A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin

Tracy’s rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: A Lady’s Guide, #2

Release Date: July 11, 2023

After 10 years of enduring a loveless marriage to a pompous, self-righteous man more than twice her age (who also happened to be the uncle of the man she once loved and the new Earl), Eliza Courtenay née Balfour, the Countess of Somerset, is widowed and soon to be once again dependent on her parents. But in a shocking twist, the late Earl did the unthinkable and left Eliza a fortune, more than enough to maintain her independence, but this gift does not come without strings, in order to keep the bequeathment, Eliza will have to live a life of decorum and bring no scandal to the Somerset name. And now that her mourning has passed, her parents are pressing her to return home to them, but for the first time in her life, Eliza doesn’t obey and sets out to live her own life, on her own terms. She relocates to Bath with her cousin and dear friend and cousin, Margaret. It is here that reconnects with her first love, Oliver, the new earl and the man with the power to rescind her fortune, she then makes the acquaintance of Max, Lord Melville; a known rake, and she pursues her passion for painting, all the while making strides to become the woman she wants to be, but will that include a second chance at love or is there to be a new love in her future?

This was a well-written novel that not only gives readers a fresh twist to the oft-used “widow of a loveless marriage finds love” and “love triangle” tropes but also incorporates a bit of a “Persuasion” vibe. Personally, I am not a fan of love triangles and I have to agree with other reviewers who felt the heroine may have crossed a line and cheated on one man while engaging with the other – since promises had been made and declarations shared, it did smack of cheating. This book has a lot going on, betrayals, a heroine finding her true self, a secondary romance that was handled appropriately for the era, more than one hero, more than one shocking twist, threats, angst, heartache, and finally more than one HEA as well as a twist at the end that I did not see coming, but one that left me with a smile on my face. I do wish there had been a bit of heat, but considering everything that was happening, I guess I understand why there was none. Overall (and despite the perceived cheating), I enjoyed the story, it was a bit slow to start and could be frustrating at times, but still worth reading. This is the second book in the series, but could easily be read as a standalone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*