Rating: 
Summary: a disappointment for sure
Review: Parts of this book were what you would expect of Christina Dodd, but other parts seem like a graduate school writing assignment that went awry, especially the last dozen pages or so which seemed just slapped together, to the point where twice the hero is described as coming to the rescue riding bareback, and then "slipping from the saddle". This kind of editorial sloppiness just underscores the feeling that the book was pushed through production. Too bad, it could have been a good story!
Rating:
Summary: Scandalously disappointing
Review: Scandalous Again repeats the bouncy and wispy-light momentum and style of Christina Dodd in her Regency-era bestsellers Lost In Your Arms and My Favourite Bride. Her formula, this time, however cannot disguise the empty premise of a filler plot and salvage the agonizing romance between duchess of Magnus Madeline de Lacy and Earl of Campion, Gabriel Ansell. You wonder whether how could a sensible woman like Madeline be so domineering to her cousin Eleanor to propose a switch in identity when her father gambles her hand away. She trades insults and surprisingly connive at her father's reckless gambling. She rushes to Chalice Hall for the reputed Game Of the Century to stop her father from losing the heirloom tiara and instead meets with erstwhile fiance Gabriel who came with a hidden agenda to revenge for his brother whose downfall was incited by the gamemaster Mr. Rumbelow. There are light strokes of humor, lots of provocative banter and hot passion but there are even more winces when the hero is bent on punishing Madeline for jilting him at the altars and even risking her life to get back at the villain. When had Dodd's charming and endearing protagonists morphed to such spiteful creatures? The story is left with a hanger to hinge on her next story to this series Changing Places, that makes it unsatisfying. You finally admit that this is sadly, not the Christina Dodd you know.
Rating: 
Summary: A real page turner!
Review: SCANDALOUS AGAIN was a very good read! Madeline is a strong woman who does not realize that her strength stems from her fear of betrayal. Her father's unreliable behavior has left Madeline with a need to manage her life and the lives of everyone she comes in contact with. Gabriel realizes Madeline's need to be in control, but he has other goals to attain in addition to winning Madeline's trust. Here are two people who do love each other, but must overcome circumstances and events that threaten to keep them apart, permenantly.
It would have been helpful to have a little more character development in some of the minor players and the villan. I would like to have known more about Madeline and Gabriel's initial relationship. Poor Eleanor was left "hanging" so to speak. Of course, that is another story, I suppose. Can't wait to read it!
Rating:
Summary: a good read in spite of some "niggles"
Review: Thank goodness that the entire Governess series is over at last. I was never really a big fan of that series, and since I rather enjoyed Christina Dodd's earlier works, I was rather looking forward to her writing something along the lines of "That Scandalous Evening" & "A Well Pleasured Lady." With "Scandalous Again," Christina Dodd proves that she is indeed a capable and creative storyteller. And truth to tell, in spite of the fact that the book was peppered with a great many 20th century American phrases (something that usually annoys me), I rather enjoyed "Scandalous Again." Ms Dodd does a wonderful job of bringing to life the attraction, the passion and clash of wills that exists between the future Duchess of Magnus, Madeline de Lacy and the gentleman Madeline's desperately in love with (even if she doesn't trust him fully) Gabriel Ansell, the Earl of Campion. How the authour brings these two forces of nature together (at a gambler's house party no less), makes use of the whole masquerading gambit in order to put Madeline at a slight disadvantage, and interweaves the various subplots that deal with the relationship between Madeline and Gabriel, the mysterious Mr. Rumbelow and the young Lady Thomasin Charlford who is being practically forced to consider Rumbelow as a suitor, was really nicely done. And for almost two thirds of the book I was really enjoying myself until the last six chapters of the book. Without giving anything away, I couldn't help but think that there might have been a better way for Ms Dodd to tie up the subplots and deal with the whole trust issue between Madeline and Gabriel. Perhaps I'm in the minority here, but it was a real turn off -- even though, apparently Gabriel did have a plan and Madeline had guessed part of what was going on, I don't think I really did get over what Gabriel did to Madeline. Those two issues aside however, I found "Scandalous Again" to be a worthwhile and engaging read.
Rating:
Summary: A Worthwhile Read....
Review: The duke has lost his daughter, Madeline de Lacy, the future duchess of Magnus, to a total stranger in a card game. Madeline's betrothed has urgently requested her presence at his home. While en route, Madeline, accompanied by her companion and cousin, Eleanor de Lacy, make a stop at the house of a notorious gambler. Madeline is sure her father must be there, for what is taking place is being dubbed "the game of the century". Trading places with her look alike cousin Eleanor, Madeline poses as a companion while attempting to keep her father from gambling away their remaining family fortune. If matters weren't bad enough, also at this game is Gabriel Ansell, the earl of Campion. The man Madeline was engaged to four years ago. She's never forgotten how he betrayed her. He's never forgotten how she ran out on him so easily. But the increasing danger present at this gambler's house just may pull them together again. This is the first installment in the trading places series. I'm a huge fan of Ms. Dodd's work, and have read most everything she's written. While all of it is good, this particular book was not one of my favorites. There is a dark, almost brooding mood to this story, and it lacks the humor she does so well. Overall, the story is good, the writing wonderful, and the love scenes steamy. I really liked the supporting character of Gabriel's valet, MacAllister, because he did add a note of humor to the story. The sequel, "One Kiss From You", which is Eleanor's story, is the better of the two. So while this is not Ms. Dodd's best work, it's still a worthwhile read. And if you're like me - if it has her name on it, you just gotta' read it!
