Customer Reviews

A Courtesan's Scandal (Scandalous)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I am a bit confused by some of the reviews of this book. Of course, you have to suspend belief, it is a work of fiction and a romance novel at that. Personally, I've never read a Julia London book that I didn't like, and this one did not disappoint! As always, the characters are well drawn and the story interesting enough to make me want to not only finish, but read another Julia London novel. If you want believability, read the newspaper....that is why I read this genre, to ESCAPE!!!!!

I hadn't read London before but I am adding her to my list of must-read authors for this genre. So far, while Kleypas and Quinn make me laugh through the romances, only Balogh had made me cry. But this story was full of heart-rendering emotion and pain. [SPOILER] You have to suspend disbelief that a Duke and a renowned courtesan could make it, and you don't know that they do in the end since the curtain comes down before their life together truly starts. And no matter who writes him, the Prince of Wales was by all accounts a nasty person. You feel for the star-crossed lovers and wonder whether the spurned lovers left in their wake would've taken off the deep end like they did, but the story was excellent.

Summary: 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 and 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 to 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...

Wow, while reading this book I didn't realize how long it has been since I have read a regency era romance. I enjoyed this book, it was beautifully written, elegantly written, I could even say. But....I felt like it was missing something. The plot was strong and pretty engaging but I think there was something missing between the Duke and Kate, I understand their circumstances and such but when they were together I wasn't drawn, gripped, into the story as I felt I should have been. The society rules and protocol was interesting and some of the scenes and moments in the book were truly beautiful, and I can appreciate a handsome man standing up for his women. I enjoyed reading this book but I wasn't dragged into the story as I wished I was so I am going to to take a neutral stance and see what everyone else thinks.

* I received this book as an ARC from Pocket Books*

My Summary: Kate is a courtesan who only lives the way she does to keep herself from being tossed into the streets. She is "sold" to the Prince of Whales, but as the price is married, he cannot afford a scandal. While the prince divorces his wife, he instructs the Duke of Darlington to be seen in public with Kate so that nobody suspects him. But Kate and Grayson, the Duke, aren't expecting to fall in love.

Thoughts: I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it was pretty entertaining at times, but on the other it was hard to sit down and read more than a few chapters at a time. I found the story rather trivial, really it was all silly politics and unfaithfulness in marriage.

I couldn't finish this book. I got to the part where they fall in love (a little more than halfway) and just didn't have the patience to finish it. There wasn't much of a story line besides, again, politics and reputation and sex.

Characters: The characters were the strong point in this book. They were very real and well developed immediately, and I enjoyed their dialogue.

Writing: The writing was also very good. It's very refreshing to read a novel that uses good sentence structure and a wide range of vocabulary. The prose flowed nicely.

Content: There was no language, but some sex in the book. The scenes were pretty outlined and there were a few pages I skipped. Occasionally a man is drunk and says something a bit odd, but other than that there are no major alcohol references.

Recommendation: Ages 16+ (18+ if you're picky about content) to lovers of historical fiction and romance, and quick easy reads.

The plot of this story is pretty similar to The Duke by Gaelen Foley . A tormented heroine, becomes a courtesan, pretends to be the mistress of some Duke, ends up falling for the straight laced hero, the Duke...Except The Duke by Foley is SOO much better than this. I'm sorry, I honestly wanted to like this book.

The first half was engrossing, mainly because the heroine was just so lively, sunny and enchanting. You just couldn't help liking her and cheering for her. But all of sudden, her and the book just goes down hill, and she becomes this whiny, clingy, pitiful heroine so common in a romance novel. After much eye rolling, and sighing over the gag worthy sweet scenes, I had to put the book aside 5 pages from the end. I just didn't believe in their love. Yes, I didn't read the last 5 pages. It was that riveting.

Absolutely loved the fact the heroine was a courtesan, a real one at that. And I adored the bright and sunny disposition of her in the beginning. After everything she's gone through, she tries to view life in such positive light....That was the best part of the book.

I've had to really talk myself into reading this last book, the other two in the series were so awful that paying full price for the book seemed like a stupid thing to do. While this wasn't her best book, nor the most realistic, this was the best in the her "Scandal" series by far.

Kate is a courtesan, not by choice but by the unfortunate circumstances of being born poor but beautiful. The Prince of Wales purchases her from her benefactor but because of scandal within the royal family due to his constant adultery he has to hide this affair from the public. She is forced to pretend to be having a relationship with one of the Prince's subjects, the Duke of Darlington.

Not only do both parties involved dislike each other at first sight but they are both reluctant to pretend to like each other. The Duke feels he is above women such as Kate and she feels that he is too arrogant for her tastes. Being forced to act out this charade in public doesn't help either party in any way, Kate is ostracized from polite society because she is a courtesan and the Duke must fend off the censure of his family for being seen in public with one.

Even though the plot was a bit far-fetched (I find it hard to believe that a Duke would ever fall in love with a courtesan) I still enjoyed this book. The first two books in the series were not unlike a punishment to me; long, boring and just plain crap. In most romances I've read the woman that is supposed to be a courtesan never actually becomes one (she usually just dabbles with the idea), so this plot was a bit different in that Kate actually was one. I found Kate easy to sympathize with and the Duke to be more likable as the book progressed. I just wish she would've gone further in depth at the end of the book. I feel like so many questions were left unanswered. Would the Duke's family ever accept Kate? Would society shun them? Overall I would say this book was worth a read. There are appearances by the characters in her last two books in this series, so if you did actually like those books you can see them once again. I wouldn't go into reading this book thinking it is the best you're ever going to read, but it is a pleasant diversion on a cold fall day.

Redonk Nutshell: Attraction ignites between two pawns in the Prince's game to have a forbidden beautiful courtesan to himself

A Courtesan's Scandal by Julia London is the tale set during London's period of drama between Princess Caroline and and crown Prince. The Prince has his eye set on stunning courtesan Kate Bergeron, but he can't touch her so long as the authorities in England are investigating into alleged "treasonous" adultery between the prince and princess. The prince enlists the help of the Duke of Darlington, Grayson Robert Henry Christopher to lure society into believing Kate is his mistress. (Are you following all this?) Grayson reluctantly agrees, and upon first meeting Kate he treats her with contempt of her lowly station as a whore, more or less, and instead of simpering beneath his boot, Kate throws it back at him.

Thus, the game begins.

Though predictable (and entirely unbelievable), A Courtesan's Scandal is a fun read involving tortured souls Kate and Grayson. What really makes this story worth reading is the transformation of Grayson's ducal cold exterior into one of tender compassion. He's stuffy, pompous, entitled, and entirely wrapped up in his own world until Kate is forced upon him and she refuses to accept his disdain.

Kate chose to become a courtesan to keep herself off the street. Having only ever had one protector, the crown prince is only to be her second lover. It's a job she's willing to take, though she isn't necessarily pleased about it. Kate is a gentle, simple soul. She works to try to help those less fortunate, and she typically manages to find pleasure in the simple things in life. Like baking. When Grayson enters her life, she finds herself thrown a bit off balance, but Kate has always been one to adapt quickly. When the duke begins to soften toward her, however, she unwillingly allows herself to do the one thing she had previous forbidden: fall in love

Fun, frisky and, at times, humorous, A Courtesan's Scandal is a fun historical romance.

A Courtesan's Scandal by Julia London 371 pgs, pub 2009

Rating: C

Romance: 2/5 Raunch: 3/5