Review: Scandal's Child by Sherrill Bodine

Print Length: 156 pages

Publisher: Diversion Books (December 3, 2013)

From Goodreads.com: As her brother and sister prepare to make their Society debut, Kat Thistlewait vows to sit on the sidelines like a proper young lady. Fate has other plans, though, and when Kat tries to save her mischievous twin she lands herself in a compromising position with battle-scarred and world-weary French nobleman Jules Devereaux. Knowing that no lady of quality would ever overlook his imperfections, Jules agrees to marry Kat in order to save what little reputation she has left. A marriage of convenience isn’t what either desires, but love can grow from the most unlikely of sources.

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 My Rating: 4 stars out of 5

This was the first book I've ever read by Sherrill Bodine (thanks to it being an Amazon freebie), but it certainly won't be the last! I've already downloaded another of her books, and will be downloading a third when I'm done with that. 

This was a story that I was completely drawn into. I loved pretty much everything about it; to start with the characters were well developed and likeable (Kat was my favorite by far) as she is a feisty woman who isn't afraid of doing whatever is necessary to "save" her twin brother Jacko. In fact, her devotion to her brother is the very thing that gets her into trouble in the first place! She takes off after him after learning that he plans to leave, and instead ends up finding herself in a very scandalous position with Jules. Speaking of Jules, he is flawed in a physical and emotional state. He lost his eye over a misunderstanding that not only cost his mother her life, but also caused a ten year estrangement from his brother as well. Speaking of Jules, he is flawed in both a physical and emotional state. He lost his eye years ago over a misunderstanding that not only cost his mother her life, but also caused a ten year estrangement from his brother as well. 

The romance was sweet, this is a "clean" novel, meaning their is no sex, but there is lots of kissing with the promise of more. I enjoyed their relationship, seeing them both realize the love they had for each other, and even during a "misunderstanding" of their own, I didn't think it was overplayed, or was turned off thinking "it could have been avoided" (even though it could have been), because it was REAL. The story was written in such a way that you felt the characters emotions, and based on what you know about them made their reactions, and inaction to certain events completely realistic.

Finally, what is any good novel without some suspense and surprise? There was certainly enough of both contained in this story that I was glued to the pages as I tried to find out what would happen next. From being assaulted by "thugs" to a dual with a surprising outcome, I would highly recommend this book! 

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Scandal's Child is available from Amazon.com