Once Upon A Scandal

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Summary: Advance reviews of ONCE UPON A SCANDAL:
Review: "ONCE UPON A SCANDAL is a marvelous love story...a keeper that is destined to be re-read many times." --RomEx Reviews *** "An exceptional tale...a real page turner!" --The Old Book Barn Gazette *** "A highly satisfying book, hard to put down...rich with emotions and well-drawn characters. I highly recommend it." --AOL on-line review *** "ONCE UPON A SCANDAL is absolutely fabulous!" --Sharon Murphy, The Paperback Trader *** "Barbara Dawson Smith is an author everyone should read!" --Kathe Robin, Romantic Time

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Summary: Once upon a scandal...
Review: ... a beautiful lady and her handsome lord learn that true love conquers all.

Well, that's the premise of the story.

Emma, Lady Wortham, the exiled wife of the Marquess of Wortham, goes to see her newly returned husband to ask for a divorce. She wants to end their farce of a marriage in order to give her daughter a father who will love her. The Marquess, Lucas Coulter, has his own reasons for wanting the marriage to continue, at least for awhile. Number one on that list is the all-important heir. And Lucas intends to make sure that Emma provides him with one.

ONCE UPON A SCANDAL is an entertaining book. The characters are well-drawn, and the plot moves quickly. But this book could have been improved. Lucas and Emma's relationship seems to be a series of building up to a sex scene, then breaking it off, and building back up again. Although the reason behind the break-offs and retreats is very understandable and believable, the constant cycles of up and down left me feeling like I was on a roller coaster (and getting off a roller coaster is *not* a pleasant feeling for me).

I also found it distasteful that Ms. Smith made the law officer in this book such a repulsive toad. Emma had been stealing jewels to support her family. Granted that she was in need, but because of the utter repulsiveness with which the Bow Street Runner was presented, Smith made it seem like the law shouldn't even have been questioning Emma's second-story work. It would have been much more interesting to see the Runner as someone who was simply doing his job, and then finding that maybe Emma's was a case that shouldn't be prosecuted.

ONCE UPON A SCANDAL is good, but it could have been better.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and readable, but never engaged my emotions
Review: Emma, Lady Wortham, is struggling to support her six-year-old daughter and her grandfather, so she's turned to crime: disguised as the Bond Street Burglar, she robs the houses of men who fleece her grandfather at cards. She's risking scandal, and worse, if she gets caught - but then, she's already the subject of scandal. For she is the estranged, cast-off wife of Lucas Coulter, Marquess of Wortham, the wife he discovered was already pregnant when he married her seven years earlier.

And now Lucas is back, and Emma wants a divorce, so she can marry someone else.

But Lucas has never forgiven Emma her betrayal of his love and trust, or the fact that she tried to deceive him and make him father another man's child. So he's not about to give her what she wants, especially not if it means that she will drag his family name through the mud yet again. So he refuses to give her a divorce. However, having seen her again, he is reminded of her beauty, and of the fact that he's never actually taken her to bed. So he offers her a bargain: live with him again and bear him an heir, and then he'll divorce her.

But what Lucas doesn't know is that Emma was actually raped. Her daughter Jenny is the child of her rapist, and Emma herself has never recovered from the trauma and pain of her one experience in men's passion. So, although she steels herself to accept Lucas, when it actually comes to letting him sleep with her, she panics.

To Lucas's credit, he believes her about the rape, and from then on he is kindness itself when it comes to giving Emma time to get accustomed to his touch and to being intimate with him. Dawson handles this aspect of the book very well; contrary to the other reviewer's comment, I didn't find the sensual element of the book at all frustrating. Emma is getting over being raped violently; of course she's not going to throw herself into lovemaking with Lucas in an abandoned manner the first time they're together!

I don't know what it was about the book which left me with a lukewarm response; I just know that, well-researched and -written though it is, this book didn't engage me in the way a story by Balogh or Beverley or Putney or a couple of other writers do. However, this book is certainly a good read, and I'll keep an eye out for others by this writer.

