Book Review and Giveaways: Scandalously Yours by Cara Elliott

This is a delightfully fun romp.

Scandalously Yours (The Hellions of High Street)

by Cara Elliott

• File Size: 639 KB
• Print Length: 289 pages
• Publisher: Forever (January 7, 2014)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• ASIN: B00D19E04O
• Genre: Historical Romance
• My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: January 7, 2014
Proper young ladies of the ton-especially ones who have very small dowries-are not encouraged to have an interest in intellectual pursuits. Indeed, the only thing they are encouraged to pursue is an eligible bachelor. So, the headstrong Sloane sisters must keep their passions a secret. Ah, but secret passions are wont to lead a lady into trouble . . .
SCANDALOUSLY YOURS
The eldest of the three Sloane sisters, Olivia is unafraid to question the boundaries of Society-even if it does frequently land her in trouble. Disdaining the glittery world of balls and courtship, Olivia prefers to spend her time writing fiery political essays under a pseudonym for London's leading newspaper. But when her columns attract the attention of the oh-so-proper Earl of Wrexham, Olivia suddenly finds herself dancing on the razor's edge of scandal. With the help of her sisters, she tries to stay one step ahead of trouble . . .
However, after a series of madcap misadventures, Wrexham, a former military hero who is fighting for social reform in Parliament, discovers Olivia's secret. To her surprise, he proposes a temporary alliance to help win passage of his bill. Passion flares between them, but when a political enemy kidnaps the earl's young son, they must make some dangerous decisions . . . and trust that love will conquer all.

Review:
Olivia is a true blue-stocking who cares little for ton activities and rules, except that she must not ruin the chances for her younger sisters. Olivia’s father was a free thinking explorer who gave the girls a lot of independence, even taking Olivia along on trips to study native cultures. Olivia loves to research and write controversial, political essays which are published under a man’s name. Those passionate essays get the attention of the upright and proper Earl of Wrexham.

Wrexham, a retired soldier referred to as ‘The Perfect Hero’, is a widow with a ten year old son, Prescott (Scottie). Wrexham has decided it is time to find a proper wife to stand with him in society as he takes his place in Parliament. He hopes to champion rights for war veterans and he is anxious to meet the author of the essays he has read in the paper. Meanwhile, he is about to court a 'proper' young woman to the dismay of Scottie who dubs the lady “the Steel Corset”. The young boy misses the spontaneity and laughter associated with his mother.

Wrexham stumbles upon Olivia at a ball in an inappropriate setting at an erotic chessboard which provides a strategic game thread in the story. The pair accidentally meet again and then become entangled through secrets and mischief. Prescott wrote an advertisement seeking a less stiff and regimented woman to apply to be his mother. Olivia’s sister, Anna, sent the reply Olivia wrote in jest as “Lady Loose Screw”. Now Olivia has another secret to hide even as she hides her heart behind a wall of past hurt and proclaimed independence.

I think Ms. Elliott must have had great fun plotting and writing this story as that humor fills the book. The three audacious sisters are writers of different media: essays, penny romance novels, and poetry and drama. The girls bounce ideas off each other providing wonderful banter, as well as creative scheming, which they share to deal with Scottie’s antics and to help Olivia in the next step of the big game of chess she is playing with Wrexham. The writing moves at a good pace and includes lovely (and fun) alliteration.

There are two or three heated, sensual scenes which compliment the resistant romance. There is also a bit of danger that adds excitement and opportunity to throw the reluctant pair together. I totally enjoyed the story and I’m eager to read Anna’s romantic adventures in the next book, Sinfully Yours, which I will review at the end of April.

I picked this up for blog tour for Forever Romance, through NetGalley, for an honest review.  It qualifies for NetGalley Challenge. 

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About the author:
Cara Elliott started writing Western novels at the age of five. However, she traded in her cowboy boots for Regency high-top Hessians after reading Pride and Prejudice in junior high school and hasn't looked back. She graduated from Yale University, and she now lives and works in New York City.

