Customer Reviews

Her Scandalous Intentions

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

 

 

If you're looking for a fun, adventurous love story, I highly recommend this book. A flawed hero and heroine have to wrestle their personal demons while wrangling with the pesky issue of staying alive. Charlotte, generous but naive, never seems to completely fit in with the crowd. She's at a house party in the country when she wanders out and happens upon the dangerous hero, James, in a suspicious rendez-vous. James, meanwhile, an English spy, is hard pressed to believe the coincidence. That night, Charlotte's attacked in her room. James comes to her rescue, only to have the two of them discovered in a seemingly uncompromising position. What follows is a sham engagement that's as heated as their arguements. They secretly try to prove the other's guilt, all the while falling in love. Good, strong characters, unexpected plot twists and a heroine that's not afraid to defend herself. Great suspense. Great read!

I have to agree with another reviewer about how this book has so much going on that the romance between the two main characters is overshadowed. I didn't like the way they even interacted with each other. I normally like it when the hero and heroine don't get along right off and then realize that they really love each other but these two just annoyed me. I wish I could rate this higher but I just can't. Hopefully her next book will be better.

Witty, well written book. I particularly enjoyed the confrontation between Charlotte and the Duke's EX- mistress. Fun! I highly recommend this book!

With my apologies to the author in advance, I found this book not up to the standards set by other Regency writers. There was too much inconsistency and too much plot contrivance. For example, the hero deliberately hides evidence in the heroine's room, then suspects HER of traitorous intentions. He has an evil cousin whom I'm not sure he has even met because he first says that he has been told that his cousin is handsome. Later, it comes to light that evil cousin has stolen a treasure he intends selling to help Napoleon escape. He does rescue heroine from a brute, but this is only because he has placed her in a position of jeopardy to begin with. Not very heroic. Later, he drugs her (not once, but twice) to get her quietly back to London. At one point in the story, the heroine throws a book at the hero and gashes his forehead (he feels blood dripping into his eye). In the next instant, he is kissing the heroine senseless. Yet, when the kiss is over and he dabs at his forehead, there are only a couple of drops of blood. Very difficult to follow with all the inconsistencies.

In 1814, Charlotte Hastings attends a party in Southbridge, England though she would prefer to continue her work at the veterans' hospital in London. While by herself sketching, she observes the Duke of Girard James Morgan meeting with a frightened person. Unable to resist she draws the encounter, but James comes over and takes the picture from her. James believes that Charlotte is the future fiancee of his odious cousin Mortimer Blanton, who stole property that probably is being used to finance Napoleon's return to France.

When thugs assault Charlotte in her room, James rescues her. However, the other guests catch them so he claims she is his fiancee. He takes her "prisoner" because he realizes that she has a document he needs, but where she hid it he does not know. As Charlotte and James become acquainted with one another, they fall in love, but both mistrust the other believing that their beloved is a Napoleonic agent.

Fans of Regency romantic suspense will take great delight with Sari Robin's wonderful debut novel, HER SCANDALOUS INTENTIONS. The story line is brimming with action as the innocent Charlotte lands in the middle of an espionage mess while the tainted James tries to figure out her role in the fiasco. Though it takes a bit too long for the reader to receive that critical dramatic irony of knowing why before the hero does, sub-genre fans will rejoice while looking forward for more works from an obviously talented author.

Harriet Klausner

England, May 1814

Unlike the other young ladies attending Lord and Lady Balstram's weekend house party, Charlotte Hastings is not on the hunt for a husband as she prefers her art and the work she does helping wounded soldiers back in London. Sneaking off into the countryside to do some sketching, Charlotte witnesses a suspicious encounter between a stranger and another houseguest, James Morgan, the Duke of Girard. Soon enough, Charlotte's world is spun out of control as she gets caught in a web of conspiracy involving stolen property and a plot to free Napoleon Bonaparte from Elba.

James Morgan, the Duke of Girard, is out to find a thief within the government. Believing his cousin Mortimer Blanton is the culprit, James becomes suspicious when a woman Mortimer is known to be courting witnesses a transaction between an agent and himself. Needing a hiding place for items involving national security, James decides to place it in Charlotte's room, thus setting off a chain of events that lead to the pair getting caught in a compromising situation and temporarily betrothed.

Sari Robins' debut novel is a tangled series of plots, subplots, and villains. While heroine Charlotte Hastings is admirably self-sufficient and prone to laying her opponents low with groin injuries, she comes across looking more like Lara Croft than a Regency era lady. Meanwhile, James Morgan may be a duke, but he certainly doesn't act like a gentleman. It's hard to imagine a true nobleman acting the way he does towards Charlotte -- rudely tearing her artwork, dousing her twice with laudanum, and kidnapping her -- all before page 75!

While the story fast-paced and enjoyable for the most part, one gets the sensation that the author, perhaps fearful of not having enough of a story to tell, proceeded to pile on the characters and subplots until HER SCANDALOUS INTENTIONS comes close to becoming a historical soap opera. This reviewer respectfully suggests the use of minimal supporting characters and better research (i.e., Manton's was a shooting gallery, not a boxing saloon in Regency London) in the future.

TheSchemer

I have read hundreds, perhaps thousands of romances and this one is great. She's now on my "favorites list." There's plenty of suspense, romance and sensuality here.

The reviewer I agree most with is the one who notes the inconsistencies in the storyline. That always makes me crazy,too and detracts enormously from the book. On the other hand the characters are likeable, mostly plausible and the dialogue is witty. I think our heroine is the brightest of them all actually.
I wouldn't "search" this book out but if its around its an ok read for a rainy afternoon.

All I can say is I want my own James. He is absolutely delicious and the shero, Charlotte, is someone I would call a girlfriend. Get this book, you can't go wrong. Just edgy enough for those of us who like a little heat in our romances but safe enough for those readers who are a little tame at heart. I want to encourage the author to revisit some of the other characters in this book and tell their story(i.e hilarious Elizabeth, spoiled Margaret, and yummy Robert). For a first time writer you have really hit a home run...keep up the good work.

Charlotte tends to be minding her own business but James just won't let her - constantly putting her in jeopardy of losing her life. James, who is trying to catch a traitor working towards the Napoleon cause (possily his own wicked cousin) uses Charlotte as bait- not knowing exactly how she fits in the picture. So the adventure begins- Charlotte discovers through James' carelessness that there is a betrayal going on and thinking that James is the traitor, leaning towards the Napoleon cause, she gets involved. It is wild. And even though it would be so easy to "throw Charlotte's reputation to the wind", James is too galliant of a man to do so. To protect Charlotte from talk of the Ton after being found in her bedroom, James announces in front of everyone at a house party that they are betrothed (when they don't even know each other). He figures that he will make a peace offering to her, move her off, let the talk die down and move on about his business. But those that know Charlotte has other plans- and they will do what ever it takes to protect her reputation even if it means forcing James to truly marry her. This is where the fun begins - and yes, my favorite scene is Charlotte's confrontation with James ex-mistress. Of course, Charlotte comes out being the true elegant lady! James is dashing and every lady's dream of a lover/husband. But Charlotte is nothing to cough at herself.

Yes, there are inconsistances but there is plenty of suspence and romance to over-shadow them. It's a good read.