Rating:
Summary: Very Good, Worth Reading, But...
Review: I can understand why Lucas loved/hated Emma, but to leave the entire country? For seven years? A bit extreme to me. Lucas didn't know he was wrong about Emma simply because he refused to ever speak to her again. Which was unfortunate. Just goes to show that unforgiveness isn't always the wisest course of action. In truth, Emma was a brave, selfless, honorable woman, not to mention very beautiful. So was Lucas, actually, except where Emma was concerned.
The story was interesting all the way through, but a couple of things bothered me. First, Lucas almost came across as a "mama's boy." Then, when he found out who had attacked Emma, in his thoughts he displayed compassion, understanding, outrage on her behalf, and remorse and guilt for all that he'd put her through. Then he blew it when he said to himself, "_____ had had her first." How appalling a thought for him to have had.

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Summary: Frustrating Use of Unappealing Plot Devices
Review: Seven years ago, Lady Emma's predicament led her to a desperate decision, to insure a hasty marriage to the smitten Lucas Coulter, the Marquess of Wortham. But on their wedding night, when he discovered she was not the innocent he thought, he abandoned her, and began traveling the world. Lady Emma, who is without funds, supports her and her daughter by breaking into London homes to take jewels from the aristocracy who have wronged her family.

Lucas has now returned from his travels, but only means to stay in London until his business is concluded. Even though he no longer harbors any tender feelings for Emma, Lucas has no intention of seeing his estranged wife. But Emma gains entry into his house, and finds him despite his efforts at avoidance. He finds he still desires her as much, if not more than before. When he catches her in the act of burglary, he strikes a most unorthodox bargain. She must live with him, and give him an heir, or he'll turn her over to the authorities. Since Emma has little choice in the matter, she complies, but their problems are just beginning, because Lucas is unaware of the ugly secret she has told no one.

First of all, this was the first book I've tried by this author, and I didn't even make it halfway through before I gave up on it. Upon reading the back cover, I was intrigued by the fact the heroine steals jewels from the nobles, a unique storyline. But the reason she steals is because her grandfather gambles away the only money they have, so she breaks into the homes of his opponents, and steals back just enough to cover his losses. Perhaps grandfather needs some rehab treatment. Okay, that probably wasn't even heard of then, but it's a weak reason for her theft.

Unfortunately, there were just too many overused and utterly frustrating plot devices used in this story. The whole scenario is based on a misunderstanding, one of my least favorite premises. And in this case, a rather unbelievable one. She was pregnant when they married, and this is what he discovers on their wedding night. When he inquires who fathered the child, she makes a flippant comment of how she doesn't know, because it could be one of many possibilities. She supposedly said this to see if he would really believe that of her, and guess what, he does. So she says nothing more, and he doesn't ask any more questions, and this has gone on for seven years! We find out early on in the book that the baby was conceived out of rape.

Then we have the fact Lucas has a mistress, and even after he sees Emma upon returning to London, he sleeps with his mistress. I don't want to read about the main characters being with anyone else when they're in a relationship with each other. Lucas was just too cold, callus, and spiteful toward Emma as well. In fact, he refers to her by a profane name twice in the few chapters I read. I like it when the main characters have an antagonistic relationship, but not when it verges on cruelty.

In summary, I will try another book by this author, because I believe she possess writing ability. Hopefully, the next story I pick will be more original. Obviously, I don't recommend reading this one.

Rating:
Summary: Once upon a scandal...
Review: You get amazing twists and turns from the characters of this book. You feel as if you are standing on the sidelines watching the entire story unfold. I got attached to the characters because Barbara Dawson Smith gives a uniqueness to her characters which is a welcome change from the ordinary. I am going on my 3rd book written by B D Smith and can't decide which one to read first!

Rating:
Summary: This story is a fantastic page turner!
Review: You get amazing twists and turns from the characters of this book. You feel as if you are standing on the sidelines watching the entire story unfold. I got attached to the characters because Barbara Dawson Smith gives a uniqueness to her characters which is a welcome change from the ordinary. I am going on my 3rd book written by B D Smith and can't decide which one to read first!