Lindsey Gray
Written on Dec 28, 2016
Scandal abounds in this new novel by Stacy Reid. Haunted by the scandal of her father’s death, Lady Olivia Sherwood is not eager to reenter society after her disastrous come out. Her step-father’s ill health forces her to make changes to herself she never wanted to. She needs a husband or her very life may lie in peril.
The Earl of Blade, Tobias Walcott, doesn’t want for a wife, but he is enraptured by every move Lady Olivia makes. Since his mother has taken Livvie under her wing a the behest of Livvie’s step-father, she has run riot over Tobias’ life and emotions. Once caught after having an encounter in a linen closet, Tobias and Livvie are forced to marry.
One element I found very interesting in this story was the intertwining of both Livvie and Tobias’ past scandals with their current one. Because of the past, they are completely wrong for each other, but the hint of current scandal is the one that brings them together. I loved the wicked banter between the two as they both tried to control the emotions that burned within them. The added pressure of Livvie’s friendship with Tobias’ younger sister brought forth another juicy scandal and caused passions to erupt, cracking the thick shell around Tobias’ heart.
I adored both Livvie and Tobias. Livvie stayed true to herself even after trying to be a perfect miss. She continued to attempt to solve her own problems and against his core beliefs, Tobias was able to help her when she did need it. A glowing five star read and I can’t wait to read more from Stacy Reid!