"Sophie Jordan is one of a kind!" -Samantha James Best-laid plans beget sizzling passion in the second book in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's delectable Forgotten Princesses series. A sweeping and breathtakingly dramatic historical romance, Lessons from a Scandalous Bride features a haunted hero, a Scottish viscount, who hopes to snare a wealthy wife in Victorian England-only to have an inappropriately independent heiress catch his eye and steal his heart. Sophie Jordan is well-known and well-loved for her dark, brooding heroes and sexy heroines-and her fans will not be disappointed by these Lessons...nor will readers of the bestselling love stories of Lisa Kleypas and Sabrina Jeffries. When it comes to Ms. Jordan and her extraordinary historical romance novels, Kirkus Reviews offers the best advice: "Just surrender to the sizzle."
Lessons from a Scandalous Bride was a cute and sometimes steamy read, although it didn't quite live up to the first book. This time we meet one of Grier's half-sisters, Cleo. Their father has just collected her from her very full home and brought her to live with him and hopefully find a titled husband. Cleo has no interest in love or passion. She just wants a man whom she can live comfortably with and provide for her many siblings. Which is why she's been courting an 80 year old earl. At least until Logan McKinney comes to Town to bag himself an heiress.
I liked Lessons from a Scandalous Bride. I found the set up to be unique, even if it didn't lend itself to much action or conflict. Cleo doesn't want to end up like her mother who is pregnant every 9 months and keeps having to bury children and babies. She figures the best way is to avoid young men, as to not fall into temptation. It's easier said than done when Logan makes his intentions toward her known. Obviously things have to happen to cause Cleo to see how wrong she was to try to avoid love and lust, and those things are passionate kisses. Nothing terribly scandalous, sadly.
Lessons from a Scandalous Bride was good, but left me underwhelmed, especially since the first book left me smiling like mad. There really was no relationship conflict other than Cleo not wanting to have sex with her husband. The matter with her evil stepfather could have been interesting and emotional, but it fell into the background and was over almost before it could begin. I did really love the beginning when Cleo was deadset on marrying a man older than her grandfather, but once she started her affair with Logan it kind of started to fizzle out.
