Flippin' Pages Book Reviews

A Scandal By Any Other Name by Kimberly Bell

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: A Scandal by Any Other Name
Publication Date: 1/30/18

I am so pleased to have read this book. I was a little hesitant to request it because I had such mixed feelings about the first book in the series, but I’m so glad I decided to go ahead and request it. It is well plotted, the writing is excellent and it is filled with lighthearted humor and one-liners. I kept picturing Lucy and Ethel (from I Love Lucy) with a smattering of Wonder Woman thrown in. The Bishop sisters are true terrors. They defy convention and do their own thing – especially the older one who is featured in this book. The hero fits right in with the wit and charm of the sisters. What a perfect match.

I have to applaud this author for doing something I almost never see (have I ever seen it?). She featured a heroine with a serious, debilitating, life-threatening disability and she made her strong, intelligent, witty and very interesting. What a delightful change of pace.

Julia Bishop has had many great and wonderful adventures in her life – all in her imagination. Julia was born with spina bifida (although it isn’t specifically named in the book) and has miraculously survived to adulthood. That just never happened back then and the treatments were excruciating (that is true) because they injected iodine into the exposed spine. She still suffers from very frequent infections, etc. because of the disability. Julia and her sister are their father’s pride and joy and he spoils them rotten – but the mother is a real piece of work. She’s consumed with social climbing and if you read the first book, you know what she did to her younger daughter – so NOT motherly. Mother Bishop always kept Julia in hiding – away from any interaction with other people. She didn’t want others to think they were ‘tainted’. Julia’s only companion was her very much loved sister Amelia and they were so close they could barely stand being separated. How Julia managed to grow up to be as headstrong and well-adjusted as she is, just amazes. She knows who she is and isn’t afraid to tell or show anybody what it is she wants or thinks. Just imagine her delight when a real-life adventure rides right into her life.

Jasper DeVere has just insulted Queen Victoria by running out on the ceremony to induct him into Parliament and confirm his title of Duke of Albemarle. He didn’t mean to insult her – he just panicked – so he ran away. His grandfather and hero had just died and Jasper didn’t feel in the least competent to fill his shoes. Jasper flees and basically steals a horse outside the building – he has no idea where he is going – he just rides as fast as the horse will go for as long as it will go. He has no idea where he is and when he asks someone he realizes he is near the home of his friend Nicholas, so he heads toward his home expecting to stay with him and his new wife, Amelia, for a while.

As Jasper is riding up the drive toward the house, he spots a woman on a runaway horse and gives chase to save her. Julia is incensed that someone is stopping her horse – she’d given the horse its head and was allowing it to run with the wind and she was loving it! His stopping the horse causes her to be thrown from the horse – and when she sees that wonderfully handsome adventure just waiting for her to claim it – well – who could blame her. She knew who he was as soon as he gave his name – she’d dreamed of him for years, but she’d never met him because her mother didn’t allow her any interaction with anyone outside the immediate family. She also knew he’d know who she was if she gave him her name. Julia immediately became Juniper – Amelia’s cousin. After all, what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him and maybe somebody would pay a little attention to her as a person rather than seeing her only as her disability.

Amelia and Nicholas are off on a trip and that leaves Julia (Juniper) and Jasper all alone on the estate. Their time together is magical and they come to really care for each other – but what will Jasper do when he discovers she is really Julia and not Juniper? The answer – love her for who she is!

I won’t give a blow-by-blow of the story because I wouldn’t want to spoil it for you, but I will tell you it is full of fun and whimsical entertainment – and heartbreaking angst – and love and an HEA. After getting almost to the end of the book I was thoroughly miffed and was thinking I’d give the book 2-stars at best because I didn’t consider that a happy ending. Then – more magic happened. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and hope you will too!

There are some exceptional secondary characters in the book. Nicholas and Amelia, of course. You met them in the first book and they have a sizeable role in this one as well. I particularly liked Julia’s father because he loves and supports his girls unconditionally and spoils them rotten. I also liked Julia’s maid, Nora. She definitely had her work cut out for her! I had mixed feelings about Jasper’s sister, Ruby. I think I’d like to see a third book in the series that gives Ruby her HEA as well.

