Review: Secrets of a Scandalous Bride

Secrets of a Scandalous Bride (The Widows Club series - Book 4) by Sophia Nash

Publication Date: February 2010
Publisher: Harper Collins
Format: Paperback, 384 pp
Genre: Historical Romance
ISBN-13: 9780061493300
ISBN: 0061493309

(Received for review from the author)

Synopsis (www.sophianash.com):

Elizabeth Ashburton lives behind a charming, happy facade in an effort to forget her former life. But when she is forced to confront the devil from her past, her friends in the dowager duchess's widows club can not save her, and Elizabeth turns to the last man on earth willing to help her...

The extraordinarily powerful Rowland Manning has never pretended to be anything but a bastard, in every way imaginable. Through innate grit and determination, he built an astonishing empire and he'll do anything and everything to save it. Yet, the one thing he secretly craves... something even he can not name, can never be purchased with his kingdom of riches.

Each has something to win. Each has something to lose. Only love will determine if the price redemption and sacrifice is too high.

Thoughts:

I requested this book from the author to review, some time ago when I first started my blog. I didn't have a good schedule set up then, and it took me awhile to get the in's and out's of blogging under control. So I'm going back on the weekends and reviewing those books I got right at the beginning along with my regular reviews.

Secrets of a Scandalous Bride is the fourth book in The Widows Club series by Sophia Nash. This book has a dash of intrigue, lots of steamy romance and the ever present English ton. Sophia Nash has a knack for witty dialogue and colorful characters and this book is no exception.

Elizabeth Ashburton isn't what she appears to be. She is posing as a widow to avoid a man who wants to marry her. She isn't just fleeing marriage, this man may have been the man who killed her father. General Leland Pymm is beloved by most of England, including the Prince Regent, no one would have suspected him of killing Elizabeth's father on the battlefield in order to leave her alone and defenseless. She seeks help from a very unusual source. The extraordinary and powerful Rowland Manning, scoundrel, self-proclaimed basterd and businessman. Rowland is also tied to General Pymm through a contract for warhorses that could mean the success or failure of his business. But when Manning meets Elizabeth everything changes. Is he willing to let Elizabeth be blackmailed into marrying Pymm for the sake or his business or will he throw it all away for love?

I really enjoyed this book. There isn't much better than a good Regency romance with great characters and witty dialogue. I really liked the verbal sparring between Elizabeth and Rowland. Their banter was exciting and fun to read. Rowland's character was also a refreshing change. He doesn't pretend to be a scoundrel he really is one. He tried to kill his brother, extorted money from his sister-in-law and that's just the beginning. I loved the way his character transformed through out the book and we were able to see the reasons he became how he was. I liked the idea that he was missing something but had no idea what until he met Elizabeth.

This was a quick and fast paced read. I liked the characters and the dialogue. I thought that the author did an excellent job of making the Rowland's decision difficult in one way and easy in another. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good historical romance.

Secrets of a Scandalous Bride is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!




Sophia Nash's first three Regency romances won eight national awards, including a RITA award, Romantic Times Award for Best Regency Romance, and a spot on the American Library Association's Top Ten Romances of the Year. Her first single title Historical from Avon/Harper Collins hit shelves in June 2007. Raised in America and France, Sophia began her writing career as a television producer for CBS, and also held stints as a congressional speechwriter, and a nonprofit CEO before pursuing her long-held dream of writing fiction.