A Scandalous Connection (Zebra Regency Romance)

Rating:
Summary: secondary romance subplot saves this novel
Review: "A Scandalous Connection" has all the necessary trademarks so that one could describe this Regency as a delicious romp. Whether or not readers find this romance novel a delicious romp or not however, is I believe going to be a matter of personal inclination. But, a romp it certainly is! What with ingredients such as a gaggle of marriage minded mamas and their twittering daughters, an irrepressible young lady on the brink of making her come-out, a haughty 'almost' fiance, and a duke that masquerades as his butler ... it cannot be anything but!

Demian, the Duke of Darris, is an extremely charming, good looking and responsible young man, with only one defect -- he is almost penniless. In need of funds in order to restore his estates and to give his sister a proper come-out, Demian has resorted to proposing marriage to Lady Raquel Fortesque-Benton, a very correct and haughty society beauty and heiress. However, Lady Raquel's proud and supercilious manners also grates on Demian's nerves, and what he wouldn't give to have taken down a peg or two. Or so he complains to his best friend, Thomas Endicott. With nothing else better to do with his life (or so I'm guessing) Thomas volunteers to teach Lady Raquel her much needed lesson. He promisees not to compromise the young lady's virtue, but to merely see to it that she changes her ways. You have to hand to the men in this novel -- they willingly agree to undertake any unpleasant task in order to help out a friend!

Demian, has in the mean time received a missive from his harebrained sister (Lady Caroline), hinting that she has set in motion a plan that will end their money problems. Fully cognizant of how Lady Caroline's plans usually fall apart at the seams, Demian makes at once for Darris. (It is understood that Thomas will bring the newly chastised Lady Raquel to Derris in a few days time.) Upon reaching Darris, Demain discovers that his sister has undertaken to host a group of merchants' wives and daughters (to the tune of 10,000 pounds) to a day at Darris. Demian is appalled, and is all set to rebuff the group especially since it is only all too clear that the women have turned up hoping to meet Demain and to try their collective hands at snagging him for one of their own daughters! But he changes his mind as soon as he spies Miss Amy Mayhew. She alone seems mortified and chagrined at being a member of such a pushing, vulgar group; and she's enchantingly beautiful to boot. In the spirit of mischief (and because he wants to get to know this charming beauty), he masquerades as his own butler. And so the stage is set: what will happen when Amy realises that Demian is actually the duke? And how can this new romance proceed when he is 'almost' engaged to Lady Raquel?

Fortunately for me the subplot involving Lady Raquel's 'taming' by Thomas Endicott proved much more edifying than the rather tame romance between Demain and Amy. And it was this secondary subplot that made this novel a lot more interesting and absorbing. Unfairly, or not, I got tired of Demian -- Hayley Ann Solomon reminded me once too often of how wonderful a man Demian was! And Amy, while she was an intelligent and somewhat charming young lady began to bore me as well. What a welcome relief haughty, prickly and difficult Lady Raquel was! I think that Ms Solomon did a wonderful job of tantalizing the reader with the sizzling attraction that was building between Thomas and Lady Raquel. This definitely would have been a 4 star book if only Thomas and Lady Raquel had been the focal point of the novel. (Also there were instances of misuse of titles.) So here's my advice read the chapters that dealt with Thomas and Lady Raquel, and skim through the rest. You won't miss much, and you'll definitely appreciate the secondary subplot.

Rating:
Summary: secondary romance subplot saves this novel
Review: "A Scandalous Connection" has all the necessary trademarks so that one could describe this Regency as a delicious romp. Whether or not readers find this romance novel a delicious romp or not however, is I believe going to be a matter of personal inclination. But, a romp it certainly is! What with ingredients such as a gaggle of marriage minded mamas and their twittering daughters, an irrepressible young lady on the brink of making her come-out, a haughty 'almost' fiance, and a duke that masquerades as his butler ... it cannot be anything but!

Demian, the Duke of Darris, is an extremely charming, good looking and responsible young man, with only one defect -- he is almost penniless. In need of funds in order to restore his estates and to give his sister a proper come-out, Demian has resorted to proposing marriage to Lady Raquel Fortesque-Benton, a very correct and haughty society beauty and heiress. However, Lady Raquel's proud and supercilious manners also grates on Demian's nerves, and what he wouldn't give to have taken down a peg or two. Or so he complains to his best friend, Thomas Endicott. With nothing else better to do with his life (or so I'm guessing) Thomas volunteers to teach Lady Raquel her much needed lesson. He promisees not to compromise the young lady's virtue, but to merely see to it that she changes her ways. You have to hand to the men in this novel -- they willingly agree to undertake any unpleasant task in order to help out a friend!

Demian, has in the mean time received a missive from his harebrained sister (Lady Caroline), hinting that she has set in motion a plan that will end their money problems. Fully cognizant of how Lady Caroline's plans usually fall apart at the seams, Demian makes at once for Darris. (It is understood that Thomas will bring the newly chastised Lady Raquel to Derris in a few days time.) Upon reaching Darris, Demain discovers that his sister has undertaken to host a group of merchants' wives and daughters (to the tune of 10,000 pounds) to a day at Darris. Demian is appalled, and is all set to rebuff the group especially since it is only all too clear that the women have turned up hoping to meet Demain and to try their collective hands at snagging him for one of their own daughters! But he changes his mind as soon as he spies Miss Amy Mayhew. She alone seems mortified and chagrined at being a member of such a pushing, vulgar group; and she's enchantingly beautiful to boot. In the spirit of mischief (and because he wants to get to know this charming beauty), he masquerades as his own butler. And so the stage is set: what will happen when Amy realises that Demian is actually the duke? And how can this new romance proceed when he is 'almost' engaged to Lady Raquel?

Fortunately for me the subplot involving Lady Raquel's 'taming' by Thomas Endicott proved much more edifying than the rather tame romance between Demain and Amy. And it was this secondary subplot that made this novel a lot more interesting and absorbing. Unfairly, or not, I got tired of Demian -- Hayley Ann Solomon reminded me once too often of how wonderful a man Demian was! And Amy, while she was an intelligent and somewhat charming young lady began to bore me as well. What a welcome relief haughty, prickly and difficult Lady Raquel was! I think that Ms Solomon did a wonderful job of tantalizing the reader with the sizzling attraction that was building between Thomas and Lady Raquel. This definitely would have been a 4 star book if only Thomas and Lady Raquel had been the focal point of the novel. (Also there were instances of misuse of titles.) So here's my advice read the chapters that dealt with Thomas and Lady Raquel, and skim through the rest. You won't miss much, and you'll definitely appreciate the secondary subplot.