See my review of the first book – The Importance of Being Scandalous

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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

Earl of Wainthorpe by Collette Cameron

Series: Wicked Earls’ Club, #3

Release Date: January 23, 2018

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Pierce Chamberlain, the Earl of Wainthorpe is definitely the star of this book, I loved him. Underneath the carefully constructed façade of a unrepentant rake beats a loving and caring heart.

Pierce has a mission in life, that is to destroy Bertram Normand, the newly minted Baron Fairfax. Pierce holds Fairfax responsible for the death of his mother twenty years ago in India. After careful planning, he finally has Fairfax in position to ruin him. He has purchased all his vowels and debts and is currently engaged in card game that will finally break him. Fairfax is sure that his luck is about to change and wagers not only his unentailed estate but his ward too!

Pierce is taken aback, he was not aware Fairfax had a ward, nor did he expect to be intrigued by the lovely young woman. He knows that if he does not accept the wager, she will most likely be sold to someone else. Wanting to protect her, he agrees to the wager and makes Fairfax write up a note giving Pierce full guardianship of his ward, Bianca Salisbury.

Bianca is mortified, orphaned at a young age, she lived with her aging aunt and uncle at Elmsford manor until Fairfax inherited the estate. She accompanied him to London, hoping to find work, but she never anticipated that Bertram would stoop so low as to sell her! She tries to reason with him and when that fails, she flees to the ladies retiring room. There she meets three women and when they learn of her fate and their brother’s part in it – come to her rescue.

Pierce is awoken the next morning by the “trio” and they blindside him with demands to know what he was thinking wagering for Bianca. He asks where Bianca is, because he spent the better part of the night looking for her. He is relieved to learn that she is safe with his sister Nora and then is shocked when she walks into his bedroom.

Pierce demands the ladies leave and promises to answer all their questions. He tells them to return to Nora’s house and he will meet them there. But first he needs to find out if he really is Bianca’s guardian and what he can do to protect her from Fairfax.

He arrives at Nora’s and tells his sisters what he has learned. He must apply to the court to be named her guardian and asks Nora if her husband would be willing to take guardianship if the courts deem Pierce as unsuitable. Nora suggests Pierce marry her and he finds he is not at all opposed to that idea. As they are waiting for Bianca to join them, Pierce spies her leaving and chases after her. Bianca overheard part of the conversation and assumes that Pierce means to dump her on his sister – she refuses to be a burden to anyone and takes off.

When Pierce catches up with her, she realizes how ungrateful she is behaving. She knows he is only trying to help her and agrees to go to Halverstone (his hunting lodge/country estate) and give him time to sort everything out. She is overcome by everything that has happened and begins to cry. Pierce comforts he and they share a kiss. When she comes to her senses, she slaps him and tells him she will not be one of his strumpets and there will be no more kissing! Pierce is delighted by her and tells her she will beg for his kisses. They make a bet – one month if she has not begged for his kiss, he will give her Elmsford manor and leave her in peace.

They spend the next few weeks getting to know each other and Pierce begins to woo her. He is weakening her resolve and she knows she is falling in love with him. But Bianca knows first hand what happens to women that give into men, she is scared that she will end up like her mother, alone and ruined. So when Pierce suggests they marry, Bianca turns him down, quite cruelly. Deeply hurt, Pierce starts to walk away, but tells her she is welcome to Elmsford, but he will not let her go until he is sure Fairfax is no longer a threat to her. He then tells her why he hates Fairfax. Then he walks away. But he looks back and sees her reaction and hope blooms in his heart.

Bianca knows she loves him and has pushed him away to protect herself, but now she wonders if love is worth the risk and if her cruel comments have ruined any chance she has for happiness.

I really loved Pierce, he was the perfect hero in my mind and when Bianca hurt him, I hated her. She does redeem herself, but I didn’t forgive as quickly as Pierce. The book was well written, had an interesting story, delightful secondary characters, a couple of warmish love scenes, a villain that gets his due and a very touching declaration scene. It is the third book in the Wicked Earls Club series, but could easily be read as a stand alone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by the author*

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