A Courtesan's Scandal (Scandalous) [Mass Market Paperback]

Julia London (Author)

Book Description

Series: Scandalous | Publication Date: October 20, 2009

Kate Bergeron is the beautiful and mysterious former mistress of a cloth merchant...and the latest beauty to capture the interest of the Prince of Wales. Mired in a disastrous divorce, the Prince attempts to distract attention from his next amorous pursuit by ordering Grayson Christopher, the eligible Duke of Darlington, to pretend to London society that he is having an affair with Kate. When Grayson reluctantly agrees to his Prince's demand, he finds the lady no more willing than he is. Kate will grudgingly act the part in public, but her favors are not for sale to any man. As Grayson and Kate mimic ardor for the world to see, they find what started as a deception becoming all too real. And when passion flames into love, their predicament becomes extreme. For while marriage between a duke and a courtesan could never happen, Kate knows in her heart that she is willing to accept nothing less....

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Grayson Christopher, the Duke of Darlington, already had a mistress; he didn’t need another. But when the Prince of Wales, who is currently entangled in a bitter divorce, asks Darlington to take courtesan Kate Bergeron as his latest amour—but in name only—Darlington realizes George wants Darlington to take Kate “off the market” until the prince is free to take Kate as his own mistress. At first Darlington is determined to have as little to do with Kate as possible, but the more time he spends with Kate, the more Darlington discovers just how tempting the practical, kindhearted, and surprisingly sharp-tongued woman is. Suddenly, Darlington, the very definition of restraint and decorum, finds himself risking scandal and social ruin for the one woman he can never have. London deftly brews up potent chemistry between a heroine who knows her place in the world and a hero who discovers his world is not complete without her. Another superbly written addition to London’s exquisitely entertaining Regency-set Scandal series. --John Charles

About the Author

JULIA LONDON is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of numerous historical romance and women’s fiction novels.  She is a four-time finalist for the prestigious Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction.  A native Texan, Julia lives in Austin. You can write to her at P.O. Box 228, Georgetown, TX  78627, or email her at [e-mail].

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books; Original edition (October 20, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416547126
• ISBN-13: 978-1416547129
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #768,418 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including the popular Secrets of Hadley Green historical romance series (including The Year of Living Scandalously), the Cedar Springs contemporary series (including One Season of Sunshine), and numerous other works. She is a four time finalist for the presitigous RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction, and RT Bookclub award recipient for Best Historical Romance for Best Historical Romance for Dangerous Gentleman. She lives in Austin, Texas.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing read with dishonorable hero and heroine, November 28, 2009

By 

E. A. Elridge (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Courtesan's Scandal (Scandalous) (Mass Market Paperback)

As I began reading this book, a signed copy received from the author's own hand, I really wanted to like it. After a few chapters, I really just wanted it to be over. Some things just didn't make sense, like the fact that the The Prince of Wales had the Duke of Darlington pretend to have an affair with Kate Bergeron to hide his own interest in her, and then swept her off into a linen closet in the middle of a big ball in sight of the guests. The Prince also drove to her house on several occasions, which would hardly have gone unnoticed, and didn't make sense if he was trying to avoid scandal.

From a techincal standpoint, the book was well-written and the story moved right along. Both Kate and the Duke of Darlington were well-developed, likeable characters, and their evolution from reluctance to attraction was intersting and mostly believable. What disappointed me was how they chose to act on their attraction - it felt like they both acted dishonorably - and the unbelievable way the story was resolved. I couldn't help but think that the Prince would exact his revenge against them once the final pages were done - it seemd unlikely that he would have done nothing.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars O.K. romance, unrealistic plot., October 30, 2009

By 

Old Latin teacher (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: A Courtesan's Scandal (Scandalous) (Mass Market Paperback)

There are way too many historical romances in recent years with dukes as the heroes. I do realize that this book probably did require a duke as the stand-in lover of the would-be courtesan to the Prince Regent. I guess a baron or viscount wouldn't do. And the love grows pleasantly and predictably between the duke and the courtesan-to-be (who happens to like cooking and baking, BTW, for some reason. Maybe because it's a cute idea?). So if you like romance for romance's sake, this book will do fine. However, recent books with all these dukes running around nineteenth century England and marrying lower-class women is just too improbable for words. We have been inundated lately with this plotline. It just wouldn't happen and that's why I'm needing less dukes in my historical romance novels or maybe more upper-class heroines to match them with.

20 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars just ok...., October 21, 2009

By 

friend7 "friends" (MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Courtesan's Scandal (Scandalous) (Mass Market Paperback)

Did not really like this book. i love most all of julia londons books and was so excited for this one. for some reason i thought that this was not going to be about a true courtesan (maybe just a disguise), but it was. i dont really like reading books were the girl has been such a victim of her circumstances. i do like feisty female heriones but she was just a little to experienced for me and did not seem bothered at all of what she was(maybe i overlooked something). the book is not all bad. the hero is a desent sort of guy, but i was not totally crazy about him. the love seens were so so too. ok book would not recommend it. it seems the last few julia london books have not been all that great.