The Affair by Lily Maxton (2014)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Sisters of Scandal series. Novella-length story. Elizabeth is out of mourning and ready to wear colorful dresses again; when she escapes from the rain, she meets a handsome rake of a bookseller, Cale, and is intrigued by him. Somehow Elizabeth is being courted by her late husband’s cousin and heir while also being pursued by Cale for an affair. She ends up starting an affair with Cale, even knowing that he is uninterested in marriage and their differences in social station may impede a serious relationship. Quick read that resolves fairly quickly, but still really enjoyable.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Wager by Lily Maxton (2014)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Sisters of Scandal series. Novella-length story. Outspoken sister Anne is trying to steal a copy of a scandalous memoir by a courtesan and runs into Michael, the earl that her sister had refused for marriage the previous year. They start a flirty bit of letter exchanging and then some flirtatious wagering when they’re in the same town. When they’re caught in a compromising situation together, they’re pressured to marry, even though Anne doesn’t want to marry someone who’s in love with her sister. Another quick and straightforward romance to read from this series.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Love Match by Lily Maxton (2014)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Sisters of Scandal series. Novella-length story. With Olivia’s older sisters settled and married, her mother is now trying to make a suitable match for the shy and bookish Olivia. At a house party, Olivia’s non-flirtatious demeanor has caught the attention of William, a mere mister who’s known to be a flirt. They start a dalliance while at the house party despite having no intention of courting or marrying. I think I liked this one best out of the three novellas since William was so good at defending Olivia when needed.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Mistake by Lily Maxton (2015)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Sisters of Scandal series. This one is actually a full-length novel from this series, following the romance of Julia, the high-profile courtesan that we met briefly in Book 1 and heard about with her memoir in Book 2. She is currently pregnant with a marquess’s child and is under contract to remain his mistress in exchange for his monetary and social support of the child. Feeling disgusted with him (and herself), she feigns illness and ends up being housed at his country estate temporarily. While there, she reconnects with the head gardener, Adam, who was her childhood friend. A tragic prologue will tell you that Adam has been in love with Julia for years, but their paths diverged when she became a courtesan. It’s all sorts of emotional angst in this second chance romance.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Improper Bride by Lily Maxton (2016)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Sisters of Scandal series. This book will be much more rewarding after reading Book 4 because we meet both characters there. Henry, the marquess, is basically the most unlovable friendless asshole ever, and he nearly dies in a fire at his estate. Miraculously he survives, but is a curmudgeon during his recovery. The widowed housekeeper, Cassandra, is somehow tasked by the doctor to keep him occupied, so she asks for lessons in a foreign language. As they spend time together each day, they grow closer together and start to see the person beneath the title or role that each one has. Of course, they’ve got that whole employer-employee relationship there and massive social class differences, so even any affection between them would be improper and lead to heartbreak. Henry’s near-death experience has also reminded him that he has a duty to marry and sire heirs, so he enlists his sister in hosting a house party and bringing eligible women for him to meet. But none of them compare to Cassandra, so there’s tons of emotional angst there. Such an amazing romance. And! We do eventually find out the cause of the fire that started the book.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
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