Duke of Scandal [Mass Market Paperback]

Adele Ashworth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 25, 2006

The scandalously handsome Samson Carlisle is not the deceiving nobleman Lady Olivia was searching for... but he's the lover she fervently desires.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

I've always loved to write, but after my first attempt at a novel (nine chapters of Plastic City, the story of underwater-dwelling orphans in the twenty-third century that I wrote in the sixth grade), I took some time to get my bachelor's degree and to try my hand at other careers before I returned to my first passion: creative writing. After lots and lots of perseverance, hard work, and a bit of very good luck, My Darling Caroline went on to win the Romance Writers of America's RITA^® Award for Best First Book of 1998.

I live in Texas with my family, exploring history as I delve into the hearts of my characters.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (April 25, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060528419
• ISBN-13: 978-0060528416
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #695,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Adele Ashworth is the RITA Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of ten historical romances. She is currently writing her eleventh book for Avon/HarperCollins.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 3 1/2 stars. Ambivalent about this one, May 15, 2006

By 

baltimore0502 "Hon!" (BALTIMORE, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Duke of Scandal (Mass Market Paperback)

This is only the fourth book by Adele Ashworth that I have read (the others being WINTER GARDEN, WHEN IT'S PERFECT and the first book in this trilogy DUKE OF SIN). While I've generally enjoyed her books, I've never been quite as enamored of her work as many readers who would consistently rate her books in the 4 1/2 or 5 star range. Having said that, I SHOULD have liked this book much more than I did. I liked the hero and heroine, I liked the plot, I liked the character development. Unfortunately, the book simply did not hold my interest like it should (particularly the first half) and I'm not sure I can clearly articulate why. It took me six days to read this book, a period during which I would normally have read two or three books, because I kept putting it down. I found my attention wandering while I was reading it, though that effect did fade as the book progressed.

Olivia Shea is half French, half English and runs a perfume house in Paris called Nivan that she inherited from her stepfather. She is a very competent business woman and is very proud of her accomplishments. Except for the biggest mistake she's ever made - trusting and marrying Edmund Carlisle. She discovered on her wedding night that Edmund had disappeared taking her inheritance with him. Well, he's not going to get away with this. And so Olivia goes on the hunt, finally tracking him down in London. She plans to confront him, right here in this crowded ballroom, and make him return her funds!

Samson Carlisle, Duke of Durham is rather bored with the ladies of the ton. They all look the same, act the same. And so, it is with wary interest that he agrees to be introduced to a "Frenchwoman" who has asked to meet him. His trepidation stems from a scandal from his past which involved a treacherous French woman and his own devious twin brother, Edmund. On meeting Miss Olivia Shea, formerly of Elmsboro, now of Paris, he is struck by two things. The first is that she is incredibly, strikingly beautiful and the second is that she thinks he is Edmund. Sam has not seen Edmund in a decade and their parting was extremely unpleasant. When Olivia discovers that Sam is Edmund's twin, she is shocked, wondering what else she never knew about her husband (what indeed!). When she tells Sam the whole story, he agrees to help her find Edmund and get her much needed funds returned to her. And so they leave for Paris, where Sam will pass himself off as Edmund in order to flush him out.

Time spent together allows this couple to get to know and like one another, and eventually they fall in love. Olivia quickly realizes that, twins or not, Sam is nothing like Edmund. He's honorable, honest, but clearly does not trust easily. He also keeps his thoughts and feelings very close to the vest and so he is not so easy for Olivia to figure out though she's keen to try. For his part, Sam is extremely attracted to Olivia on a physical and intellectual level, but his past experience keeps him from fully trusting her. As they get ever closer to their prey, they find it increasingly difficult not to act on their mutual attraction. And as the night of their confrontation with Edmund arrives, what will happen when the masquerade is over?

Though some readers may dislike Sam, or perhaps find him a bit grim, I found Ms Ashworth's depiction of Sam very realistic. He is a man who was hurt and betrayed and as a result he is wary of people in general. I also liked Olivia whose optimistic confidence in her abilities and judgement is totally shaken by her experience with Edmund. In the end these two are perfect for one another. I just wish the beginning had flowed a little better for me.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Title and cover a bit off...content really good!, June 27, 2006

By 

Bridget "B.A.D.T." (Grand Rapids, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Duke of Scandal (Mass Market Paperback)

Excellent read.

First book I found and read by this author but, certainly not the last.

I found this to be a moving novel with a complex story line and characters but, still easy to follow. The main heroine Olivia was a great combination of wit, intelligent, beauty and charm...living a modern life in historical times. The main hero Samson was a great leading man with a dark and tarnished past but, a warm, loving and complex heart and soul. He was waiting to become the man he was always meant to be and he did this during the evolution of his relationship with Olivia.

I found the background of the vastly different twins - Sam and Edmond - to be very plausible and the author worked in well how Olivia fit into both men's lives and the outcome that was to be found at the end of the book. Some twin stories get too far fetched to be believed (and even now that idea that Sam's old lover Claudette didn't recognize him years later was a little hard to believe but, some people are so simple and narrow sighted even this is possible).

Over-all, the story line kept you intrigued, the tale revolved mainly around Sam and Olivia posing as a couple to seek out Edmond and make him right the wrong he had done to her. Sam helped her achieve this and to eliminate old ghosts he had with his brother as well. The friendship and love that developed between Sam and Olivia over time was warm and wonderful and soon to be tested once they did meet up with Edmond.

This book was exactly as a great love story should be - filled with excitement, passion, attraction, intrigue, a little mystery, conflicts, drama, pain and heartache and then, final resolution. If you want a love story that is not flat and one dimensional (only sex, or only intrigue or only history), than this is the book for you. It had enough of it all and then some.

A few readers felt the dialogue was not historic enough (too many 21st century words and phrases) but, that didn't cause me to flinch as some books do. Many of the scenes were not historical and unlikely (bathing together, always in each others chambers, being found alone room after room to be naughty and no one caught them etc) but...let's be honest...we don't read romances for COMPLETE accuracy. That's for history buffs. Love stories are meant to be a little off, a little different and a lot in tune with our imaginations and less with what the world requires. These minor deviations were a-ok for me.

I'm looking forward to reading some of this author's earlier works and will keep an eye out for new ones as well. She is a solid read and she'll be on my watch list here on out.

Four stars for Duke of Scandal!

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars fine Victorian romance, April 25, 2006

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Duke of Scandal (Mass Market Paperback)

In 1860 Lady Olivia Shea and her new spouse Lord Edmund Carlisle are on their honeymoon in Paris when he goes out but never returns allegedly on business leaving her a virgin. When she realizes that he wasted her money leaving her broke and her family firm the House of Niven perfumes in jeopardy she vows to find and expose the cad unless he returns her fortune.

At a London gala, Olivia confronts her husband threatening to expose his actions. She gives him one week and their kiss affects both of them. A few days later Edmund visits Olivia who realizes he is not her spouse. He admits that he is Edmund's twin brother Samson, the title holding duke by three minutes, which his brother has always resented. They have not seen one another in years. As Olivia and Samson fall in love, Edmund remains a shadow between them.

DUKE OF SCANDAL stars two protagonists in love, but a ghost remains between them making a relationship seem scandalous to high society. The fine Victorian romance focuses on the war between Olivia and Samson with the missing sibling ironically serving as the matchmaker. Though Edmund seems to have no redeeming qualities as an amoral scoundrel (perhaps his girlfriend Brigitte can find some), fans will enjoy this entertaining historical tale.

Harriet Klausner