The Seduction of Scandal (Scandals and Seductions) [Mass Market Paperback]

In 1811 the Duke of Banfield decides his daughter Lady Corinne will marry Lord Freddie Sherman. Although the Ton insists he is the catch of the season, she loathes the repugnant Sherman. Thus Lady Corinne decides to run away until the wedding day passes without her.

Thorn the infamous highwayman catches Corinne. She makes a deal with him to keep her as his prisoner until after her wedding day and in return she will not reveal his secret identity. However, as the highwayman and the runaway fiancée fall in love, Sherman and her father seek Corinne while others seek Thorn to hang him.

Although a Robin Hood hero has been used before, Cathy Maxwell keeps her enjoyable Regency romance fun due to the strong quirky support cast. The lead couple is a nice pairing of an unlikely duo falling in love, but it is those pursuing the fleeing twosome who brings the action to them (and the novel). Sub-genre readers will enjoy the escapades of Thorn and Corinne as they elude a horde of pursuers. Note that a portion of the sales will be donated to the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.

Harriet Klausner

Lady Corrine has realized that her father, the duke of Banfield, is not going to allow her to cry off her wedding to the despicable Lord Freddie Sherwin, son of the earl of Bossley, as their marriage would be a great combination of power between the two fathers. So she decides to take matters into her own hands and takes the drastic step of stowing herself in the boot under a carriage bound for London. What she is exactly going to do there, she is not quite sure but she knows she needs to stay hidden for the next couple of months until her wedding day passes. She encounters a slight mishap along the way though when the carriage is stopped by the mysterious blackguard, Thorn. She quickly tries to flee the scene but ends up accidentally getting shot in the shoulder and the major who shot her flees. leaving her to the mercy of the mysterious Thorn and she promptly passes out.

Reverend Will Norwich, foster brother to Freddie, is stunned when he sees his childhood crush get shot. He reluctantly gathers her up and takes her to his, err Thorns, hideout. He is faced with quite a dilemma though as Corrine pulled off his mask before passing out and she now knows his secret identity. Corrine pleads with him to allow her to stay hidden in the rustic cottage, away from prying and searching eyes so she can jilt Freddie. Seeing as he really has no choice in the matter, he reluctantly agrees but lays do the law about her having to stay hidden. Naturally, strong willed and spirited Corrine does not listen and instead follows him to his real parsonage home and starts causing all sorts of problems for him there. After all, this is the girl that turned her nose up at him years ago when he had a crush on her and he has harbored bitterness towards her for it but his feelings are still the same and continue to mature as they spend more and more time together.

Overall, this was a good book. I did feel as if Corrine fell into love with Will a bit quickly, after all, their living circumstances are quite different. He lives in his parsonage tending to his church and she is the daughter of a duke and is thrown into this situation of a much more simple life and she took to it quite easily I thought. Will was quite a dashing hero. Reverend by day, a type of Robin Hood by night, trying to correct his foster fathers greedy mistakes of his people. And oh his father, what a greedy, nasty, calculating man! Will tries to stay away from Corrine but he eventually just can't resist her and they certainly burn up the sheets when they come together! I found the mystery in the book to be interesting and the ending of it was excellent, even if I thought something along those veins would happen. What I thought didn't exactly happen so that is always a bonus when an author can throw that curveball in at the end. I just wished we would have seen more of Will and Corrine falling in love. Like I said, I thought it happened a bit quickly but other than that, a good solid book. If you are looking for a Robin Hood type hero, a rebellious bold heroine and some great supporting characters in a small village who look out for each other alongwith a dash of mystery, try this one! 3 1/2 stars

(And even though this is book five of Cathy Maxwell's Scandals and Seductions series, I did not feel like I missed anything from not reading the previous books first. I believe Corrine was mentioned in a previous book though)

Much more than just a story of a girl who runs from an unwanted marriage, The Seduction of Scandal hums with secret treasonous deals, a one-man campaign for justice, and the blooming of love that brings a sense of belonging never before known to the hero and the heroine.

Corinne Rosemont wants a husband who loves her even when she is silly and obstinate, a husband who relishes her opinions and shares her passion. She just knows there must be more to life than parties, boredom, and a stale, unloving marriage like her parents'. However, she is expected to marry Lord Freddie Sherwin, whom Corinne caught cavorting in her bed with her maid. Her parents turn a deaf ear to her entreaties. To them, money, position, power, and prestige are more important than her happiness.

Freddie's father, Earl of Bossley, is quite rich, but at the expense of his people. With political ambitions and secret connections, he is eager to have a duke for an in-law. Of course, Freddie, who is selfish, lazy, and loves feeling superior to others, is smug about getting the "Unattainable Ice Maiden" Lady Corinne Justine Rosemont, a duke's daughter for his bride.

But wait!

With no plan, just desperation, Corinne hides in the boot of a coach that is leaving the Bossley's party. When she ends up in the care of the Reverend Will Norwich, foster son of the earl of Bossley, the intrigues, conflicts and complications pile up. Life will never be the same again for the young Reverend or for Corinne. They meet and beat the odds until jealousy overrides common sense, then the twists and turns in the plot take the reader on a rollercoaster ride that seems to be racing down hill to bury Corinne in misery then it swoops up to a breathtaking climax. Ah!

Cathy Maxwell writes with an undercurrent of humor that makes the characters seem very real. Even in some of the tense and dangerous scenes, what is real and what is perceived as real brings a smile. However, her ability to reveal the oppression of the disenfranchised parishioners and the unconscionable acts of those with rank and privilege makes The Seduction of Scandal compelling. Her skill depicting the emerging of gentle, pure love that trusts and gives without reserve captivates.

This hero and heroine's journey from feeling unloved to feeling much loved touches the heart and satisfies that deep-down desire for love to always find its way to a happy-ever-after. Good reading!

Originally posted at the Long and Short of It Romance Reviews