Monday, January 7, 2013

MY SCANDALOUS VISCOUNT by Gaelen Foley




Publisher:   Avon
Date published:   September 25, 2012
ISBN:  978-0062075932
Genre:   Historical Romance
Book format:  Paperback
Obtained via:  Publisher
Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com



Carissa Portland is not a gossip.  No, not at all.  She is a woman of information.  That means she listens in to other people’s conversations, gathers all kinds of tidbits of news and stores it away for future use. The one person she seems to be seeking the most news on is Sebastian, Viscount Beauchamp (Beau). Well no, not really because he is plain and simple a rake and not at all suitable company for Miss Portland. Well, at least for the image she puts forth of herself. But there is something about Beau she just can’t seem to stay away from.

Viscount Beauchamp has done much to cultivate his image as a licentious rake. As a member of the Inferno Club debauchery, drunkenness and committing all sort of bad boy activities are the norm for him. Behind that reckless façade is a man who will do anything for his country and those he loves most. There is one woman he has never been able to keep far from his mind and that is Carissa Portland. He’d like to hold her in more than his mind but his fellow Order agents have warned him against paying too much attention to the Lady of Information. On pain of death they’ve told him to stay away.

But that is easier said than done when Carissa can’t seem to keep herself away from Beau. When she stumbles on a questionable meeting between Beau and another man she suddenly finds herself in a precarious situation that leads to her being shot.  Knowing he must treat her wound as quickly as possible and without the general public finding out about her injury Beau brings Carissa to Dante House, the Inferno Club’s headquarters. But the Lady of Information is unable to sit still and keep from snooping and before long learns Beau’s deepest secrets. To protect her Beau determines they must wed. Can a marriage brought by layers of secrets survive and blossom into true love?

Gaelen Foley’s MY SCANDALOUS VISCOUNT is the fifth book of her Inferno Club series.  With the Prometheans obliterated the members of the Order can turn their attention to other situations that threaten England. At the beginning of the book Beau is not aware of what has happened in Bavaria and if Drake is in fact a traitor or hero. Because he has no news on his fellow agents and with their mentor Virgil dead, Beau is tasked with protecting the Order’s interests in the capital. Part of that requires him answering questions from an MP, Mr. Green.

I found the story to be a well done transition from the Order vs. the Prometheans earlier books in the series and the new challenges the agents will face.  I didn’t quite warm up to Carissa because while she was feisty I didn’t see her as someone I’d want to be friends with. I’m not sure I could trust her with any information about myself out of concern as to whether any interest was truly in me or merely to collect information. She has a bit of a problem telling the truth as well.  On the other hand I enjoyed reading about an intelligent and creative woman.  

I did like Beau and his epiphany about how his marriage to Carissa was a mirror to what he himself had been doing to other men was well done.

Aside from using horses and carriages this story could pretty much have taken place in any time period. What threw me off a few times, which happened in the earlier books, was the use of modern American English slang terms. I like my historicals to reflect the period in description and language.

I didn’t warm up to either Nick or Trevor but since I’m one of those people who start a series just have to finish it I will probably read their stories when they are written.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.





 

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