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EXCERPT:

   “How dare you spy on me, sir!” demanded Olivia, once she had mastered her emotions enough to speak.
    He fixed her with a commanding stare, the one that had set many a seasoned soldiers to quaking in their boots. “I would not have had to resort to such tactics if you had shown me the courtesy of answering my letters.”
    Olivia refused to be intimidated. Lifting her chin, she scowled back at him. “I did answer them.”
    “With a single word—no.”
    “And what,” she asked with excruciating politeness, “did you not understand about such a simple syllable?”
    John couldn’t help but admire her grit. It took courage and resourcefulness to play in a man’s world. And she played well, he conceded.
    Expelling a harried sigh, he felt his anger dissipate just as quickly as it had come. She had no choice but to guard her secret very carefully. “Look, at least hear me out, Miss Sloane. Tracking down The Beacon has led me on a merry dance throughout Town.”
    Olivia paled at the mention of the nom de plume. Turning abruptly, she plunged off the path and darted around a tangle of holly.
    “Wait!” John ducked under the prickly branches, losing his hat in the process.
    “Go away!” Her voice was muffled by the overhanging leaves.
    “Not until we talk!”
    “I’ve nothing to say to you.”
    The Devil take it. All but a last little flutter of her skirts disappeared behind a shaggy yew hedge. Swearing under his breath, John cut through a patch of lavender. He hadn’t come this far to be rebuffed. She would damn well listen. Or else…
    Several long strides brought him within arm’s reach of her. “Confound it, Miss Sloane, stop and listen,” he called, lunging for her sleeve.
    As his fingers seized the fabric, his boot snagged on a twist of morning glory. Pitched off-balance, he stumbled and fell, taking her with him. Tangled together, they hit the ground hard, their momentum rolling them into a patch of pachysandra.
    “Ooof!” Olivia’s flailing kick caught him square in the shin.
    Flat on his back, John got a momentary glimpse of Olivia’s irrepressible curls dancing in the breeze before another half turn landed him on his stomach. Burning with embarrassment, he tried to right himself, only to find that she was sprawled across his…posterior.
    Bloody hell, he had never felt like a bigger arse in all his life.
    They both started wriggling at the same time. He managed to twist face-up just as she slipped on the glossy leaves and fell back down atop him.
    “Miss Sloane,” he gasped.
    “Lord Wrexham,” wheezed Olivia, an odd little burr roughening her already throaty voice.
    For an instant, he feared she was going to burst into tears.
    Instead, she began to laugh.
    And laugh.
    Scottie was right. It was a delightful sound, its top notes shaded with a rich, sensual echo that seemed to stroke over his skin like a moon-dappled midnight breeze.
    A twitch tugged at his lips. His dignity—as well as his coat—was in tatters, his pride was bruised, and though he should not find it at all funny, John felt a rumble vibrate deep in his throat.
    Olivia tried to get up again, but her limbs were too weak with mirth. “Good Lord, what a ridiculous picture we must make!” she wheezed in between burbles of laughter.
    “Here, let me help you.” Levering to his feet, John lifted her up and as she seemed a bit shaky, he kept his hands on her waist.
    “Well, it’s not every day I take a tumble in the hay with an earl,” she quipped.
    “Please don’t think that I make a habit of ruining a young lady’s reputation,” he answered.
    Her cheeks, already pink from the breeze, turned a lusher shade of red as she looked up and wet her lips.
John felt his body clench. His legendary sang froid began to bubble…His steely self-control went up in smoke…
    Olivia flinched as his mouth possessed hers. She was like summer rain against his tongue. So soft, so sweet.
    Her hands came up around his neck.
    Hell, it would serve him right if she throttled him on the spot.
    But then, all of a sudden, she was kissing him back.
    In a daze, John twisted around and braced her back against the ivy-covered wall, the glossy leaves crackling under the crush of silk. He was dimly aware of a roaring like cannonfire in his ears, and as his hands slid down to cup her breasts he realized it was the pounding of his own heart.
    Knocking all reason to flinders.
    A gust of air ruffled his hair, stirring wild, wicked thoughts of her waltzing naked through the trees. In response, his own privy parts began dancing to their own drummer. Thump. Thump. Thump. His pulse was pounding a military tattoo, commanding all soldiers to stand erect.
    And Dear God, his Major Organ was responding with unabashed enthusiasm.
    Olivia didn’t seem disgusted by his display of primitive lust. With a tiny moan, she tightened her hold and hitched her hips into him.
    Lud, it felt good. No, better than good.
    Exquisite.

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