanently, Deborah becomes frightened. Her sedate life is about to be altered by her father and she doesn't like it; Papa wants her to marry a cousin, Harry. Deborah is underwhelmed with the thought of being under her father's thumb again. She also doesn't want Cousin Harry.

So she devises a plan to get someone to enter a fake betrothal with her for her brother's wedding. Lo and behold, the one man she doesn't want to know of her actions offers to help her. Lord Richard Kestrel is a rake tired of the title and women's expectations. He really wants to settle down and he is in love with Deborah.

Deborah whines too much and seems immature. She did not speak to me; her character was impetuous and short-sighted. Richard Kestrel needed his head examined for wanting the flaky Deborah. But all ends well -- except for the treasonous person in Midwinter Village. This thread is left hanging until the final book. I doubt that I will read it. There was nothing wrong with the book but the plot wasn't all that original or interesting.


Blue Stocking Brides
1. The Notorious Lord (2004)
** 2. One Night of Scandal (2004)
3. The Rake's Mistress (2004)

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