Rating: 
Summary: Dodd wrote a dud....
Review: There's nothing good to say about this book. The main characters are shallow, insecure, self-absorbed, mean and unforgiving. In short, thoroughly unlikeable. The plot is insipid and dull. Don't bother with this one.
Rating: 
Summary: NOT DODD!!!!!
Review: THIS BOOK WAS NOT DODD-LIKE!!! SHE USUALLY WRITES AWESOME BOOKS, BUT THIS ISN'T HER BEST. I DID NOT LIKE THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS, BOTH WERE VERY ANNOYING. THE STORYLINE COULD HAVE BEEN GREAT, BUT FALLS FLAT. I DID LIKE THE ENDING, HOWEVER, AND CAN'T WAIT FOR THE TIMID ELEANOR'S STORY!
Rating:
Summary: I liked it despite some little errors! 3 1/2 stars really!
Review: This is my second Dodd book, and unlike some other reviewers, I didn't have a problem with the male characters in this book. I thought their actions were pretty consistent with how people could behave after someone called of their engagement or hurt their friend. The plot was more intersting than the other Dodd book I read, My favorite Bride, (I don't like her stealing the sound of music story personally). Scandelous again was origional and I liked all the female characters and am eager to hear her cousin's story in a future Christina Dodd book! I have two problems with this book...and I almost gave I would have given the book 4 stars if it had been just one or the other! There is an editorial problem near the end of the book where it is stated that he is bareback on a horse two or three times and then he "slips from the saddle." I am not one to look for flaws in a book, but it was obvious and made me kinda read back a little because I was wondering if I had made the bareback thing up, but it was right there! They messed up and someone should have caught it! It may seem petty, but it's in the middle of the hero-to-the-rescue scene and I stopped dead in my tracks to read back to check, wondering what else i must have missed. The other problem I had was that the end was totally thrown together. The book didn't really drag anywere, and I don't think that anything could have been left out, but that end needed to be expanded. Nothing rash happens for most of the book and then suddenly there is a great danger and a whirlwind last 30 pages to the finish (which is left open for the sequel). So I kind of felt like i was just cruising along in a fairly slowly moving book and then bam bam bam...the end. It's kind of disappointing to have things just explained to you by a character so the book can be wrapped up and this is how this ending felt to me. It seemed like the author needed to get to the end quickly and just jumped there. Too bad, for I really did enjoy the characters!!!! I will read the next book though to hear her cousin's story and some other books by Dodd though.
Rating:
Summary: I liked it despite some little errors! 3 1/2 stars really!
Review: This is my second Dodd book, and unlike some other reviewers, I didn't have a problem with the male characters in this book. I thought their actions were pretty consistent with how people could behave after someone called of their engagement or hurt their friend. The plot was more intersting than the other Dodd book I read, My favorite Bride, (I don't like her stealing the sound of music story personally). Scandelous again was origional and I liked all the female characters and am eager to hear her cousin's story in a future Christina Dodd book! I have two problems with this book...and I almost gave I would have given the book 4 stars if it had been just one or the other! There is an editorial problem near the end of the book where it is stated that he is bareback on a horse two or three times and then he "slips from the saddle." I am not one to look for flaws in a book, but it was obvious and made me kinda read back a little because I was wondering if I had made the bareback thing up, but it was right there! They messed up and someone should have caught it! It may seem petty, but it's in the middle of the hero-to-the-rescue scene and I stopped dead in my tracks to read back to check, wondering what else i must have missed. The other problem I had was that the end was totally thrown together. The book didn't really drag anywere, and I don't think that anything could have been left out, but that end needed to be expanded. Nothing rash happens for most of the book and then suddenly there is a great danger and a whirlwind last 30 pages to the finish (which is left open for the sequel). So I kind of felt like i was just cruising along in a fairly slowly moving book and then bam bam bam...the end. It's kind of disappointing to have things just explained to you by a character so the book can be wrapped up and this is how this ending felt to me. It seemed like the author needed to get to the end quickly and just jumped there. Too bad, for I really did enjoy the characters!!!! I will read the next book though to hear her cousin's story and some other books by Dodd though.
Rating: 
Summary: Scandalous Again
Review: This is the first time I have been exposed to Dodd's writing, and I couldn't keep the book down. In fact, it was such a marvelous book, I read it in one day! I cannot wait for the next book, which comes out in November. Dodd writes with so much passion and descriptive detail, you feel like you are a part of the characters, right there with them, going through all the struggles and pleasures. So enjoy, I know I did.
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