Scandal [Mass Market Paperback]

After reading the earlier reviews for "Scandal," I just had to add my two cents worth, because it seems that the other two reviewers and I did not read the same book. I have enjoyed Heather Cullman's other stories and looked forward with great anticipation to this one, but it was only so-so. Part of the problem was a very tired and at times implausible plot-line: Gideon Harwood, a wealthy nabob newly returned to England from India, agrees to wed a spoiled aristocratic beauty, Lady Julia Barham, in order to advance his stature in society. How many times have we read this all before, including in Jacqueline Navin's newest novel, "The Bliss"? Unfortunately, there is nothing fresh in Ms. Cullman's telling of the story. Ms. Cullman's "twist" is that Gideon is persuaded to become engaged to Lady Julia by her father, Lord Stanwell. Gideon has discovered that Lord Stanwell is a bigamist and that Julia is therefore illegitimate, and Stanwell uses a kind of reverse blackmail to persuade Gideon to keep quiet about his discovery in exchange for Julia's hand. The problem with this "twist" is that it just does not work. Gideon is the kind of "straight-arrow" who would not have publicized Stanwell's secret anyway, so Stanwell has nothing to gain by allying his daughter with someone who is socially well beneath Stanwell's family. In addition to the tired plot, this story is also filled with some pretty dull characters. Gideon is a likeable but fairly nondescript hero, and Julia is mostly insufferably haughty for three-quarters of the book. The two have nothing in common, and there is no real spark of wit or passion between them. The secondary characters, including Julia's father and mother, Julia's circle of friends, and Gideon's two sisters (one of whom is named "Bliss," a true 19th century name if I ever heard one!) are "one note" cardboard stick figures that never really came to life for me. The dialogue is tedious, with the two main characters spending most of the time fighting with each other and engaging in "misunderstandings." Usually, the dialogue is the best part of any book, but I found myself skipping over it in this story, as the characters had a tendency to drone on about nothing. You know that an author has lost control of the dialogue when she has to have her characters frequently say, "but I digress...", after they have rambled on far too long about something that is tangential to the story at best. "Scandal" seems to come together a little better at the end, once the characters discover that they love each other, but it then becomes a case of "too little, too late" to save this book from the "I'll never read this one again" shelf.

In 1798, after twelve years making a fortune in India, commoner Gideon Harwood returns home to help his family. Though he has his two sisters at hand, Gideon's brother Caleb is missing. Lady Stanwell informs Gideon she has pertinent information involving Caleb, but when he visits her she is dead from an accidental fall. Gideon visits the grieving Lord Stanwell, but he offers nothing, as he has no idea what his deceased wife knew.

In London, Gideon runs into Lord Stanwell, catching him in a scandalous situation. To insure he gains Gideon's silence, Stanwell bribes him with the hand of his daughter in marriage and entrance amidst the Ton for his sisters. Gideon agrees to marry Lady Julia, currently in her third season and the recipient of twelve proposals all rejected as she plans to wed for love, on the condition that she pretends to love him in public. Given no choice, Julia and Gideon marry, but that sham turns into real thing if the commoner and the lady can learn to trust in the love of their partner.

SCANDAL is an enjoyable Regency romance with a twist not often seen in the genre. The story line contains delightful subplots to include the snail game, Gideon's investigation for his missing sibling, Stanwell's secret, and other pleasant foibles. Gideon's dilemma is intriguing. He fears telling Julia the secret about her father because he thinks that could end their relationship; yet he panics over not revealing it to her for fear if she learns the truth elsewhere that would end their relationship. Heather Cullman entertains the troops with this wonderful historical.

Harriet Klausner

Set in England, 1798.

Gideon Harwood returned from India. With the wealth he had accumulated, he planned to use it and everything else he could to help raise the station of his two impoverished sisters and locate his missing brother. He stumbled upon a shocking secret about the Marquess of Stanwell. To silence Gideon, the marquess offered a bargain, his daughter's hand in marriage. Normally Gideon's honor would rebel; however, marriage to the lovely Lady Julia Barham would open the Ton's doors for his sisters. Thus, Gideon swallowed his honor and agreed ... but only if Lady Julia convinced everyone that the marriage was a love match!

The Marquess never agreed to inform Julia of WHY he was forcing her to do the bargain. No, he made up a terrible lie, putting the blame on Gideon. To save her family (she thought), she had no choice but to wed the commoner and pretend to love him. Yet she planned to make sure he had no doubts as to how much she really loathed him!

***** That is the main plot. To tell the secret or the lie would ruin a good portion, so I left them out. For the sake of length, I left out the secondary characters as well.

I will state that Julia's siblings are wonderful, the mean aunt is the type readers love to hate, and Gideon's sisters have had it hard, so Julia had her work cut out for her in helping them!

To spice things up, on an already fabulous story, author Heather Cullman added an odd pet (like Laura Kinsale always did), and side kick. Gideon's personal attendant was from India. Jagtar was a tall and menacing sight to behold! He even kept a lethal-looking dagger tucked into his waist sash. The wicked image, however, becomes comical as readers enjoy Jagtar's pet, a slow loris! A slow loris is "an owl-eyed primate" with almost human hands and a taste for fruit. The pair stole the scene a few time!

This is the first of a Regency trilogy. I have no clue as to who the main characters will be in the next book. Personally, I am hoping for Lady Mina (one of Julia's friends) and Bethany (Gideon's oldest sister).

Pre-order this book whenever you can or mark your calendar! To miss a book THIS great is a sin! Highly recommended! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch.