Review: Never Marry a Viscount (Scandal at the House of Russell #3) by Anne Stuart

Print Length: 319 pages

Publisher: Montlake Romance (September 23, 2014)

From Goodreads.com:  She’s crept back into the home she lost. He’s crept into her heart.

Sophie Russell was once society’s darling. But after the disgrace and death of her father, she now finds all doors firmly shut to her—including those of her family home. To discover the secrets now hidden within its beloved walls, she’ll pose as a cook and spy on the estate’s new owner, a broodingly handsome viscount, who may have schemed against the Russells. Instead of dishing up the truth, the viscount tempts Sophie with delicacies of his own…

Viscount Griffiths suspects that there is more to his new cook than meets the eye—especially since it was a mistress he hired sight unseen, not a cook. With the hope that her passion in the kitchen will extend to his bedchamber, he humors the beautiful interloper. But when that passion burns to brightest love, revelations may shake both of their wary hearts…

The final sensuous book in the Scandal at the House of Russell trilogy will lay the truth bare.

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 My Rating: 3 stars out of 5

My Review: This novel was the first that I have read by this author. And unfortunately, for this author's works set in this time period.. it will be the last. 

I wish I could say it was because I was reading book #3 in a series, and it didn't make sense, but alas, that is not the case. As the third in a series, the book made perfect sense. You didn't miss out on any details, you understood the history well enough, and to be honest, the book was well written. 

My problem comes in the fact that this is supposed to be a "historical romance", and yet, I found it to be too vulgar to accurately fit into that time period. To start with Alexander not only wishes one of his visitors "would shut the f*ck up", he uses that word again and again to describe his desires for the things he wants to do to Sophie. Now I have read many a novel where the main hero (in this case Alexander) has gotten more than he had bargained for, but even in those, when referring to "loose women" that word didn't come up near as often. Now I'm not against that kind of language at all, but to me, it does not "flow" well with a historical novel. 

Other than that, I really enjoyed this novel. The banter between the characters was great, and even though I found the "build up" to be a bit slower than other novels (as far as the overall plot, not the relationship between the characters), the way everything was tied together in the end, not only made perfect sense, but made me glad that I read this one until the  end.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own. 

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